Palatine's Plank at His Best When He Feels the Pressure

State meet pressure has caused more than a few freshman knees toknock. Not Greg Plank's.

Never one to pass up a head-to-head confrontation, Plankexcelled under fire as a freshman last year, finishing second in the100-yard backstroke.

"I got pretty good at the end of the season blocking outpressure," said Plank, now a sophomore at Palatine. "I just relaxand say `I don't care what I do.' Deep down inside, I know I'mgoing to race." At the Downers Grove South Invitational won by the host schoolSaturday, Plank led his team to third place with victories in the 200freestyle (1:47.73) and 100 backstroke (55.40) despite being awakemuch of the night before fighting the effects of a flu bug.

"Greg is one of those kids who has the drive as well as thetalent," Palatine coach Ed Richardson said. "He loves to compete.He thrives on the competition. He eats it up."

At last season's state meet, Plank (51.73) gobbled up almost allthe competition, finishing second in the backstroke to defendingchampion Andy DeVooght (50.28), a senior at Peoria Richwoods. It wasthe highest finish by a freshman since Fenwick's Brian Pendergast won theindividual medley in 1990.

Plank also finished sixth in the 200 freestyle in 1:43.50 and ledoff Palatine's medley relay that finished third.

"You get the biggest highs off it (competition)," Plank said. "Ican't stand to lose at all. I once almost threw my body out tryingto catch a guy on a relay."

Plank, who satisfies his urge to compete in the offseason byrunning cross-country, finished second in the Mid-Suburban Leaguefrosh-soph meet.

"I'd like to take a pop at the state record in the backstroke,"Plank said. "I seriously think it's going to go down. I'd like tosee how close I can get this year if not break it and possibly gounder 50 (seconds)."

The record of 50.14 was set in 1982 by Collinsville's Tom Jager.

A collector of coins, rocks and baseball cards among otherthings ("I can't stand to throw anything away"), Plank figures tobuild his collection of medals with three seasons of high schoolswimming remaining.

"I used to swim for the awards, and I love those, but now Ijust like `going for it,' Plank said. "I just love to compete."

A slender 6-1, 154 pounds, the 15-year-old Plank figures to fillhis frame out by the time he's a senior.