Inside cross country

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Boys Athlete of the Week

Anthony Manfrin
Dundee-Crown, junior

Manfrin won his first individual championship in the Fox Valley Conference Meet with a time of 16:35.9 Saturday at Veteran Acres Park.

Manfrin finished almost 11 seconds ahead of McHenry’s Jeff Sabatka, who was second. Manfrin was the FVC runner-up last season.

Manfrin missed significant time this season because of a calf injury, but returned near top form.

Girls Athlete of the Week

Kayla Beattie
Woodstock, junior

Beattie ran away from the pack in 19:27.9 for her second FVC title Saturday at Veteran Acres Park. She finished 34 seconds ahead of second-place Kristina Aubert of Crystal Lake South, the defending champion.

Beattie won the FVC championship as a freshman, then took fourth last year.

Noteworthy

On her way back: Johnsburg sophomore Kelly McNeely won the FVC Freshman-Sophomore Meet on Monday, which was news because it was her first race in 11⁄2 months.

McNeely was one of the area’s top runners in early races before a stress fracture in her left foot knocked her out of competition. She ran in a pool, rode a stationary bike and exercised on elliptical machines to keep up her cardiovascular workouts. McNeely missed the FVC Meet on Saturday, then ran in Monday’s meet, in which she was supposed to “jog.”

McNeely was on crutches until Oct. 13 to take pressure off the foot, and did some light jogging last week. She will run Saturday at the IHSA Class 2A Antioch Regional.

“I feel good, the foot feels fine,” McNeely said. “I’m anxious to see where I’m at, but I’m kind of afraid, too. I hope to be close to where I was.”

No repeat: Cary-Grove senior Phil Fairleigh was unable to win his second FVC individual title in a row, although his third-place finish led the Trojans to their fourth consecutive team championship Saturday.

Fairleigh, who battled strep throat and a sinus infection in the last month, was not quite at 100 percent for the conference meet. He ran with Manfrin most of the race, but was passed by Manfrin and McHenry’s Jeff Sabatka in the final 800 meters.

“It was disappointing,” Fairleigh said. “Individually, I wanted to come out and take the title. I’ve been sick and not able to run as much the last three weeks. I’ll be able to get back to regular training now.”

This week’s top meets

Class 1A
Winnebago Regional

10 a.m. Saturday
Fuller Forest Preserve

Local team competing: Harvard.

Class 2A

Antioch Regional

2 p.m. Saturday
Fox River Park
Wilmot, Wis.

Local teams competing: Johnsburg, Richmond-Burton, Woodstock North.

Freeport Regional

10:30 a.m. Saturday
Highland Community College

Local teams competing: Marengo, Marian Central, Woodstock.

Aurora Central
Catholic Regional

1 p.m. Saturday
Oakhurst Forest Preserve

Local teams competing: Crystal Lake Central, Hampshire, Prairie Ridge.

Class 3A

Guilford Regional

10 a.m. Saturday
Rock Valley College

Local teams competing: Crystal Lake South, Huntley.

Libertyville Regional

2 p.m. Saturday
Adler Park

Local team competing: McHenry.

St. Charles North
Regional

10 a.m. Saturday
LeRoy Oaks

Forest Preserve

Local teams competing: Dundee-Crown, Jacobs.

Palatine Regional

10 a.m. Saturday
Deer Grove Forest Preserve

Local team competing: Cary-Grove.