By the third leg of the race, Shannon was in control. By halfway through the event, Shannon was absolutely dominating.

The Lewisburg sophomore crushed the competition in the 500 free, winning the event with a time of 5:01.38. Not only did Shannon drop an incredible 16 seconds off her season-best time, but she beat the second-place swimmer by almost 27 seconds. The win gave Shannon district gold and yet another spot at the state meet.

Shannon’s gold medal was her second at districts, coming a day after she won the 200 IM.

“My 500 going into it, I was a little like nervous, little tired from yesterday, but it worked. It was fine, I did what I needed to do, put down a really good time that I’m super happy with,” Shannon said. “And going back with the relay team and taking second, I’m super happy. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Mason Ordonez competes in the 500 yard freestyle during the District 4 championship swim meet on Thursday at Williamsport.

To say it was a good time is an understatement. The time of 5:01.38 wasn’t Shannon’s PR — she set that last year as a freshman at the state meet — but it was an improvement upon her time last winter at the District 4 championships.

“It makes me happy knowing I can come back and do better,” Shannon said. “I’m super excited where I’m at right now.”

Shannon quickly got out in front of the 500 free and didn’t waste time building her lead. By the third lap she was out in front by a few seconds. By the seventh leg, she was nearly halfway down the lane before Central Columbia’s Riley Noss turned at the wall.

“I like to set the pace. I like to know I’m going the pace I need to and not worrying that I need to go fast,” Shannon said. “My goggles broke right before the race. I wasn’t super scared or anything, but it upped the adrenaline too. By the time I got into the water, I was ready to go and ready to swim.”

Shannon’s dominant performance in the 500 free was one of just two gold medals for Lewisburg on Thursday. The other came in the same event on the boys side. Lewisburg’s Mason Ordonez, a day after he beat out Central Columbia’s Andrew Sponenberg in the 200 free, once again beat Sponenberg, this time in the 500 free. That race came down to the wire in the final few laps in which Ordonez just edged him with a time of 5:00.83 as Sponenberg took second in 5:01.17.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Mackenzie Gardner competes in the 100 yard backstroke during the District 4 championship swim meet on Thursday at Williamsport.

“It was just neck-and-neck and I don’t even know what to say. Like I said (Wednesday), you win it or lose and today, I won it,” Ordonez said. “He’s such a great competitor. He’s pushed me so much from last year. In the 200 and the 500, he was really my motivation.”

Ordonez admitted that in the last leg, he was feeling tired and didn’t have much left in the tank, but the adrenaline helped carry him the final lap.

“I just wanted to try to get to states, so I gave it everything I had and I’m just glad I was able to get the outcome I wanted,” Ordonez said.

Shannon and Ordonez were the only two area swimmers to win gold on Thursday. The Lewisburg 400 girls relay team of Emma Gerlinski Skylar Crosby, Valeria Riley and Shannon took second; Gerlinski finished third in the 500 free; and Lewisburg’s Mitchell Malusis took third in the 100 free. Jersey Shore’s Reese Charney (100 free), Abraham Passetti (100 free) and Kate Butzler (100 back) all finished fourth in their events as well. Milton’s Camden Weaver also finished fourth for Milton in the 100 breast with a time of 1:08.63. It helped Milton score points as the boys team finished fifth in the team race.

“I was just trying to do my best in 100 breaststroke and do as best as I could. … I guess taking long strokes and also listening to my teammates cheer for me really motivated me,” Weaver said.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Wellsboro's Caralyn Warner competes in the 100 yard backstroke during the District 4 championship swim meet on Thursday at Williamsport.

As for the Black Panthers finishing fifth as a team?

“I’m just super proud of all my teammates and coaches helping push all of us,” Weaver said.

