Despite weather, Shump makes it look easy

Nothing stood in the way of Karen Shump's milestone.

The Penncrest senior shrugged off yesterday's pouring rain. The cool morning air was just a footnote, and her competitors were relegated to nothing more than onlookers.

In the end, Shump claimed her fourth consecutive PIAA District 1 Class AAA girls' shot-put title.

The Oklahoma signee produced a winning heave of 47 feet, 81/2 inches at Coatesville. Kaleena Gray of Coatesville finished second in 43-11/2. Danya McCrewell of Cheltenham was third in 42-71/2.

The top five finishers in each Class AAA event automatically qualify for next weekend's PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University.

Like most state qualifiers, Shump beamed with excitement.

"I'm pretty happy with today's performance," she said. "It's been a great four years. It always rains a little bit [at the district meet]. But it's a great competition."

And it is one that Shump has dominated since her freshman year.

In addition to nabbing four titles, she owns the meet record (48-33/4). The all-American broke it last season. She had set the previous meet records in her freshman and sophomore campaigns.

Shump, who threw 52-4 indoors, didn't attempt to go after her meet record yesterday. Fearing getting injured in the rain, she focused only on winning the event.

"I was just trying to do the best that I could do and get to states," Shump said.

The 18-year-old was assured of that on her first attempt in the second flight. That's when she produced what was the second-best distance (47-71/2) of the day. In all, Shump recorded the top five distances.

"I'm really just looking forward to doing well at states," the three-time state champion said. "I want to do my best and go from there."

Shump, however, has one more task before traveling to Shippensburg. This afternoon, she will look to win her third consecutive district title in the discus. Shump set the meet record (154-0) in that event last season.

Bristol senior David Cuevas and Methacton senior Ryann Krais were two other athletes who successfully defended their titles.

Cuevas won his third consecutive Class AA boys' shot-put title (48-10), while Krais nabbed her third straight Class AAA girls' long-jump crown (18-11/2).

The UCLA recruit was also the runner-up in her classification's high jump (5-4).

Hatboro-Horsham senior Andrew Matthews, who has an enlarged heart, won the Class AAA boys' discus (152-11). Matthews, whose condition was diagnosed in August, finished third last season.

In Class AA girls' action, St. Basil Academy senior Lindsey Teuber won the high-jump (4-11) and took second in the long jump (16-31/4).

Yesterday's scheduled Class AA and Class AAA girls' pole vault events were postponed until today because of the rain.

The meet will resume today at 9 a.m.

The Results

Class AAA

Top five finishers automatically qualify for PIAA meet along with any top-8 finisher who meets the state standard. State standards in parentheses.

BOYS

Team scoring: Bayard Rustin 14, Hatboro-Horsham & Wissahickon 10, Methacton 9, Phoenixville 8, Kennett 6, Coatesville 5, Neshaminy 4, North Penn & Council Rock South & Penncrest 3.

Triple jump (44-6):

1, Folarin Ijelu, Wissahickon, 47-0½. 2, Ben Ashby, Bayard Rustin, 46-2¼. 3, Dan McCullough, Bayard Rustin, 45-9½. 4, Carlton Lavong, Methacton, 45-8¾. 5, Tim Malloy, Neshaminy, 45-3. 6, Marc Brookland, Council Rock South, 44-11. (Other state qualifiers: 7, Elijah Trusty, Penncrest, 44-7¼. 8, Joe Verica, Penncrest, 44-6).

Discus (153-0):

1, Andrew Matthews, Hatboro-Horsham, 152-11. 2, Rob Lohr, Phoenixville, 148-7. 3, Blake Davenport, Kennett, 147-10. 4, D.J. Thomas, Coatesville, 136-7. 5, Wesley Lavong, Methacton, 136-5. 6, Brian Pellechia, North Penn, 134-9.

GIRLS

Team scoring Methacton 33, Penncrest 14, Souderton 13.3, Unionville 11, Cheltenham 11, Phoenixville 10, Coatesville 9, North Penn 8, Strath Haven 6, Conestoga 6.

Shot put (38-6):

1, Karen Shump, Penncrest, 47-8½. 2, Kaleena Gray, Coatesville, 43-1½. 3, Danya McCrewell, Cheltenham, 42-7½. 4, Alanna Owens, Bayard Rustin, 41-10¼. 5, Gabrielle Rinehart, Norristown, 41-5. 6, Chanel King, Upper Darby, 39-2¾.

