The Grundy Athlete of the Week is Coal City sophomore golfer Frankie Ponio. Ponio shot a season-best round of 39 in a win over Reed-Custer. He beat out Coal City soccer player Dylan Fatlan, Minooka cross country runner Nico Cimino and Minooka soccer player Brian Ngong.

Weekly ballots go online on Sundays and are accessible via Twitter (@roboesterle), with voting going through midday Tuesday.

Here is a Q&A with this week’s winner:

MHN: How long have you been golfing?

Ponio: Not very long. My brother got me into it. I think I got my first set of clubs the spring break of my eighth-grade year.

MHN: Do you play any other sports?

Ponio: I play baseball in the spring. That’s my main sport. I’m a catcher.

MHN: What is your strength on the golf course?

Ponio: I would say that accuracy is my biggest strength. I know what clubs to play for what distance. I am not the guy that is going to go for the green on a par-4 or anything like that. I will just lay up to get in a wedge distance. My short game is pretty good.

MHN: Do you have a pre-match ritual?

Ponio: I like to hit the putting green first. Every course is different. We had a stretch where we played four different courses in four days. Some of the greens were soft like carpet, and some were hard like a pool table. I like to get a read on the speed of the greens first. Then, when I hit the range, I start off with a short iron, then a mid-iron and a low iron before dialing in my driver. I want to be able to hit my driver in the fairway.

MHN: What are your goals for the season?

Ponio: I want to make it to sectionals. I missed the cut by one stroke last year. I was all-conference (Illinois Central Eight) last year, and I would like to do that again.

MHN: What is your favorite subject in school?

Ponio: Right now, I would say it is AP World History.

MHN: What is your favorite meal?

Ponio: I love Chinese food. Either beef lo mein or sushi.

MHN: What is your favorite movie?

Ponio: All of the MCU Spiderman movies. Not the animated Spider-verse movies. Andrew Garfield is the best Spiderman to me. He has the best looking suit.