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 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.