Ellis, Phoenixville down Boyertown for first win
SCHUYLKILL >> Mike Ellis was a busy man throughout the summer sharpening up on both his golf and tennis skills as he prepared for his senior year at Phoenixville Area High School.
Ellis is a number-one caliber player in both sports for the Phantoms. He demonstrated his skills in golf on Tuesday afternoon at Pickering Valley Golf Club against Boyertown in a Pioneer Athletic Conference match.
Ellis shot a 2-over-par 38 as Phoenixville defeated Boyertown, 210-223.
Ellis combined a birdie on No. 8 with five pars and three bogeys for the round to lead the Phantoms (1-1) over the Bears (0-2).
Coach Steve Winnick feels the Phantoms have the best squad they’ve fielded in the past four or five years.
“All eight could score,” said Winnick, who added that Ellis is playing like a true number one. “They are a team. We can rely on anybody to have a good day if somebody has a bad day. They can pick each other up.”
On Tuesday, Ellis didn’t need any picking up. He is one of the veteran leaders on a team that he, like Winnick, feels has at least eight solid, capable scorers.
“It’s been a good season so far,” said Ellis, who has been playing golf for most of his life. “The veterans have been stepping up and the young kids also. That’s been helping our scoring a lot this year.”
Phoenixville also got a 40 from senior Max Farbstein, 44’s from freshman Parker Stevens and junior Jon Kettelle and 46’s from sophomore Mitch Schwartz and senior Christian Legning.
Senior Kyle Green topped the Boyertown scorecard with a 39 while senior James Gassner checked in with a 41 on yet another day of sizzling heat and humidity.
Ellis said he really felt the heat the past two days at Pickering Valley with practice Monday and the match Tuesday, both in playing the course and walking the hills.
“Our course is one of the toughest, but the heat has just been brutal for everyone,” said Ellis.
“Boyertown is always tough,” said Winnick, “but the home course is an advantage for us. This year it is really going to be because we have our tough matches here.”
Veteran Boyertown coach Mark Takacs talked about the match.
“We always play close down here,” said Takacs. “It is just a matter of making the kids be consistent with the golf ball. They overanalyze and sometimes they just have poor shot selection. They have to manage the course much better.”
