sports

Frankel
Golfers State
Their Case

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Three-peat

Frankel golfers and coaches celebrate the team’s eighth-place finish at the Division 4 state tournament.

Here’s how the Frankel Jewish
Academy boys golf team fared in its
three consecutive trips to the MHSAA
Division 4 state tournament:

2015
Finish: 12th place among 15 teams
Course: The Meadows, Allendale
Aidan Folbe 82-89 — 171
Jason Ernst 88-97 — 185
Jacob Martin 95-97 — 192
Matt Ernst 103-90 — 193
Spencer Schafer 95-99 — 194

2016
Finish: 12th place among 15 teams
Course: Forest Akers West, East
Lansing
Jacob Martin 86-96 — 182
Jason Ernst 84-99 — 183
Matt Ernst 87-101 — 188
Tyler Presser 95-103 — 198
Joey Gordon 111-107 — 218

2017
Finish: 8th place among 18 teams
Course: Forest Akers East, East
Lansing
Jacob Martin 83-78 — 161
Jason Ernst 80-88 — 168
Jordon Salesin 96-83 — 179
Tyler Presser 93-89 — 182
Joey Gordon 88-96 — 184

G

olfers face many obstacles on a
golf course.
Sand traps. Rough. Bodies of
water. Trees. Greens that slope or are fast
or slow.
The West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish
Academy boys golf team had plenty of
challenges off the course to conquer this
past season and it overcame the odds
each time.
The Jaguars qualified for the Michigan
High School Athletic Association
Division 4 state tournament for the third
straight year. And they came through
with their best showing, taking eighth
place among 18 teams at Forest Akers
East Golf Course in East Lansing.
Frankel’s coaches were impressed
by the team’s state tournament perfor-
mance.
“To be honest, I didn’t see it coming,”
said Marty Burnstein, who has been the
team’s assistant coach for four years.
“I couldn’t have been prouder of the
kids because of the outstanding effort
they made to compete and, in my mind,
succeed beyond all reasonable expecta-
tions,” said second-year coach Harrison
Stackpole.
Three seniors led the way for Frankel.
Jacob Martin and Jason Ernst played in
the state tournament for the third year
and Tyler Presser for the second year.

Sophomore Joey Gordon played for the
second year and sophomore Jordon
Salesin played for the first year.
“Our seniors played very well in the
state tournament,” Burnstein said. “They
told me that was because the pressure
was off. They went out there and had
fun.”
The seniors missed about two weeks of
the season because of their class’ tradi-
tional trip to Israel.
They also had to focus during the
spring on graduation and choosing a
college. Martin and Ernst are heading to
the University of Michigan. Presser was
awarded a full-ride scholarship to the
University of Southern California.
The Jaguars weren’t able to practice at
Heather Highlands, site of the regional
tournament, because of scheduling
issues but despite going into the regional
“cold turkey,” Stackpole said, and while
they were studying for final exams, they
qualified for the state tournament.
Frankel almost didn’t get a chance to
play in the regional. The competition
was originally scheduled on a Jewish
holiday but moved thanks to the efforts
of Clarkston Everest Collegiate, the host
school.
Once the Jaguars got to the state tour-
nament, they again played the first of
two rounds by themselves on Thursday

because they wouldn’t be able to play
Saturday.
“There were more rules officials than
players on the course and our seniors
had to be back in West Bloomfield for
graduation that night, about two hours
after we completed our round,” Stackpole
said.
Frankel had early-morning tee times
Friday morning, which meant a quick
turnaround after graduation.
For all the team accomplished on the
golf course this season, Burnstein said,
what’s more important is the quality of
young men who represented Frankel.
“It was a pleasure to coach them
because they’re nice kids,” he said. “There
was no drama. The guys got along well
and supported each other. When they
played, there was no club-throwing or
swearing. Very mentsh-like behavior.”
Stackpole thanked Frankel Athletic
Director Rick Dorn and Assistant
Athletic Director Mike Lollo, the mem-
bers and professional staff at Knollwood
County Club (the Jaguars’ home course),
the MHSAA, parents of players, and
seniors Cole Levine and Garrett Smith
for their contributions to the Jaguars’
success. •

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July 27 • 2017

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