The Oak Lawn High School boys swim team. (Supplied photo)
Boys swim avenges early losses for second in SSC Red
By Brian Frangella
After losing to both Shepard and Evergreen Park during the regular season, the Oak Lawn Community High School boys swim team knew it had its work cut out for it at the South Suburban Conference Red meet last weekend. And the Spartans were well prepared for the challenge as they battled to finish in second place overall just behind Reavis.
“The boys swam with a ton of heart and were dropping times all over the place,” head coach Derek Maciaga said. “It was amazing to see all of their hard work throughout the season pay off with conference medals and new personal records. We hope to keep the momentum going into the Illinois High School Association Sectional meet this Saturday at Lyons Township.”
Senior captain Luke Fritz led the charge for Oak Lawn by winning a conference championship in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of :22.20 and taking second in the 100 freestyle with a time of :49.92. Both of those performances now stand as new school records. Standout Jeremy Gravelle repeated as conference champion in diving and finished in the Top 6 in the 100 freestyle as well.
Other big contributions came from senior Dillon Siert and junior Trevor Hartmann. Siert finished in third in the 100 butterfly with a new personal best time of :56.91, and Hartmann took third in the 200 individual medley and third in the 100 breaststroke. Both of those swims for Hartmann were also personal best times. The relay combination of Vladimir Meza, Hartmann, Siert, and Fritz took second in the 400 freestyle and third in the 200 medley relays.
On the junior varsity level, senior Efrain Alvarez was conference champion in diving, Zach Francis took third in diving, and Billy McNichols took second in the 100 butterfly.
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