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Norton was the runner-up in the 1,500 with a strong NCAA time
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WESTFIELD - Seniors Jamie Norton and Ben Wallis and sophomore Mitch Black combined for 24 of the Jumbos' 38 points as Tufts Men's Track & Field finished fifth overall and first among Division III teams in the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Championship at Westfield State on Friday and Saturday.
Southern Connecticut State ran away with the team title, tallying 108 points. Rhode Island was second with 71, while Connecticut (66) and Vermont (43) finished just ahead of the Jumbos.
Norton punched his ticket to the NCAA Championship with his time of 3:49.78 in the 1,500, good enough for second on Saturday and 11th nationally. It also breaks his own school record of 3:50.59 set on April 18.
In the 800, Black also broke his own school record, as his mark of 1:50.13 bettered his previous best of 1:50.43 recorded last year. His time was good enough for third on Saturday and ranks third nationally.
Wallis notched the only victory of the day for Tufts, as he clocked a time of 9:03.82 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase to easily best the field of 26. His season-best mark of 9:01.46 ranks fifth nationally.
In the circle, junior Brian Williamson launched the shot put 51' 9" (15.77m) to place seventh in the field of 23.
Three Jumbos competed in the decathlon. Sophomore Alex Karys led the way in fourth with a personal-best score of 5,477. Junior Allan Yau also registered a personal-best with 5,214 points, good enough for fifth. In his first attempt at the event, senior David Sutherland placed sixth with 3,992 points. The trio totaled 12 points, nearly a third of Tufts' total.
Next week, coach Ethan Barron's team will travel to RPI to compete in the ECAC Championship, the final meet before the NCAA Championship at Ohio Wesleyan on May 22-24.
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