Jumbos Open Season at Bates Invitational

(9/23/2012 1:01 PM) Full Results

The Jumbos opened their season Saturday for a dual meet at Pineland Farms against Bates College. The meet proved to be one of the most competitive D3 dual-meets in the country, as both teams are ranked top-10 nationally. The meet was scored unconventionally, as the top-10 runners from each team were counted towards the scoring total.

The Jumbos opened the race conservatively, sticking in packs for the first half of the race before opening up in the later stages. In the end, the Bobcats edged the Jumbos 85 to 126. First across the line for Tufts was Matt Rand in 3rd place in 25:55. Rand ran smart and controlled in his first race since indoor track; the Jumbos are glad to have the three-time All-American healthy again after he struggled with a knee injury during the spring. Kyle Marks and Tyler Andrews followed closely behind Rand in 6th and 7th respectively. Junior Jake McCauley, meanwhile, ran a great race to finish 9th overall in 26:27, while Sam Haney, Andrew Shapero, and Jamie Norton rounded out the top 7 in 14th, 15th, and 16th places.

Despite the loss, the Jumbos left the meet optimistic about the season. Running without national caliber steeplechaser Ben Wallis, the Jumbos were able to keep pace with the Bobcats in their first hard effort of the season. The Jumbos look ahead to the Purple Valley Classic at Mt. Greylock, where a partial squad will toe the line against the region’s best harriers.


Full Results