SPRINGFIELD - The Jumbo men's track and field team recorded scoring performances in 11 events to place third of 20 teams in the Yellow Jacket Invitational at American International College on Saturday.
Tufts tallied 66.5 points, bested only by Vermont (109.5) and UMass Amherst (72.5). Central Connecticut (66) and American International (53.5) rounded out the top five.
The Jumbos' only individual victory of the day came from junior Marshall Pagano (Niskayuna, NY), as he outran the field in the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a time of 9:45.73. Classmate Joe Poupard (Northbrook, IL) took sixth in 10:30.53.
Three Jumbos scored in the 400 meters. Senior Graham Beutler (Weston, CT) led the way in fourth with a time of 49.72. Sophomores Francis Goins (Shaker Heights, OH) and Veer Bhalla (West Windsor, NJ) placed sixth and eighth with times of 50.46 and 50.65 respectively.
In the 1,500, senior Jamie Norton (Groton, MA) grabbed second place in a time of 3:55.57. Sophomore Mitch Black (Brunswick, ME) was right behind in fourth with his 3:57.16, a seven-second personal-best.
Beutler, Goins and Black were joined by sophomore Alex Kasemir (Highland Park, IL) in the 4x400 meter relay, as the quartet clocked a 3:24.04 to win the event.
Two Tufts athletes scored in the 5,000, as sophomore James Traester (Amherst, MA) and junior Sam Garfield (Holland, PA) placed fifth and seventh with times 15:35.86 and 15:50.93 respectively.
In the 10,000, sophomore Michael Curley (Attleboro, MA) garnered a 29-second personal-best time of 32:32.97 to place sixth.
First-year Nick Usoff (Acton, MA) also earned sixth-place, as he clocked a time of 58.55 in the 400 meter hurdles.
Junior Brian Williamson (Prairie Village, KS) and sophomore Atticus Swett (Bow, NH) were productive in the circle for the Jumbos. Williamson took sixth in the hammer throw with his distance of 154' 5" (47.08m) and sixth in the shot put with a toss of 45' 1" (13.74m). Swett launched the discus 121' 5" (37.00m) for fifth.
Coach Ethan Barron's squad will be back in action next Saturday in the George Davis Invitational at UMass Lowell.
#
