Methacton’s Duffy jumped to the top of this season’s crop to earn Mercury All-Area AOY
Caroline Duffy has certainly attained the greatest feats an athlete can achieve during her illustrious girls track and field career at Methacton High School.
The senior standout in sprints and hurdles etched her name in the Warriors’ record books during her four-year stay in Fairview Village. Beyond those notable achievements, Duffy has spread her name around all parts of Pennsylvania as one of the top athletes in the state.
While Methacton’s 10-year run as an undefeated team champion ended this spring due to a perfect dual meet run by Perkiomen Valley, Methacton was still right there in the upper echelon of the final PAC-10 team standings, largely due to the multi-talented Duffy.
She became a very dependable team leader for new Methacton head coach Ruth Akintoye, the former Spring-Ford track and field star who went on to Division I University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), while also finishing with third- and fourth-place medals at the PIAA Championships in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and the 200-meter dash.
With all those specifics in mind, Duffy has been chosen as the 2016 Mercury All-Area Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
“I can’t describe how happy I am to be where I am,” Duffy said, who also took time to thank her parents, Tom and Sue, for being on hand for all of her ups and downs throughout her career. “I can’t thank them enough for always being there for me.”
Her parents were able to witness plenty from the Warrior senior.
Duffy turned out in style at the state meet, recording the best individual showings by any area competitor this season. Duffy ran a 43.64 for her best-ever time in the 300 hurdles for third place before hitting 24.89 in the 200 meter dash.
“I was just so excited,” said Duffy. “I had never broken 44, and I finally did. I wanted to get my PR so I ran as hard as I could. I got my PR, and even third so I overachieved from where I started.”
Her start was rocky to say the least, as she struggled to meet the necessary qualifying time in the 300 before doing so on a rain-soaked track and West Chester Henderson.
“I couldn’t hit my times in the 300 hurdles,” said Duffy. “It was at Henderson in the rain, that’s where I qualified. If not, I most likely wouldn’t have gone to states (in hurdles).”
She closed out the scholastic portion of her career with personal best times of 12.19 in the 100-meter dash, 24.58 in the 200 and 43.64 in the 300 hurdles.
Prior to Methacton, Duffy competed at Arcola Middle School. That was the first time she joined forces with the likes of other future stars like Nikki Serratore, Jenny Martin and the rest of the vastly talented Warriors.
“That was really exciting,” said Duffy. “That is when I first heard of Ryann Krais. That’s when she started to become an inspiration to me.”
Duffy remembered some of her early times, some of which she would just as gladly forget.
“Seventh grade was the year,” said Duffy. “I realized I had to get in shape so track could turn out to be something I could be really good at. My times weren’t good at all. I was last in every event. I would cry. But I was in seventh grade, and I knew I could really make something of just being a sprinter, if I just put the time in, and I am so happy that I did.”
She said her freshman year became a positive move in her development as a sprinter. Then came her breakout sophomore year when she ‘started to expand (her) horizons,’ finishing with two state medals.
All in all, Duffy finished her scholastic career with six PIAA medals, a haul fitting of the best athletes to come through Methacton.
She will be continuing her academic and athletic careers at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia next year. She said landing on Hawk Hill was her ideal dream come true as far as college choices and opportunities all along.
