University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Eye Opener
Eubanks, Polite Lead Upstate at Eye Opener Invitational
9/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Men's Individual Results | Men's Team Results
Women's Individual Results | Women's Team Results
Spartanburg, S.C. – Griffin Eubanks and Jasmine Polite each turned in top-10 performances Friday for USC Upstate as it competed in the 31st Annual Eye Opener Invitational from the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg.
The Spartans finished fifth or better in each race with the men recording a third-place performance in the 8K with 85 points and an average time of 27:47.40, while the women began the day's events with a fifth-place showing in the 5K on 176 points and an average time of 20:56.52. Davidson won both the men's and women's races.
Eubanks recorded the best finish by an Upstate men's runner since former Spartan Ross Oden won the Eye Opener last season. The transfer from Spartanburg Methodist College made a late charge to finish in second place, just five seconds behind winner Daniel Samet of Davidson, with a time of 26:25.03. Alex Love was right behind Eubanks as he placed fifth after his time of 26:32.88. Eubanks and Love combined to help Upstate have five runners, along with Martin Morrow, Riley Doherty and Cody Ellison, finish 30th or better. Morrow was 25th following his time of 28:25.15, while Doherty (28:43.22) and Ellison (28:50.74) were 29th and 30th, respectively. Dan Castello had a 33rd place finish as he ran the course in 28:58.37, and Joey Daversa was 36th with a time of 29:08.26. Jacob Collins also crossed the finish line behind Daversa as he was 37th after running a 29:10.10. Logan Ray (30:35.04), Josh Lee (31:11.34) and Ethan Dopp (31:38.81) completed the race for the Spartans.
Polite added the second straight top-10 finish of her career at the Eye Opener as she ran a consistent race to finish sixth with a time of 19:20.81; the senior also finished fifth at last year's Eye Opener. Anastasia Kolesnitchenko was the second Upstate women's runner to cross the finish line as she placed 30th on a time of 20:30.12. Molly Bliss compiled the third-best running for the Spartans after her time of 21:27.93, while Essence Jackson came in at 21:38.07. Ashleigh Torres finished two spots behind Jackson in the individual standings with a time of 21:45.67. Storm-Alexis Gandy and Kelsey Warren rounded out the competition as Gandy had a time of 22:47.92 and Warren 22:59.28.
"A good race today by Jasmine Polite, Griffin Eubanks and Alex Love," said Upstate associate head coach Carson Blackwelder. "They got after the second half of the race and made some good moves."
Bryson Dawkins and Kristen Bonner ran unattached in the meet with Dawkins posting a time of 31:08.76, while Bonner ran a 24:34.78.
The Eye Opener Invitational concludes tomorrow morning with six high school races starting at 8 a.m. Saturday's schedule is as follows: International Girls (8 a.m.), International Boys (8:30 a.m.), Championship Girls (9 a.m.), Championship Boys (9:30 a.m.), Junior Varsity Girls (10 a.m.) and Junior Varsity Boys (10:30 a.m.). Former 1976 Olympic runner Bill Rodgers, a four-time winner of both the New York and Boston Marathons, will serve as honorary starter for the high school races.
The Spartans will take next weekend off before heading to Rock Hill on Saturday, Sept. 20 for the Winthrop Invitational at 9:30 a.m.
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