The affable Penncrest High senior could become the only female thrower in state history, or at least as far as anyone knows, to win four PIAA Class AAA state shot-put championships.

However, you won't find the Oklahoma-bound Shump crunching numbers, just calculating each step she takes in the shot-put circle, meticulously going over in her mind her glide, her release point, her technique.

Tomorrow and Saturday at Coatesville, Shump will be going for her fourth straight District 1 championship in the shot put and second straight discus championship. Then next week, it's up to Shippensburg (May 23-24) for the PIAA state championships.

She will graduate next month owning virtually every Penncrest school record and every Delaware County record in the shot put and discus. She will graduate as one of the best high school female track and field athletes - joining Methacton's amazing Ryann Krais (headed to UCLA) - to ever compete in the Philadelphia area.

The funny thing is, Shump couldn't tell you what she threw last week. Or yesterday. Sure, she remembers her career-best marks, like the 52-foot, 4-inch throw during indoor season, but that's about where it ends for her. Shump also forgets to mention that her top throw just happened to win the Nike Indoor Nationals on March 16 in Landover, Md.

"Karen won the indoor national championship, and she's just over an inch from breaking the Pennsylvania state record," said Barry Swanson, her personal throwing coach. "She's without a doubt one of the best ever. That 52-foot throw at indoor nationals was the third-best throw ever in that meet. She has a chance to throw 50 feet at the states. She works harder than anyone I ever worked with. People will talk about Karen for a long time after she leaves."

Shump's winning throw of 47 feet, 10 1/2 inches at the Delaware County Championship on May 3 outdistanced her nearest competitor, Upper Darby's Chanel King (40-0), by more than 7 feet. Her discus toss of 152-1 was 34 feet better than second place.

She has been that dominant this year. But Shump doesn't see it that way. She never does.

This year, Shump has been bracing herself for the change ahead in college. She has been throwing - and winning - since she was a freshman. It's only been 4 years, though it seems as if Shump, a two-sport standout who gave up softball after her sophomore year, has been around high school track forever.

"It does feel that way, doesn't it," Shump said, laughing. "It is a little weird knowing that this is it, that there's no coming back after next month; there's no being at the high school anymore and knowing in 4 months, you won't be back in the same setting. I think that's why I have to give it my all and focus on finishing high school on a positive note. I don't think about other stuff, records, and things like that."

But it will be bittersweet if Shump could capture a fourth state title in the shot put, and top it off by winning the discus.

She said giving up softball (as a sophomore pitcher she won 18 games while batting .440) was like losing a relative. Departing high school and the precious times ahead will be like leaving a piece of herself behind.

She recently got a reminder of where she was - and where she is today. Shump and a former softball teammate were rummaging through a photo album and found a picture of Shump, at age 10, in a softball uniform. "I miss it, I miss playing softball, but I had to commit myself completely to track and this was really my first year I ever had when I was able to get my strength up and focus on one thing," Shump said. "The decisions and sacrifices you make are hard. But I knew I wanted to go to college for track. I wouldn't change anything for the world." *