Site last updated: Sunday, May 18, 2025

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

District 10 track and field: Slippery Rock’s Autumn Christie wins javelin gold, Dustin Joyce heading to states

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.

Related Article: Track and field honor roll: See the top Butler County times, distances and heights as of May 12

“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.

Slippery Rock’s Dustin Joyce took eighth in the boys long jump with a length of 21-6.50 in the District 10 Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to qualify for the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

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.

Related Article: WPIAL track and field: Butler’s Aubrey Rock defends pole vault gold; Seneca Valley’s Gavin Skarbek realizes 400 dreams

“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

More in Sports

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS