McBirney Sets 600 Mark to Lead Men's Track & Field at Tufts Branwen Smith-King Invitational

By Jim Fenton

MEDFORD, Mass. -- Two Bridgewater State University men's track & field athletes won events at the Branwen Smith-King Invitational Saturday.

Junior Matthew Mooney (Douglas, Mass.) was first in the 200-meter race and third in the 60-meter dash while graduate student Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) prevailed in the 600-meter run with a BSU record-setting performance.

The seven-team meet, held at the Gantcher Family Sports and Convocation Center, was hosted by Tufts University.

Mooney won his race in 22.64 seconds and took third in the 60 with a time of 7.07 seconds.

Earlier this season, Mooney won the 300 at the Suffolk Relays in Boston.

McBirney finished the 600 in 1:21.68 breaking the previous BSU indoor mark of 1:21.79 set by Josh Goehring in 2013. He won a race at the Tufts meet for the second year in a row.

Last season, McBirney also broke a 13-year-old BSU mark in the 1,000, winning in 2:29.42.

In two previous meets this season, McBirney was first in the 800 at the Suffolk Relays and second in the 800 at the Boston University Mini Meet.

Two BSU runners finished second in their respective races.

Junior Aydan Fournier (Assonet, Mass.) had a time of 4:30.21 in the mile while freshman Tyler Amaral (Dartmouth, Mass.) finished the 5,000 in 15:58.97.

The Bears had three of the top eight finishers in the 400, led by freshman Sean Venator (Manchester, N.H.), who was fourth in 51.50.

Sophomore Joshua Cardichon (Brockton, Mass.) was seventh in 51.95 with senior Nicholas Grace (Achusnet, Mass.) taking eighth in 52.33.

Graduate student Landon Crowley (West Bridgewater, Mass.) placed fourth in the 60 in 7.08 and was sixth in the 200 in 22.81 while senior Chris Beaulieu (Monson, Mass.) took third in the long jump with a leap of 6.63 meters.

Freshman Clayton Pastor Norales (New Bedford, Mass.) finished fifth in the long jump (6.51 meters).

Junior Nicholas Rodden (Plymouth, Mass.) was sixth in the 5,000 with a time of 17:58.64.

The 4x400 relay team of Grace, sophomore Alex Shute (Pembroke, Mass.), freshman James Barry (Westborough, Mass.) and junior Shaun Humberd (Plymouth, Mass.) finished third
in 3:26.97.

BSU will take part in the Gordon Kelly Invitational, hosted by MIT, on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.