The Times Athlete of the Week: Marquette’s Carson Zellers a fan of golf, Culver’s and ‘Step Brothers’

Out of 431 total votes cast online, Marquette Academy boys golfer Carson Zellers captured 148 of them to win The Times Athlete of the Week, sponsored by SOCU.

Zellers — who followed up scoring a top-five finish at the Tri-County Tournament the previous week by qualifying for Class 1A sectionals Wednesday — won on a ballot that also included runner-up Lainie Olson (Seneca girls volleyball), Jaydon Nambo (Streator boys golf) and Piper Stenzel (Seneca girls golf).

Next week’s ballot will be online Monday and accessible via Facebook (The Times Sports) and Twitter (@jtpedelty), with voting going through midday Wednesday.

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

Do you have any nicknames?

My friends call me “CZell.”

You just qualified for sectionals for the fourth consecutive year. How does it feel to go 4-for-4 in your high school career?

It feels good, hoping to move on.

What do you need to do to make it of the sectional and advance to the Class 1A State Finals?

Shoot 80 or better.

When did you start playing the game, and who got you into it?

Freshman year, my dad.

You’re going out to dinner to celebrate a great round. Where do you go?

Culver’s.

If you could go anywhere in the world on an all-expenses-paid, two-week vacation, where would you pick, and why?

Iceland. It never gets dark.

What movie would you say you’ve seen more than any other, and how many times?

“Step Brothers.”

What are your three favorite golf courses you’ve played?

TPC Deer Run, Onwentsia Golf Club, Westmoreland Country Club.

What course do you wish you could play that you haven’t yet?

Paynes Valley.

Is there a fact about you that might surprise people who only know you through sports?

No.

Do you have any college plans? If so, do they involve sports?

I plan on going to college and playing golf.