One might have thought with all the clanking of medals around Patrick Gilhool’s neck at the District XI Class 3A Swimming Championships, the noise alone would have knocked the shock out of the Liberty junior, but it didn’t.

“I was really excited after [winning] the 100 fly, but [winning] the 100 back was a complete shock to me,” Gilhool said. “I’m proud of both of them but I was definitely more shocked about the 100 backstroke. I knew I could do it, but I didn’t think I would win. Nick Soares (Emmaus) is a great swimmer. He was the defending district champion. I had a good day.”

But first came the shock of setting the district record in the fly with a time of 50.58.

“I didn’t even realize that was the district record,” Gilhool said. “I actually figured out, after the 2 free relay, when I was warming down, Reik (Foust) and all the coaches walked up to me and were like, ‘Congratulations, that was a district record.’”

Then came the shock of winning the backstroke in 50.43 where Gilhool was seeded fourth.

“I don’t know if he expected that, but he worked hard enough, and we weren’t surprised by it,” said Coach Foust.

Gilhool said it was his underwaters and turns that won him the back.

“Coach Jeff [Matyus] said just bury your underwater, go under as long as you can, and then just sprint,” said Gilhool. “I was really excited after the 100 fly. The 100 back was icing on the cake. I just went for it. I didn’t hold back at all. When I finished, I was so happy and excited. I never felt that kind of energy before, especially in a season like this.”

Addison Collins, also a Hurricane junior, won silvers in the 50 free (21.23) and the 100 free (47.58).

“I dropped a lot more time, overall, in the 50, and it’s harder to drop more time in the 50. I didn’t go as fast as I wanted to in the 100,” Collins said. “I really thought I was going to be ready for today, but coming in with no fans and no adrenaline, I didn’t even feel too nervous. Once I was in the water, there was more adrenaline. I went against Luke Rautzhan (Emmaus) in both, and I was trying to win at least one of them because now states is just for first place. Most of the guys I swam against are seniors, so I think next year will be a couple more first places.”

Collins, Gilhool, Danny Lehr, and Malcolm Collins combined to win silver medals in the 200 medley relay in 1:35.95.

“I was a little nervous about Nick Soares because I know how fast he is, but I was ready for it,” said Lehr, who led off. “I definitely had some stuff left in my tank, but I was impressed with my time, and that was my goal to go sub 26. It was pretty nerve-wracking, but I knew we were all going to do good.”

Freedom swimmers Andrew Ehret, Eric Mann, Luke McClure, and Ryan Rummel took fifth place in the medley relay in 1:44.54.

Ehret also placed fifth in the 500 free with a time of 4:56.57.

“I started off good, but I kind of died off toward the middle. My underwaters and flip turns could have been better,” Ehret said. “I got a personal best on my time, but I would have liked to have been a little bit faster because I got out touched for four.”

Jack Reppert from Emmaus came in fourth in 4:56.43.

“It’s a lot of pacing, and you can’t overthink it because it’s so long,” said Ehret. “I was really happy we had the meet.”