Updated 6:50 p.m. November 2, 2006

    OR looks to sweep cross country meet

    By Mike Blackerby
    editor@oakridgesports.com

    Allen Etheridge is a big-picture kind of guy.
    That’s why the coach of the Oak Ridge cross country team can live with whatever
    happens Saturday in Nashville at the state Class AAA meet.
    Etheridge’s Oak Ridge boys enter the meet as defending champions and prohibitive
    favorites to repeat.
    Sometimes in those kind of situations, the proverbial collar tends to tighten.
    That won’t happen with the Wildcats, according to Etheridge.
    “They’re not gonna be tight at all. These guys are as froggy as all get out -- in a good
    kind of way.”
    Translated, Etheridge’s troops are cool, calm and collected heading into Saturday’s
    annual running of the state meet at the 3.1-mile Steeplechase course at Percy Warner
    Park. The AAA girls go off at 1 in the afternoon (CST) followed by the AAA boys at 1:45.
    Etheridge has tempered great expectations at the state meet by tapping into the little
    things during the course of the 2006 season. Those little
    things are actually big things when you total them up:
    Personal improvement, buying into the team concept,
    meeting goals, having fun … etc.
    “One of the things we try and do is have objectives we can
    meet during the season so everything isn’t resting on one
    stinking race,” said Etheridge.
    “From my point of view, (if we don’t win the state) I’m not
    gonna be that guy who sits on the bus disappointed coming back from the state meet.
    One of the things we try and teach them is how to handle disappointing situations in life.”
    Even so, Etheridge said the Oak Ridge coaching staff and runners expect nothing less
    than a second-consecutive state crown this weekend.
    “From a competitor’s point of view, there’s not one of us that wouldn’t be disappointed
    Saturday if we don’t win the state.”
    Etheridge acknowledged that his Ridgers are the favorites.
    That’s a role both the coach and the team relish.
    “We clearly are the favorites. I don’t think there’s anybody out
    there that wouldn’t peg us as the favorites. If we do our thing,
    I think we’ll win.”
    Etheridge said he expects his toughest competition in the team
    race to come from Region 2 foe West. Three other strong
    challenges may come from West Tennessee schools Houston,
    Cordova and White Station.
    Individually, Oak Ridge runners Maclean O’Donnell and Chris Cole
    should contend for top-five honors. Etheridge said it’s not unrealistic
    to expect “four to five guys” from Oak Ridge to be in the hunt for all-
    state (top-15 finishes) honors.
    Senior captain Ben Shassere of Oak Ridge may be one of those
    Wildcats in contention for all-state honors. Etheridge said Shassere
    is part of the glue that holds this Oak Ridge team to such high
    standards.
    “People think that the sport of cross country is just a bunch of
    individual runners. One of the biggest strengths for our guys is how
    much of a team effort this is. This is one of the tightest groups of kids
    I’ve ever seen -- and a lot of it boils down to kids like Ben.”
    Etheridge said Shassere has grown up over the past four seasons --
    just like the Oak Ridge cross country program.
    “Ben is a senior who has seen different versions of our team over the years. Ben is
    probably not a natural leader, but he has learned on the job how to do a great job of
    being a captain. A lot of the vision with what we do comes from Ben.”
    Shassere said he plans on going out with a bang after struggling last year at the state
    meet.
    "I went out harder than I should have last year and finished 90th," said Shassere.
    "I lost it physically and mentally at about the second mile."
    Etheridge said he has all the confidence in the world in Shassere saving his best for last
    in an Oak Ridge uniform.
    "Ben has never had a good state meet. Last year may have been his worst race ever at
    state. But, he has had some really solid races for us this year. If we have a good day
    Saturday and Ben has a good day, he's our No. 4 finisher."
    Shassere has a game plan going into this weekend.
    "Last year I ran about 18 minutes. If I run the race I'm supposed to, I think I can finish in
    about 16:45. I want to be all-state this year."
    On the girls’ side, it looks like a showdown between Oak Ridge’s Lady Wildcats and
    defending state champion Morristown West.
    “Morristown West has five really strong girls. The challenge for us is getting at least one
    of our No. 5, 6 or 7 runners to have the race of her life.”
    The Lady Wildcats last won the state title in 1999.
    Etheridge said that freshman Autumn Gipson -- if she runs up to form -- can compete for
    a top-five spot Saturday.
    Melanie Kulesz, Leslie Jenkins and Whitney Irby are all also capable of producing top-15
    finishes and earning all-state honors for OR.
Autumn Gipson
Ben Shassere
Coach Allen Etheridge with Tara Tae
Girls' team with Region plaque
Boys' team with Region plaque