Leadership.
That’s what Port Washington varsity quarterback Harry Eynon preaches. His stats through his first two games as a junior will jump off the page at you, but that doesn’t tell the full story.
“He always led by example, but as far as this year, I think he kind of knows it’s his team,” said Port Washington Vikings head coach Kevin Cloghessy. “He speaks up when he needs to. He gets the offense lined up. When he speaks, the kids listen; they respond to him. I think every kid on the team has some sort of relationship with him; he’s just that type of kid, and he’s really done a good job of owning that role as far as being more of a communicator within the team. We’ve thrown a lot on his plate and I think he’s responding really well to that.”
After the Vikings’ 2-0 start with double-digit victories against Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK and Freeport, Eynon has completed 34 of his 47 passing attempts (72%) for 415 yards and eight touchdowns. His team is tied for first place in the Conference.
Even though he’s fifth in yards and tied for first in passing touchdowns in Nassau County, Eynon has protected the football – as he enters the third game of the season without recording an interception.
“I really want to take care of the ball, I make it a point every day,” Eynon said. “I make the right reads, go through my progressions and if nothing’s there, then I’ll take what I can get, but I’ll throw it away if I have to. It’s definitely a point of emphasis for me.”
For as long as Eynon can remember, football has been important to him. His father has played a huge role in his love for the game.
“My dad, who played quarterback as well, has had a football in my hand ever since I can remember,” Eynon said. “I think he’s installed that in me from a very early age and I love playing it.”
Eynon models his game after some of the NFL’s great quarterbacks today. 2024 MVP Josh Allen and 2018 first overall pick Baker Mayfield, are players Eynon thinks his game emulates the most. For Cloghessy, this type of skillset is important to have.
“He’s a natural thrower as far as he can make every single throw, and he’s really, really smart,” Cloghessy said. “So when we do put stuff in, he’s like another coach on the field back there and he’s really done a nice job and he gets concepts. He understands the different alignments and when we’re trying to do it offensively. Once you tell him it once, it clicks for him. If he makes a mistake, he corrects it himself.”
This is high praise from his head coach for a second-year varsity player. Cloghessy has known Eynon since he was in sixth grade, so adding him to the varsity roster a season ago became a no-brainer.
“He was a kid that I’ve known, and, mature-wise, I knew he was able to do it,” Cloghessy said. “I knew there was going to be some times where the game is a little fast for him, but he was able to adapt and he was there as a sophomore. We also used another kid in Harry Behan, but he did get a lot of reps at quarterback as a sophomore and has a lot of experience under his belt. I think now as a junior, he’s developed more physically and I think the game has slowed down for him a little bit.”
Not only does Eynon dominate on the gridiron, but he was also All-County as a lacrosse player last season. The two-sport student-athlete plays a huge role in Port Washington athletics’ success.
“First and foremost, he’s a great kid,” Cloghessy said. “He works his butt off every single day at practice. He has filled out tremendously from sophomore year to junior year – he’s probably six-foot-three, 185 pounds. He is athletic, he’s more than capable of running, and he’s more athletic than he shows, and that comes from his lacrosse background. He’s very accurate and he makes a lot of different throws, a lot of throws that are difficult, he can make. He can push the ball downfield, and he can throw quickly. He can throw from one hash to the other. He can definitely make a lot of the different throws and he’s very smart at the position.”
As for the rest of the season.
“I want to win a lot of football games,” Eynon said. “We’re focused mostly on winning a lot of football games over here.”
