Duffy out of the blocks fast for St. Joseph’s

If the opening meet is any indication, Caroline Duffy figures to have a big season with the St. Joseph’s women’s track team.

Duffy, from Collegeville and a Methacton High grad, kicked off the season by finishing third out of 32 sprinters in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.31 at the Fastrack Metro Season Opener on Dec. 1 at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y. She also ran a leg on the 4x400 relay which finished fifth with a time of 4:01.87.

“Caroline raced with complete confidence in her first effort of the season,” coach Melody O’Reilly said. “She has a competitive spirit that doesn’t allow her to back down when the gun goes off. She pushes the entire race until there is nothing left.”

The coach only wishes she could clone Duffy.

“Caroline will continue to grow as an athlete all season long and I’m sure she has a couple of ECAC qualifiers in her near future,” O’Reilly said.

Duffy finished fourth in the 400 meter dash (56.62) and 10th in the 200 meter dash (25.31) at the Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor Championships last February. The Hawks return to Ocean Breeze for the Wagner Invitational on Friday. The Atlantic 10 Tournament will be held Feb. 2324 in Fairfax, Va.

CHAD SMILEY (SPRINGFORD) >> The sophomore opened the season with the Monmouth men’s indoor track team by finishing fourth in the pole vault at the Monmouth Classic on Dec. 1 in West Long Branch, N.J. He cleared 13 feet, 5¾ inches. Smiley closed out the first semester by finishing fifth in the Princeton New Year’s Classic on Dec. 8 in Princeton, N. J., with an 11-foot 1½ inch effort. His career best leap came at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Outdoor Championship last May when he cleared 13 feet, 11 ¼ inches.

IVAN ESCOTT (BOYERTOWN) >> The sophomore is the top butterfly competitor on the Eastern Illinois men’s swim team. He picked up his initial collegiate victory when he finished first in the 100 butterfly in 54.00 in a 152110 victory over Valparaiso on Oct. 27 in Valparaiso, Ind. Escott has the fifth best time in the Panthers’ record book with a 51.05 posted in his freshman season. His top times this year are 24.18 (50 fly), 53.24 (100 fly), 2:02.27 (200 fly) and 1:51.00 (200 freestyle).

TAYLOR HAMM (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) >> The 6-foot freshman forward has started all eight games for the University of the Sciences women’s basketball team, the Devils 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference after a 66-31 league victory over Chestnut Hill on Dec. 8 in Philadelphia. Hamm is averaging 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds with 11 assists and seven steals. She had a college career-high 14 points in a 77-70 victory over West Chester on Nov. 14 and 11 points in a 63-39 triumph over Holy Family on Dec. 4.

LAUREL FINK (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The sophomore helped the Nova Southeastern women’s swim team finish second out of six teams at the Spartan Invitational Dec. 15-18 in Tampa, Fla. Fink swam a leg on the 200 free relay which finished third (1:34.90) and the 200 medley C squad who finished eighth (1:47.81) and the 400 medley C squad which finished ninth (3:53.47). Individually, she scored points for the Sharks when she finished 14th out of 44 swimmers in the 200 freestyle (1:55.30) and 17th out of 51 in the 50 freestyle (24.04).

JENNY MARTIN (METHACTON) >> The senior kicked off her season with the College of Charleston women’s indoor track team by posting a pair of personal records at the Appalachian Open Nov. 30Dec. 1 in Boone, N.C. Martin finished third in the 55 meter hurdles in 8.51 and was sixth in the long jump with a 17-foot, 3½ inch effort. She also ran a leg on the 4x300 relay which finished sixth in 3:00.74. Martin finished second in the heptathlon with a score of 4591 at the Colonial Athletic Association Outdoor Championships last May.

KENZIE MYER (DANIEL BOONE) >> The sophomore had a solid first semester for the 6-3 Arcadia women’s swim team. In a 20346 victory over Wilkes on Dec. 8 in Wilkes-Barre, Myer finished first in the 100 backstroke (1:04.48) and second in the 200 backstroke (2:21.53). It was her second victory in the 100 back thus far this season. Freshman Kira Alderman (Owen J. Roberts) is also scoring points for the Knights. She finished second in the 200 breaststroke (2:39.39) and third in both the 50 freestyle (27.20) and the 100 freestyle (58.92).

SETH WRIGLEY (BOYERTOWN) >> The junior is a key performer with three relay teams for the Washington College men’s swim team. He swims legs on 200 free (1:29.24), the 200 medley (1:38.18) and the 400 medley (3:34.79). Wrigley also is one of the top two competitors for the Shoremen in the butterfly with season-best times of 53.32 (50 fly) and 2:02.12 (100 fly). He finished second in the 100 fly (2:02.55) as Washington closed out the first semester with a 151-98 loss to York on Dec. 8 in York.

CORRIN FERRIZZI (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The Muhlenberg freshman kicked off her college career with the women’s indoor track team by finishing first in the triple jump at the Lehigh Season Opener on Dec. 1 in Bethlehem. She had a 37 foot, 6 inch effort which came on her third set of jumps and beat out four Division I athletes for the top spot. Ferrizzi is also a sprinter on the team, the Mules returning to the track for the annual Collegeville Classic on Jan. 19 in Collegeville.

BRYCE GROSHARDT (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) >> The senior continues his solid performance with the King’s men’s swim team. He had a big part in the Monarch’s victory in the Diamond City Invitational Nov. 17-18 in Wilkes-Barre, finishing third in the 200 IM (2:04.13), fifth in the 200 backstroke (2:04.20) and sixth in the 100 freestyle (50.04). He also swam legs on the winning 200 free relay (1:27.87) and the 400 free relay (3:15.27). And he helped the 400 medley relay finish second (3:38.80). King’s topped the nine-team field with 673.5 points.

ALLI DROHOSKY (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The senior is having a solid season with the Case Western women’s swim team. She finished first in the 200 freestyle against Oberlin (2:02.91) and finished first in the 200 freestyle (1:59.79) at the Wooster Invitational. Drohosky also competes in the 100 breaststroke and has had a first (1:08.19) with a third and a fourth thus far. She’s also a member of the Spartans standout 200 medley and 400 medley relay teams.