Wellsboro had a pair of swimmers place sixth as Hayne Webster finished sixth in the 100 back with a time of 1:02.29 and Isobel Anderegg finished sixth on the girls side in the 100 breast with a time of 1:16.31. Jersey Shore’s Artie Dammer took sixth in the 100 breast and Jersey Shore’s relay team of Lily Dincher, Mackenzie Gardner, Rachel Tira and Addison Dangle took sixth. All but Dangle were seniors. Milton’s 400 free relay team also saw success, finishing seventh with the team of Riley Godown, Ashley Shamblen, Kayli Johnson and Maria Painter.

Other area swimmers to be top-8 included Wellsboro’s Madison Robbins finishing seventh in the 500 free (6:17.67), Milton’s Xavier Godown finishing seventh in the 500 free (5:49.50) and Lewisburg’s Miles Fassero finishing seventh in the 100 breast with a time of 1:11.73.

GIRLS RESULTS

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Wellsboro's Caralyn Warner competes in the 100 yard backstroke during the District 4 championship swim meet on Thursday at Williamsport.

Team scores: 1. Danville 425; 2. Central Columbia 296; 3. Bloomsburg 240; 4. Athens 213; 5. Jersey Shore 197; 6. Lewisburg 189; 7. Milton 148; 8. Wellsboro 71; 9. Towanda 85; 10. Shamokin 28; 11. Shikellamy 23.

100 free: 1. Annabell Reck, Bloomsburg, 54.35; 2. Caroline Spahr, Danville, 54.80; 3. Coyla Bartholomew, Danville, 54.87.

500 free: 1. Kimberly Shannon, Lewisbug, 5:01.38; 2. Riley Noss, Central Columbia, 5:27.98; 3. Emma Gerlinski, Lewisburg, 5:32.84. 100 back: 1. Emma Welsh, Central Columbia, 1:00.88; 2. Alivia Shen, Danville, 1:02.10; 3. Maya Hassenbalg, Danville, 1:05.66. 100 breast: 1. Brenna Ross, Danville, 1:04.54; 2. Trinity Neff, Bloomsburg, 1:09.25; 3. Brooke Kopatz, Athens, 1:11.39. 400 free relay: 1. Danville (Coyla Bartholomew, Alivia Shen, Caroline Spahr, Brenna Ross), 3:39.99; 2. Lewisburg, 3:57.22; 3. Bloomsburg, 4:00.57.

BOYS RESULTS

Team scores: 1. Central Columbia 351.5; 2. Lewisburg 223; 3. Athens 179.5; 4. Danville 170; 5. Milton 140; 6. Bloomsburg 134; 7. Jersey Shore 126; 8. Mount Carmel 88; t-9. Shikellamy 77; t-9. Mifflinburg 77; 11. Towanda 63; 12. Shamokin 48.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Wellsboro's Caralyn Warner competes in the 100 yard backstroke during the District 4 championship swim meet on Thursday at Williamsport.

100 free: 1. Ahmed Elbetagy, Bloomsburg, 47.57; 2. Mason Fantini, Mount Carmel, 52.15; 3. Mitchell Malusis, Lewisburg, 52.32. 500 free: 1. Mason Ordonez, Lewisburg, 5:00.83; 2. Andrew Sponenberg, Central Columbia, 5:01.17; 3. Trevor Reichner, Shikellamy, 5:04.84. 100 back: 1. Samuel Deluca, Mifflinburg, 54.50; 2. Ryan Hause, Danville, 56.01; 3. Bryce Rafel, Central Columbia, 58.24. 100 breast: 1. Sean Witmer, Mifflinburg, 59.48; 2. Ethan Robertson, Central Columbia, 1:05.89; 3. Connor Morgan, Central Columbia, 1:07.94. 400 free relay: 1. Central Columbia (Alton Smargassi, Ethan Robertson, Connor Morgan, Andrew Sponenberg), 3:31.27; 2. Athens, 3:32.76; 3. Bloomsburg, 3:40.82.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Mason Ordonez, center, receives a first place medal during the District 4 championship swim meet on Thursday at Williamsport.