District 10 track and field: Slippery Rock’s Autumn Christie wins javelin gold, Dustin Joyce heading to states
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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 — Autumn Christie’s thoughts on her sophomore season of throwing the javelin were a mixed bag before Saturday afternoon.
“I got up to (109 feet, 7 inches) as a freshman, but this year have mostly been between the mid-80s and low-90s. Every once in a while, I would have a really good throw, but just wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be.”
She did recently manage a heave of 113-2, which had her ranked first entering the District 10 Track and Field Championships at Slippery Rock University.
Christie will compete at the state meet as a district champion following an effort of 110-8 that topped the girls field Saturday.
“I heard that I was seeded first and knew I could win, but I really didn’t know anything about the other top throwers who would be here today,” she said.
Harbor Creek senior Emma Lang placed a distant second at 104-11. Slippery Rock’s girls are Class 3A, and only the champion in each event is guaranteed a spot at the PIAA Championships, where Christie will attempt to close her sophomore campaign with a strong performance Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University.
“I started throwing the javelin in eighth grade and never would have believed then that I would win a district title my sophomore year,” Christie said.
Also turning in an effort in a field event good enough for states was Slippery Rock senior Dustin Joyce. While he placed eighth in the Class 2A boys long jump — only the top two are guaranteed to advance — his distance of 21-6.5 met the state-qualifying standard.
The competition was so good that the ninth-best jumper — Fort LeBoeuf’s Hunter Villa — also met the standard, but is not headed to PIAAs due to a maximum of eight athletes from each district per event.
“I knew the long jump would be tough today, but how tough it turned out to be surprised me,” Joyce said.
Earlier in the day, Joyce finished third in the triple jump at 43-7, 5 inches short of the qualifying standard.
“I was very disappointed,” he said. “I know I can go 44, I’ve done it before. I’ve always been more consistent in the triple jump.”
Joyce reached the state meet once before, in the triple jump his sophomore year. His focus is now solely on the long jump.
“The goal is to medal (top eight), hopefully get to the 22s,” he said. “I know I have it in me.”
Following are Slippery Rock High School athletes who earned a medal by placing in the top 8 at the District 10 Track and Field Championships, held Saturday at Slippery Rock University.
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
