SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Eye Opener, indeed.
Christ School’s nationally-ranked cross country team lived up to all preseason accolades and plaudits Saturday, winning one of the Carolinas’ biggest and oldest meets for the first time in the program’s history.
And it wasn’t close.
The Greenies were the first-place team in the Eye Opener’s premier International Boys division with 68 points, while Greer Middle College (217) was a distant second in a field that included 47 other teams at the sprawling Roger Milliken Research Park.
Individually, the top runners for Christ School were: Reynolds Young ’27 (seventh place, 15:55.60), Brooks Barbee ’27 (11th, 16:00.90), Dallas Reeves ’27 (15th, 16:16.60), Jack Dennehy ’27 (17th, 16:19.00), Brody Webb ’27 (18th, 16:19.30), Noah Clancy ’26 (23rd, 16:27.40), Timmy McDowell ’27 (36th, 16:40.40), and Carl Baird ’27 (38th, 16:40.80).
The Greenies’ previous best showing at the Eye Opener came in 2022, when Rocky Hansen ’23 led the Greenies to second place. This year’s team is ranked No. 1 amongst all North Carolina programs (private and public schools) and 23rd nationally by MileSplit.