NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - John Gonzalez and Mark Shapiro both had a win and a runner-up finish to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's track & field team on its first day of competition of the 2018-19 season. RPI participated in the eight school, non-team scoring meet.

Gonzalez, a junior, finished first in the shot put with a maximum effort of 13.55 meters, which outdistanced Shapiro's 13.23 meters. The Engineers boasted six of the top eight finishers in the event, which had 13 competitors. 

It was Shapiro who won the weight throw, which saw Rensselaer have five of the top six finishers in the 12-person event. The senior reached 17.00 meters with Gonzalez in second at 14.35 and junior Justin Park in third at 13.54 meters.

Rensselaer also had the top two finishers in the pole vault with junior Hunter Borwick in first at 4.15 meters and freshman Joey Hinckley in second at 4.0. 

Hinckley also ran on the 4x400 relay team, which had a second place finish of its own. He ran the anchor leg after Ben Ertel led off, followed by Alex Ryan and Nicholas Cordeiro. The runner-up was the second of the day for Ertel, a junior who finished the 800 in 2:03.18.

Junior Neil Casimir was one of four Engineers to earn victory and one of five to finish second. He won the 400 meters in 50.36 and was second in the 200 in 22.72. Casimir was followed in the 400 by teammates Leighton James in third place and Luke Lyons in fifth. RPI had six of the top 11 in the 20-person field.

Rensselaer finished with three third-place finishes as sophomore Matthew Crotty was third in the 60 Hurdles.

Rensselaer returns to action next Saturday at Utica College.