The people of Ellis are very proud of their high school golf team and with good reason.
"I have all my kids back from last season," said boys golf head coach Matt Carroll. "And we were a regional championship team last season, so we had high expectations coming into the season." With all that promise, there was just one little problem.
"We like to say we are probably the only school in the state that has 15 golfers that doesn't have a golf course," said Carroll.
Which might sound like a big problem, but it has been merely a blip for the Railers. The team just went out and constructed a make shift driving range in an empty field by the school. And Carroll says his team has really enjoyed it.
"The kids loved it because it was something different and and it was new targets to hit at and a new place to hit and it's actually quite a bit longer than the driving range we had before."
Sophomore Skyler Tebo agrees,"It's not bad, it's probably a better driving range than what we had at our course. But obviously you don't get to hit the shots you would hit on a normal course."
The Railers golf team used to play and practice at the the Ellis Country Club but it's closed until further notice. Some financial problems lead to this property now being owned by the bank. Residents of the community have rallied to try and by it back, so that the community can once again enjoy it. In the mean time the Railer golfers just have to make do the best they can.
"We're fortunate to have courses in Hays and WaKeeney close enough to where the kids can go after practice." said Carroll. "And my kids have been pretty dedicated that they will go an uses those courses after practice."
Because this team is determined that nothing is going to slow them down.
"That's the goal," added Tebo. "We did it last year and hopefully we can go to Belleville and play well and take regionals as a team."
The Railers are coming off their best round of the season on Monday at Plainville, and they will play in the Mid-Continent league tournament on that same course on Thursday. They will play in the 2A regional at Republic County in Bellwville on Monday.
