By matt le cren
For the Enterprise
www.enterprisepublications.com
In the history of the Plainfield Co-op boys swimming program, Netzel and Tran are the only two surnames that dot the list of individual state medal winners.
Ryan Netzel won eight individual medals before graduating last year, while his brother Alex won one.
Brandon Tran, who graduated in 2017, took home four medals.
Marc Avery is only the third Plainfield swimmer to claim two medals at the state meet. (Photo by matt le cren)
The list just got longer.
Juniors Alex Dvorak and Marc Avery combined to win three medals Saturday at the state finals at New Trier and they teamed with seniors Ethan Fox and Ryan Crafton to capture Plainfield’s first medal in the 400-yard freestyle relay, which finished 11th in 3:09.05.
“This is the first time we got medals without a Netzel or Tran,” Plainfield coach George Sam said. “It’s exciting to know that they’re going to have a chance to come back next year and have a chance to get in the (championship heat).
“I think with the leadership the seniors have shown them they are going to keep carrying the torch. So it’s going to be a lot of fun going forward. I just like the way the program keeps going up.”
So does Avery, who won his first medal when he took seventh in the 50 free. The top six finishers in Friday’s prelims advance to the championship heat, while the next six swim in the consolation heat.
Avery tied for 11th in the 50 in prelims with a time of 21.13. But on Saturday he won the consolation heat in 20.81, which was the fifth-fastest time of the day in that event.
“Last year I made it to state but I didn’t make it to finals and I’ve kind of wanted to make it to finals,” Avery said. “I’ve seen a bunch of my friends make it to finals and I’ve always wanted to make it myself. This year I did and it’s amazing.”
Avery, who attends Plainfield East, came back later to place 11th in the 50 free in 47.0, replicating his prelims finish.
He joins Tran and Ryan Netzel as the only swimmers in program history to win two individual medals in the same year and he is the first to medal in the 50 or 100.
“This year I’ve got to say I stepped up my training a lot,” said Avery, whose 100 time was a personal best. “I ended up working out more, getting in the pool more. All that training paid off.”
Dvorak, a Plainfield North student, earned his medal in the 200 individual medley, where he finished eighth in 1:53.46.
He barely missed joining Avery in the 100 free, clocking 47.09 in the prelims to finish 14th, just .05 shy of the advancing to the consolation heat.
“It was really fun,” Dvorak said. “I enjoyed the challenge. It was a little nerve-wracking but other than that it was a great experience.”
The team capped the meet with its historic medal in the 400 free relay, which was just the second relay in program history to get to the finals.
“We’ve been a great team,” Dvorak said. “Everyone is working hard and we’re a family.
“Both coaches have been excellent to us and treated us as family. It’s been a great team environment.”
In other results, Crafton tied for 24th in the 100 butterfly in 51.83, while Davis got 29th in 52.03. The 200 free relay of Dvorak, Crafton, senior Alec Danko and Avery was 18th in 1:27.11
Plainfield now has won at least one medal in six consecutive seasons. Dvorak and Avery will be looking to make it seven next year.
“I feel honored to be here,” Dvorak said. “I’d like to thank my coaches and everybody that’s helped me get here, all the people who have pushed me through training.”