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By Mike Blackerby
NASHVILLE – Oak Ridge High School’s Lady Wildcats came to run Saturday at the state Class AAA cross country meet at Percy Warner State Park.
So did the Wildcats’ John Sharpe, who became the first Oak Ridge boy to win an individual state cross country title in 49 years.
When the dust finally settled on the sunny, wind-swept Steeplechase Course, Oak Ridge added another team championship -- its 13th -- and another chapter to its cross country legacy.
“We’ve been ready for this all season,” said Lady Wildcats junior Adrian Etheridge, whose fourth-place finish (19 minutes, 37 seconds) on the 5K course led Oak Ridge’s girls to their fifth state team title and second in the last three seasons.
After finishing a disappointing second in the team race in 2008, Etheridge said the Lady Wildcats were on a mission.
“We just really wanted to make up for last year.”
Oak Ridge’s girls had 67 points, a total that gave them a comfortable advantage over Catholic (102), Ravenwood (106) and Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett.
“This is the way you want to finish the year,” said OR coach Allen Etheridge.
“Losing last year ate and ate, and ate at me. I hate losing. I like setting a goal and realizing it. I like winning and trying to win it again.”
Division newcomer Catholic – led by 1-2 individual finishers Megan Ferowich and Joanna Thompson – claimed second after moving up from Class A/AA.
Oak Ridge freshman Mariah Zawisza finished one spot behind Etheridge in 19:59.
“My teammate Mariah really pushed me,” said Etheridge.
“She did a great job this year … we’ve been back and forth (finishing first for Oak Ridge). This year has really been fulfilling.”
Senior Autumn Gipson took 16th place (20:33) and missed by one spot becoming the first Oak Ridge runner to earn all-state honors four times.
Other finishers for OR were: 23. Deidre Brockwell (20:55), 32. Katie Ostrouchov (21:08), 55. Allison Miles (21:43) and 87. Becca Therrien (22:33).
“Brockwell ran lights out and what can you say about Allison Miles who was running in her first state meet as a senior?”
On the boys’ side, Sharpe completed a fantastic senior season that included Region 2 and state championships as Oak Ridge (137) finished second behind first-time champion Morristown West (67).
Taking the top-three individual places were Sharpe (15:50), Morristown West’s Spencer Frantom (16:07) and South-Doyle’s Christian Brewer (16:18).
Sharpe ran the third-fastest time ever on the course and broke away from Frantom and Science Hill’s Michael Mansey at the 2-mile mark.
“When I went by the 2-mile mark I said ‘this is where you’ve got to break it,’” said Sharpe, who was sixth a year ago.
“I just gunned it and nobody went with me. This is the best race I’ve ever had by far – I can’t believe it. I won the region last week, but this blows every other race I’ve ever run out of the water.”
Etheridge said Sharpe executed the perfect race.
“I don’t know that John came in under the radar, but he came in with a low profile,” said the OR coach, who won his fifth state title.
“We had a plan for him and John went out and did exactly what we wanted him to do.”
Oak Ridge also got outstanding races from James Miller and Van Schlenker, who finished sixth (16:41) and 12th (16:52), respectively.
“Our top three guys ran lights out,” said Etheridge.
Other finishers for Oak Ridge were: 59. Josh Turan (17:55), 78. Sam Lariviere (18:14), 95. Evan Beierschmitt (18:33), 117. Chris Ludtka (18:54).
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