Anderson County hosts record-sized Norris Dam Invitational
Anderson County cross-country coach Harrison Calhoun stands poised to send the boys gold race onto the course Saturday at the Norris Dam Invitational at Songbird Park. The annual meet drew 53 teams and more than 900 runners. (photo:Barry Houchin )
“We made the course, we set up the course, we ran all the races — you know, that’s an achievement all in itself because of how big the race was,” ACHS head coach Harrison Calhoun said. “We’ve never had it that big. I think it was 53 teams. We’ve never run almost 900 runners.
“I think that was also a big achievement, just being able to put on an event that big,” he added.
At least three schools came from Kentucky: Corbin, Knox Central and Bell County.
“I had some teams come from the Nashville area, the Middle Tennessee area,” Calhoun said. “I really do think it’s safe to say we hosted one of the biggest meets in the state.
“I hope that we get enough recognition where we start seeing teams from Alabama, Virginia, Georgia. I think this has the potential to reach schools all across the country,” he added.
The meet featured four races — girls gold, boys gold, girls silver and boys silver — with Anderson County competing in the higher-level gold divisions.
Calhoun said the goal is to continue building the Norris Dam Invitational while making Songbird Park a course that runners enjoy and one where they can post fast times.
“I really have been trying to advertise this course, especially as we’ve changed it over the years,” he said. “Really have tried to make this course a very scenic course because I really do think we live in one of the most beautiful areas of East Tennessee. So I want it to be a scenic kind of experience.
“Aside from that, I want it to be a PR course. I want it to be a course where kids are looking at how fast they can get their times down.”
Calhoun credited numerous people and agencies for helping Anderson County handle such a large meet.
“Oh my gosh, there’s so many people to thank,” he said. “I really want to thank the Norris Police Department and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.”
Local school resource officers also helped manage the influx of traffic at Songbird Park.
“They really stepped up,” Calhoun said. “And if you’re no stranger to Songbird, you know how hard it is to get a lot of cars into that area.”
Calhoun also praised the parents who helped stage the event.
“A group of parents really stepped up these past two days,” he said. “And really, what you’ve got to understand is the bigger the meet, the more people you need. For a meet that size, it really does — it’s that saying, you know, it takes a village to run these things.
Freshman Ella Tyler made a splash in her high school debut, finishing fifth in 19 minutes, 13.28 seconds, while junior Jordan Walker placed seventh in 19:40.27.
“Our junior Jordan Walker has had an incredible running career so far,” Calhoun said. “She’s really come a long way, really matured as a student-athlete, and she is really coming into her own. She’s had so much more confidence this year. You can definitely tell the improvements that she’s made. So her coming in seventh at this meet was a really big deal.
“Our freshman, Ella Tyler, this was her high school debut. This was her first race,” the coach added. “And her coming in fifth, I don’t even think fifth fully says what she’s capable of doing this year. I think fifth just means she’s just getting started.”
The Lady Mavericks finished eighth as a team.
Other Anderson County finishers included Daisy Dyer (86th), Emma Owens (101st), Lilah Sharon (106th), Cate Clotfelter (116th), Cassie Newnam (117th), Lily Franklin (120th), Charley Sparks (126th), Rachel Garbes (129th) and Harper Beck (155th).
Senior Cameron Hardy turned in a historic performance for Anderson County, finishing second in 15:49.90. Fellow senior John “JJ” Cutler took 13th in 16:29.47.
“John Cutler, we call him ‘JJ,’ he came in 13th. I think he’s got so much more left in the tank by the end of the season. His ‘partner in crime,’ my other senior Cameron Hardy, they work so well together and they push themselves so well in practice, and that’s just something you don’t see — how much they work together.
“Cameron Hardy has really pushed himself,” Calhoun added. “We’ve never had a kid run that fast, period, in a 5K. We’ve never had a kid run that low in the 15s before. So, I mean, that was huge. And the fact that he did it at our home.”
