We have reached our top sports story for the 2019/2020 school year at Knoxville. It is not often that a freshman comes in and makes their mark on a season and earns all-state at the State Cross Country Meet. But that is exactly what Norah Pearson did last fall. It did not take her long as she made a big statement in her first high school meet by breaking the school record and winning her first varsity competition. Nearly four months later, she finished second to qualify for the state meet in Fort Dodge at the Pella State Qualifier on October 23rd. A week later, she completed possibly the greatest freshman season in Knoxville Cross Country history by finishing in fifth place and earning all-state recognition. Pearson told KRLS Sports after her state meet run she was trying to stay in the top five and have an opportunity for a great finish.

Pearson:
“At the beginning everyone went out really fast and I was just trying to stay focused and run my race. As we kept going and through the two and three mile mark and with the hills I was trying to push up on them and pass those leading girls.”

Pearson’s time was 18:46. Unfortunately, she along with all other spring sports athletes never got to run their track and field season due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling spring sports in Iowa. Pearson will return for her sophomore season at Knoxville this fall.