Caden Bronson, an 18-year-old senior at Springfield Township High School (STHS), etched his name into school history on May 23 by winning the AAA 300-meter hurdles race at the PIAA Track and Field State Championship.

Bronson is one of seven STHS athletes ever to win the state championship and is the school’s first state champion since it moved up to the AAA classification in 2018. What makes the feat more impressive is the fact that this is Bronson’s first season running the 300-meter hurdles event.

“My primary events are usually the 400 and the 200, but those weren’t really going that well for me, so I decided this year to go try out the hurdles,” Bronson told the Local. “They kind of just came naturally.”

Bronson, who lives in Oreland, has been running since he was about 7 years old. He calls his decision to participate in track and field a “no-brainer.”

“My grandfather was a big track athlete,” Bronson said. “He ran professionally.”

When he was younger, Bronson said he would often visit his grandfather in North Carolina, where he would train with the former athlete. Bronson also credits his success to his mother for her consistent support, buying him new spikes and coming out to his meets.

Going into the state championships, Bronson was ranked 17th in Pennsylvania. He said he wasn’t expecting to win and was just happy to be there. This attitude may have helped him.

“I just wanted to make it to states, so that I could have at least one outdoor state experience,” Bronson said. “I was just happy to be there and I think that’s kind of what helped me to do well. I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself and I was like, ‘What happens happens; I’m just going to go out there and do my best.’”

However, Bronson ran the 300-meter hurdles in 37.77 seconds, setting his own personal record and beating the other competitors. He said he didn’t fully process what happened for the first couple of days following the race.

“I was overjoyed, but really just in shock and surprise,” Bronson said. “For the first two days, I was kind of on a high.”

Since then, Bronson has been recognized on the STHS morning announcements and on posters throughout the school. He also will have his name on a banner in the school’s gym.

Following the excitement of winning the state championship, Bronson is now looking forward to graduating from high school and continuing his track and field career at Frostburg State University in Maryland, where he intends to major in sports management.

“Obviously, I think any young athlete’s dream is to go pro, but I just have to see how I do in college and we’ll make that decision when the time is right,” Bronson said. “Right now I’m focused on the present and that’s going to college… just having fun and competing the best I can at the collegiate level.”

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.