Austin Shupp was in front of his competition all season, turning in record-setting performances on what seemed like a weekly basis.

The culmination of that hard work was a stellar performance at last month's PIAA Track and Field Championships. Shupp took home a total of four medals, including gold in the Class AA 110-meter hurdles and silver in the 300-meter intermediates.Shupp's success and selflessness helped Palmerton capture the team title at the Colonial League Track and Field Championships, and helped the Bombers secure a fourth-place result in the team standings at the state meet in Shippensburg.Those accolades helped put Shupp on top once again, this time as the 2014 Times News Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.The award, like so many others this season, was one the senior took with great humility."It's definitely an honor," Shupp said. "There are a lot of really good athletes, especially in track, in the Times News area. So, to be kind of above them, in this sense, is pretty cool."Shupp was on top of his game all year, something he said was driven by a disappointing end to last season."I was in the gym the day after states my junior year because I wanted to win a state title," Shupp said of his 2013 performance in Shippensburg, which included a second-place finish in the 300 hurdles. "I feel like my expectations of wanting to win a title pushed me throughout the offseason."Losing (in 2013) was just a bump in the road that kind of pushed me in the right direction."That boost was obvious in Shippensburg this year, where Shupp set personal bests in the 110s (14.23) and 300s (37.98). The performances came a week after he took gold in both races at the District 11 Track and Field Championships with meet records in each event.The results were especially satisfying for Shupp's hurdle coach, Bethany Rowland, who knew early on that the senior was primed for a big year."I knew he was going to do it after our first scrimmage at Pleasant Valley," she said. "When I saw his time drop at that first scrimmage in the 110 hurdles, well below his PR from states his junior year, I just knew it. The goal was to win a title, and we both worked toward that."While Shupp's hurdle prowess has been well-documented, the discipline certainly isn't his only area of expertise. The 2014 Colonial League Track and Field Championships showed just how versatile Shupp could be, as he won the triple jump with a meet-record leap of 47-2 1/2.The distance almost certainly would have made him a favorite for the District 11 meet. But Shupp wanted team glory, something Palmerton head coach Jeff Minnich pointed to as a testament of his character."I don't think you could understate just how selfless that really was," Minnich said. "Coming out of a league meet where he triple jumped 47 feet, he certainly could have elected to go that route. And, barring a foul, he would have done very well at the district and state level."But he realized that the relay teams were able to do some special things, and we were able to break both (400 and 1,600) school records. He was a vital cog in both relays."The 1,600-meter relay team took gold at districts with a meet-record time of 3:26.93, while the 400-meter relay took silver in 43.26. Both results easily qualified the two squads for states, where they finished third and sixth, respectively.Not only did Shupp end his scholastic career on the podium at Shippensburg, he also got the chance to finish it at the place he'll be continuing his track and field career next year."It was definitely really awesome because a lot of the team was there," Shupp said of the experience. "I didn't get to see many of the coaches, but meeting more of the team and having them cheer me on and hold my blocks (for the hurdles) was really cool."After an unforgettable season, Shupp's goals for when he gets on campus will be no different from the ones he carried with him throughout his senior year at Palmerton."I definitely want to win a PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference) title, and doing it as a freshman would be really cool," he said. "I feel like if I keep up with the way that I'm going it could definitely happen."But I also want to win a team title, too. Coming off being on a team that won the Colonial League (meet championship), it would be really cool to help another team do the same thing."With a skill set and drive unlike many others, there should be little reason to expect anything less."He was always a good athlete, but his work ethic made him a great athlete," Minnich said. "And I think someone of Austin's caliber will be fine at Shippensburg."He's somebody that will set a goal and work for it, and he'll sacrifice whatever it takes to get there."