Javelin (121-0):

1, Matilda Pancoast, Penncrest, 128-9. 2, Mel Lesczynski, Methacton, 111-8. 3, Vivian Souders, Strath Haven, 110-4. 4, Ayanna LeBlanc, North Penn, 109-7. 5, Abby Howat, W.C. Henderson, 109-3. 6, C.J. Corcoran, Souderton, 107-0.

High jump (5-3):

1, (tie) Ryann Krais, Methacton; Kristin Smith, Souderton, 5-4. 3, Betsy Dempsey, Methacton, 5-2. 4, (tie) Tracy Brandenberger, North Penn; Lauren Edelman, Owen J. Roberts; Khyalyani Whitaker, Pottsgrove, 5-0.

Long jump (16-11):

1, Ryann Krais, Methacton, 18-1½. 2, Courtey Kedra, Phoenixville, 17-8¾. 3, Shonte Kennedy, Conestoga, 17-3. 4, Brittany Howell, Cheltenham, 17-2. 5, Lauren Tusar, Penncrest, 17-1¾. 6, Brittany Ducally, Wissahickon, 16-10.

Class AA

Winner automatically qualifies for PIAA meet along with any top-8 finisher who meets the state standard. State standards in parentheses.

BOYS

Team scoring: Lower Moreland 30, St. Pius X 21, Springfield (M) 18, Girard College 11, Bristol 10, Devon Prep 10, Christopher Dock 5, Phil-Mont Christian 4, New Hope-Solebury 4.

Triple jump (44-0):

1, Vinh To, Lower Moreland, 42-9¾. 2, Terrence Williams, Springfield (M), 41-2. 3, Hiree Peoples, Girard College, 40-9¼. 4, Cole Parkinson, St. Pius X, 40-1½. 5, Eric Alterman, New Hope-Solebury, 39-9½. 6, Melvin Fields, Girard College, 39-1¼.

Shot put (50-3):

1, David Cuevas, Bristol, 48-10. 2, Frank Anuszewski, St. Pius X, 46-7¼. 3, James Gamrat, Devon Prep, 44-9½. 4, Vinny Craig, Lower Moreland, 42-8¾. 5, Bobby Hensley, Lower Moreland, 41-10¼. 6, Kenny Kang, Lower Moreland, 40-5¼.

Javelin (176-0):

1, Richard Tapper, Springfield (M), 164-1. 2, Frank Anuszewski, St. Pius X, 155-4. 3, Bobby Hensley, Lower Moreland, 147-11. 4, Tim Landes, Christopher Dock, 143-0. 5, Adam Muhlenhaupt, Devon Prep, 134-5. 6, David DeFelice, Phil-Mont Christian, 131-4.

GIRLS

Team scoring: St. Basil 39, St. Pius X 30.5, Villa Joseph Marie, 19.5, Girard College 10, Lower Moreland 7, Delco Christian 7, Christopher Dock 4.

High jump (5-2):

1, Lindsey Teuber, St. Basil, 4-11. 2, Collete Faust, St. Pius X, 4-9. 3, Sarah Grenier, Delco Christian, 4-9. 4, (tie) Rachel Mack, St. Basil; Rachel Chernaskey, St. Pius X, 4-9. 6, (tie) McKenzie Golden, Villa Joseph Marie; Olivia Mangan, St. Basil, 4-7.

Long jump (16-11):

1, Tanaya Lloyd, Girard College, 16-11½. 2, Lindsey Teuber, St. Basil, 16-3¼. 3, Michelle Bresnahan, Villa Joseph Marie, 15-10. 4, Brigid Walker, St. Basil, 15-3¼. 5, Allie Nachtman, Villa Joseph Marie, 14-11¼. 6, Elise Morvant, Villa Joseph Marie, 14-5¼.

Discus (115-0):

1, Meghan Morton, St. Pius X, 97-5. 2, Jacklyn Lutzow, St. Basil, 94-9. 3, Regina Ciccitto, St. Pius, 93-4. 4, Lindsay Alexander, Lower Moreland, 92-10. 5, Gabrielle Halteman, Christopher Dock, 90-11. 6, Alexi Stershic, Villa Joseph Marie, 81-4.