Lewisburg freshman Kimberly Shannon cruises in 2 occasions to win district swimming gold | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

DAVE KENNEDY / Sun-Gazette Lewisburg’s Kimberly Shannon will compete for Lewisburg in the 400 free relay at the 400 Swimming Championships in Lewisport on Thursday in Williamsport. Shannon won gold in the 200 IM and 500 free races.

Lewisburg freshman Kimberly Shannon glanced at the scoreboard quickly after touching the wall at the end of the 500cc race to see what time it was. The Green Dragon swimmer took a few seconds to catch her breath.

It took a few more seconds. And then a few more.

In fact, she sat alone next to the starting block for 22 seconds before the runner-up hit the wall.

Shannon competed in her first girls’ swimming championships in District 4 and put on a show when she got in the water.

The newbie was phenomenal for Lewisburg, racing in both the 500 Free and 200 IM, which made it seem almost too easy.

DAVE KENNEDY / Meaghan Keegan of Sun-Gazette Jersey Shore swims 100 during the District 4 Swimming Championships in Williamsport on Thursday.

“I just came to push myself and see what I can do.” Shannon said with a gold medal around his neck. “(I said to myself) we will have no expectations of this race and just swim and see how it goes. It felt like a really good swim. “

Really good bath? Rather excellent.

In the 200 IM, Shannon finished the race with 2: 05.79, beating the field by 12 seconds and hiring a new PR. She followed it up a few events later in the 500 open, winning in 5: 02.15 and winning by 22 seconds.

“She is a special kind of swimmer. Swimmers like that don’t come around very often and we are very fortunate to have her swimming for us and I wish her all the best for the rest of her career. “ Lewisburg’s trainer Derek Updegraff said.

Shannon was one of only two swimmers who had qualified for the state meeting. The other was teammate Delaney Humphrey, who won the 200 free to secure a spot in the States. Shannon’s success was also a major reason why the Green Dragons finished second in the team standings (315) behind three-time defending champions Danville (383).

DAVE KENNEDY / Delaney Humphrey of Sun-Gazette Lewisburg reacts after seeing she won the 200 free at the District 4 Swimming Championships in Williamsport on Thursday. It secured her a place in the state meeting.

Humphrey was Shannon’s best outdoor 500 competition when she finished second in 5: 24.06. Shannon admitted that early in the meeting, Humphrey won the 200, which helped her relax and motivate her to win too.

“(That’s) half the reason I did as well as I did. After seeing her do so well and accomplish something that she wanted for so long, I knew that this would be a great motivation for my race. “ Shannon said.

In the 200 IM, Shannon had a big lead about halfway through the race and it became clear that no other swimmer was going to catch her.

“I went out with the butterfly. I didn’t mean to push myself (too much). The back is my big hit, so I really wanted to see if I could get a head start and push myself in, and the chest made my body feel good. I felt relaxed. “ Shannon said. “I felt safe. From then on it felt smooth. It feels good. It felt like a really good race. “

Shannon never expected to start as a freshman and not only win two gold medals, but do so in such a convincing way. And winning twice in their first district meeting meant a lot to newbie Green Dragon.

DAVE KENNEDY / Sun-Gazette Mackenzie Gardner of Jersey Shore swims the opening game of the 200 medley relay for Jersey Shore at the District 4 Swimming Championships in Williamsport on Thursday.

“When I got to this meeting I was so excited, I was so excited for all the other girls on my team to be able to win this and represent Lewisburg in it.” Shannon said. “I’ve wanted to do it for so long and I’m so excited that I finally made it.”

One area swimmer won the medal except for one of the eleven competitions on Thursday.

In addition to winning the 200 Free, Humphrey finished second in the 500 Free and helped the 200 Medley and 400 Free relay teams take silver.

Jewels Hepner was a two-time individual medalist when she finished second in both the 50 Free and 100 Free. In Lewisburg, Valeria Riley (sixth, 200 IM), Emma Gerlinski (fourth, 50 free and fourth, 100 free) and Alex Decker (third, 100 free and third, 100 chest) won medals.

Jersey Shore’s 200-free relay team, consisting of Abby Wall, Hunter Lucas, Sara Pecchia and Meaghan Keegan, swam to fifth place with a 1: 58.09. Milton’s four of Kayli Johnson, Haylee Carl, Maria Painter and Riley Godown finished sixth in 2: 21.65 in the 200 medley relay to medal.

Hughesville’s Karlee Wallis also won a medal by swimming a 1: 05.96 in the 100 flight.

Keegan was twice medalist as an individual swimmer in 100 flies and 100 breasts and took third and second place respectively. After the Jersey Shore senior missed the U.S. class AA swimming competition last year because the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the meeting, she hoped she could return.

Keegan had to swim against Shamokin’s preeminent swimmer Gabby Doss in both races, and Doss won gold in both races.

