District 10 track and field: Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich, ‘so close’ 2 years ago, finally wins 100 hurdles gold
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich took first place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.40 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich took first place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.40 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Rhenna Humphery took sixth place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.75 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Rhenna Humphery took sixth place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.75 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Jesse Gahring participates in the 100-meter hurdles in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Jesse Gahring participates in the 100-meter hurdles in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s girls 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s girls 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s girls 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s girls 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s girls 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s boys 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s boys 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s boys 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s boys 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s boys 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s boys 4x800 team runs in the in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Madison Gearhart runs in the girls 200 meter dash in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s AlexPatsilevas runs in the boys 200 meter dash in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Natalie Wilson competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Natalie Wilson competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Naima Trufley competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Naima Trufley competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Danny Dinh competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Danny Dinh competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock long jumper Dustin Joyce stretches before competing in the long jump in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Elise DiFrischia competes in the pole vault competition in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rocks boys and girls competed in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich took first place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.40 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich, middle, poses with fellow hurdle teammates Shareen Thangiah, left, and Rhenna Humphery after all three girls medaled in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich, middle, is congratulated by Maddy Gearhart, left, and another teammate after Reich received her medal for winning the girls 100-meter hurdles in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Kasey Yeager took second place in the girls 1600 with a time of 5:31.93 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took eighth in the boys long jump with a length of 21-6.50 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took eighth in the boys long jump with a length of 21-6.50 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took eighth in the boys long jump with a length of 21-6.50 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took third place in the boys triple jump with a length of 43-7 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took third place in the boys triple jump with a length of 43-7 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took third place in the boys triple jump with a length of 43-7 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took third place in the boys triple jump with a length of 43-7 in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Shareen Thangiah took third place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.27 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Shareen Thangiah took third place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.27 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Shareen Thangiah took third place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.27 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Shareen Thangiah took third place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.27 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich took first place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.40 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock’s Aiva Reich took first place in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.40 seconds in the District 9 Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
SLIPPERY ROCK — Two years ago, Aiva Reich experienced the thrill of competing at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.
Now a senior, she had a chance to make a return trip … and earned it Saturday at the District 10 meet at Slippery Rock University.
With a time of 16.40 seconds in the Class 3A 100-meter hurdles, Reich will don a district crown when she travels to Shippensburg University for the final meet of her high school career.
She had previously placed 10th, second and fourth in the event.
“I was so close to winning a district title as a sophomore,” she said. “I’ve had some losses in my life the last few years, family members who died. There was a lot of stress involved, and it was tough for me. Getting to the top of that podium today, I feel very accomplished. I can relax now.”
Reich placed first in preliminaries with a time of 16.41.
“The question was, for her mentally, can she get back to states,” Slippery Rock coach Tom Meling said. “She was so efficient in practice the last two weeks, then she went out and ran a very good time in prelims. She carried that confidence into the finals.”
Reich was seeded second entering the meet behind Erie’s Teyaja Carr, who finished runner-up.
Reich’s effort came on a gusty day.
“By the time of the final, it felt like we were running into a headwind,” she said. “It can definitely affect your time, but I think it’s more mental than anything. If the wind is behind you, you’re thinking that it will help and that can work against you.”
Slippery Rock has a decorated tradition in the hurdle events, on both the girls and boys side. Reich was part of extending that reputation.
Also medaling in the 100s were teammates Shareen Thangiah (third) and Rhenna Humphery (sixth). In the 300 hurdles, Thangiah was second, Reich fourth and Humphery sixth.
“We’re all best friends and want to see each other succeed,” Reich said. “I’m proud of those girls.”
District 10 Track and Field Championships Results
Boys Class 2A
(Top 2 automatically qualify for states)
800 run: 4-Hunter Doerflinger 2:04.57
4x400 relay: 5-Slippery Rock (H. Doerflinger, D. Joyce, A. Patsilevas, J. Tustin) 3:33.17
Long jump: 8-Dustin Joyce 21-6.5*
Triple jump: 3-Dustin Joyce 43-7
Girls Class 3A
(Winner automatically qualifies for states)
4x800 relay: 3-Slippery Rock (R. FaJohn, L. Perez, T. Szymanski, K. Yeager) 10.04.62
100 hurdles: 1-Aiva Reich 16.40; 3-Shareen Thangiah 17.27; 6-Rhenna Humphery 17.75
1,600 run: 2-Kasey Yeager 5:31.93; 5-Tessa Szymanski 5:34.89
400 relay: 5-Slippery Rock (S. Montgomery, A. Reich, S. Thangiah, M. Gearhart) 52.86
300 hurdles: 2-Shareen Thangiah 48.87; 4-Aiva Reich 50.70; 6-Rhenna Humphery 51.35
800 run: 2-Kasey Yeager 2:32.60; 4-Raely FaJohn 2:33.95
3,200 run: 4-Tessa Szymanski 12:12.91
4x400 relay: 5-Slippery Rock (R. FaJohn, A. Reich, S. Thangiah, M. Gearhart) 4:31.03
Javelin: 1-Autumn Christie 110-8; 7-Joann Linn 95-10
High jump: 8-Isilee Whitesides 4-5
Long jump: 3-Samantha Montgomery 17-2
Triple jump: 3-Samantha Montgomery 34-3
Pole vault: 2-Elise DiFrischia 9-6; 7(tie)-Naima Trufley 8-6
*State qualifying performance
