WATKINS GLEN -- It was performances like Devan Musa's in the 100 backstroke at the Section 4 Class A girls swimming championships that never cease to bring a smile to coach Roy Staley's face.

Musa, a senior, captured first place to polish off her six-year varsity career with a sectional championship on Saturday. The special performance was one of many for the Little Red, which blew away the Class A field with 543 points to capture its 20th straight sectional title.

"That's got to be a great feeling for her," Staley said. "Because all those years of being fifth, sixth string and then all of a sudden she has an opportunity-- and it came across."

Ithaca's depth distanced itself from second-place Corning, which finished with 326 points, and third-place Vestal (291). The Little Red had at least three top-eight finishers in every individual event except the breastroke and diving.

Sophomore Shelby Williams (100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke) and freshman Karinna Browning (500 freestyle) will represent Ithaca at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championship meet, scheduled for Nov. 20-21 at Webster-Schroeder High School in suburban Rochester.

Williams, who won the sectional title in the 50 free and swam on the winning 200 freestyle relay team, competed with a heavy heart. Her mother, 43-year old Robin Marie, died Tuesday night after a lengthy battle with cancer.

"This team means so much to me," said Williams afterward, surrounded by teammates. "My mom passed away and they've been here for me and they've supported me so much, and they're getting me through it and I wouldn't be able to be here right now, wouldn't be able to handle it without them. Everybody's been so supportive of me. I just love them all."

Ithaca won two relay events, the 200 free and 400 free. In the 200, Ella Graffin, Nicole Klohmann, Kayla Sherwyn and Williams swam a 1:44.34.

In the 400, Graffin, Lindsey Davenport, Maeve Russell and Sherwyn combined to swim a 3:52.40, which was more than 12 seconds better than their time in Wednesday's preliminaries.

"I was kind of surprised we won that," Staley said. "The girls that went second, one of the captains, Lindsey Davenport, is not a sprinter necessarily. But we put her in there because she's always so reliable and dependable."

Apart from Ithaca's frontline finishers, swimmers like freshman Annalise Vernon contributed in significant ways. Vernon was seeded eighth in the 200 IM final, only to drop nearly five seconds off her time and claim a fourth-place finish.

"Today, I just had extra drive," Vernon said. "I really wanted to get it."

Browning completed the 500 in 5:21.82, touching the wall almost five seconds before runner-up Mackenzie McNamara of Union-Endicott.

"It's really fun that I'm only a freshman and I get to go to states," Browning said. "I'm real excited for that. It's also nice that even though we graduated so many awesome seniors, we still get to win sectionals."

Musa edged Corning's Korie Serdula by .23 tenths of a second to win the backstroke.

"It's really nice to end my six years of being on this team well," she said. "With coming down to what was a really good time for me, and pulling out a win because I really wanted it badly. She had me that first 50, and I was like 'Noooo!' and I just had to go for it."