“It’s nice to just have competition and a race like this because it’s been so long since we could race like this. It’s nice to see what I can do, conical and seeded and all. “ Said Keegan.

As for swimming against a talented swimmer like Doss?

“It’s really difficult. I swam with Gabby on a club team, so I train with her consistently.” Said Keegan. “Her racing is fun and she’s pushing me. It’s a chance to have a good race with her. “

DISTRICT 4 GIRLS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Team results: 1st Danville 383; 2. Lewisburg 315; 3. Central Columbia 249; 4. Bloomsburg 229; 5. Shamokin 181; 6. Athens 180; 7. Jersey Shore 130; 8. Towanda 100; 9. Milton 51; 10. Wellsboro 30; t11. Hughesville 22; t11. Shikellamy 22; 13. Mount Carmel 10.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

(Top 6 Finisher)

200 medley season: 1st Danville (Alivia Shen, Brenna Ross, Coyla Bartholomew, Caroline Spahr), 1: 51.14; 2. Lewisburg, 1: 52.22; 3. Bloomsburg, 1: 56.35; 4. Central Columbia, 1: 57.45; 5. Athens, 2: 14.13; 6. Milton, 2:21.65. 200 free: 1. Delaney Humphrey, Lewisburg, 1: 57.78; 2. Coyla Bartholomew, Danville, 1: 59.07; 3. Taegan Williams, Athens, 2: 04.39; 4. Riley Noss, Central Columbia, 2: 04.61; 5. Victoria Bartholomew, Danville, 2:09:10; 6. Zoe Zola, Danville, 2:13, 84. 200 IM: 1. Kimberly Shannon, Lewisburg, 2: 05.79; 2. Annabell Reck, Bloomsburg, 2: 17.48; 3. Alivia Shen, Danville, 2:18, 16; 4. Rachel Heggenstaller, Central Columbia, 2:25.86; 6. Valeria Riley, Lewisburg, 2:27.75. 50 free: 1. Brenna Ross, Danville, 24.64; 2. Jewels Hepner, Lewisburg, 25.50; 3. Caroline Spahr, Danville, 25.59; 4. Emma Gerlinski, Lewisburg, 26.44; 5. Emma Morgan, Central Columbia, 26.75; 6. Madison Bridy, Shamokin, 27.26. 100 fly: 1. Gabrielle Doss, Shamokin, 58.96; 2. Annabell Reck, Bloomsburg, 1:00:10; 3. Meaghan Keegan, Jersey Shore, 1:00:37; 4. Brenna Ross, Danville, 1:00, 69; 5. Hannah Bartholomew, Danville, 1: 02.09; 6. Karlee Wallis, Hughesville, 1: 05.96. 100 free: 1. Coyla Bartholomew, Danville, 54.72; 2. Jewels Hepner, Lewisburg, 55.86; 3. Alex Decker, Lewisburg, 57.15; 4. Emma Gerlinski, Lewisburg, 57.56; 5. Emma Welsh, Central Columbia, 57.68; 6. Taegan Williams, Athens, 58.56. 500 Free: 1. Kimberly Shannon, Lewisburg, 5:02:15; 2. Delaney Humphrey, Lewisburg, 5:24:06; 3. Riley Noss, Central Columbia, 5:32.68; 4. Caroline Spahr, Danville, 5:37, 52; 5. Trinity Neff, Bloomsbug, 5:38, 24; 6. Victoria Bartholomew, Danville, 5:47, 71. 200 free seasons: 1. Central Columbia (Emma Welsh, Riley Noss, Emma Morgan, Sarah McHenry), 1: 45.61; 2. Lewisburg, 1: 46.57; 3. Shamokin, 1: 48.13; 4. Danville, 1: 48.75; 5. Jersey Shore, 1: 58.09; 6. Athens, 1: 58.42. 100 back: 1. Sarah McHenry, Central Columbia, 1: 00.33; 2. Campbell Reck, Bloomsburg, 1:02:30; 3. Emma Welsh, Central Columbia, 1: 02.62; 4. Alivia Shen, Danville, 1: 04.04; 5. Trinity Neff, Bloomsburg, 1: 04.67; 6. Taylar Fisher, Athens, 1: 08.86. 100 Breast: 1. Gabrielle Doss, Shamokin, 1: 07.48; 2. Meaghan Keegan, Jersey Shore, 1: 08.72; 3. Alex Decker, Lewisburg, 1: 11.20; 4. Hannah Bartholomew, Danville, 1: 16–19; 5. Rachel Heggenstaller, Central Columbia, 1: 16.52; 6. Madison Bridy, Shamokin, 1: 16.98. 400 free season: 1st Danville (Brenna Ross, ALivia Shen, Caroline Spahr, Coyla Bartholomew), 3: 40.24; 2. Lewisburg, 3:42, 30; 3. Bloomsburg, 3:57, 14; 4. Shamokin, 4:03.99; 5. Central Columbia, 4:05.77; 6. Towanda, 4:31, 73.

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