INDIANAPOLIS — There are worse ways to leave the IU Natatorium at IUPUI than with two fifth-place medals in your possession.
Greenfield-Central sophomore Zach Cook did so late Saturday afternoon by finishing fifth in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100 backstroke at the annual boys State Swimming and Diving Finals.
Cook produced a time of 49.58 seconds in the butterfly — three of the swimmers touching the wall before him being seniors and the other a junior — before later producing a 50.89 in the 100 back.
All in all, a busy day for Cook and Hancock County athletes in general.
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“Going into this year, my main event was butterfly, so I’m really happy with this,” Cook said moments after earning a spot on the awards’ podium in the backstroke.
“I think that’s still my strong event, but the backstroke really came on at the end of the season. We weren’t even expecting top eight. Top 16, yeah.”
Greenfield-Central finished 17th in the final team standings with 38 points. Close behind in 21st-place was Mount Vernon (27 points), which was led by senior Dixon Tierney.
Tierney visited the podium after coming in seventh in the 200 individual medley in a time of 1:54.10.
He also finished 14th in the 100 butterfly (51.99) and anchored the Marauders’ 11th-place performance in the 200 free relay and 18th-place effort in the 400 free relay.
“I’m super happy,” Tierney said after collecting his seventh-place medal. “Today was just more about having fun, getting on the podium and enjoying it. That was the whole goal, getting top eight because last year I got 12th and barely got into the consolation (race).”
Added Mount Vernon coach Matt Kruse: “The goal the whole season was to get top eight, and we knew it was going to be fast this year. (Friday) he did what he needed to do. He was hitting his splits and all that we were training for all season long.”
Both Mount Vernon relay efforts consisted of, in order, Matt Bauchert, Tim Broaders, Bryce Gray and Tierney. The 200 free relay posted a time of 1:27.55, while the 400 relay was clocked at 3:13.76.
Aside from a pair of fifths, Cook swam second leg for the Cougars’ 15th-place 400 relay (3:13.22) and third leg of the 14th-place 200 medley relay (1:37.21). Also contributing to Greenfield-Central’s various relays were Ethan Kile, Christopher Joven, Austin Payne, Allen Forbes and senior anchor Jordan Cermak.
The Cougars’ 200 free relay of Forbes, Kile, Payne and Joven came in 24th in 1:29.0.
“I was pleased with the medley relay, especially with the youth that’s on that team. It’s tough to go from the sectional where it’s all hype and excitement and carry it through to a state meet and then in less than maybe 12 hours have to do it again,” Greenfield-Central coach Mark Logan said.
Individually, Kile of Greenfield-Central came in 25th in the 100 breaststroke (59.62), while Forbes was 18th in the 100 butterfly (52.56).
Cermak came in 23rd in the 100 freestyle (48.13) and 31st in the 50 free (22.25). Also for Greenfield-Central, senior Jacob Keener placed 20th in diving with sophomore teammate Benjamin Rader 31st.
“This has been another great season. These guys just keep building and building upon the past results,” Logan said.
