Woodstock's Beattie sisters familiar foes

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As best friends, roommates and locker mates, there come occasions when Woodstock sisters Elise and Kayla Beattie have to yield to the competitor inside and try to beat each other.

Usually, the Blue Streaks’ dynamic duo is ahead of most of the pack, out racing each other along with a few other competitors. Which sister is in front depends on the day, they are so equal in ability.

“It’s difficult to share a room and locker together and be too competitive,” said Elise, a senior.

On the days in “training meets,” it’s not so difficult. They run to get a good race in, and whatever happens, happens. On other days, like today’s season-opening McHenry County Cross Country Meet at Veteran Acres Park in Crystal Lake, the Beatties have to compete.

“We both want to beat each other,” said Kayla, a junior. “During the race we’re competitors, but afterward we congratulate each other and we’re both happy.”

The Beatties have led Woodstock to back-to-back Fox Valley Conference titles and will be among the favorites, with Crystal Lake South’s Kristina Aubert, in the girls race today. The boys varsity race starts at 4:30 p.m., followed by the freshman-sophomore boys, varsity girls and freshman-sophomore girls.

All county schools that have cross country, except Richmond-Burton, are competing.

Cary-Grove’s Phil Fairleigh, a two-time Northwest Herald Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, is the favorite in the boys race.

Elise Beattie was 17th in the IHSA Class 3A Cross Country State Meet last season. Kayla Beattie was 43rd at state last season and finished 14th as a freshman.

Elise took third in the Class 3A 3,200-meter run at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. Kayla was sixth in the 3,200 (out of the slow heat) and seventh in the 1,600.

The Beatties train together, often running with the boys team to get pushed more. Elise is starting the college recruitment process and should draw interest from NCAA Division I schools.

“I want to run confident and be confident in our training,” Elise said. “I want to enjoy my last high school season.”

Elise will look for a school with a strong nursing program. She and Kayla have different academic interests and haven’t talked much about the possibility of being college teammates.

“We’re both really looking forward to this season,” Kayla said. “We have some goals in mind for how we want to race. I think it’s going to be a good season for both of us.”

Double duty for Barchard: Crystal Lake South linebacker J.D. Barchard is embracing his expanded role with the Gators this season. Barchard, an All-Area first-team selection at linebacker last season, also is playing offense as South’s fullback.

Barchard gained 79 yards on 16 carries and scored one touchdown in Friday’s 24-7 season-opening victory against Grant.

“With the [wet field] conditions, it ended up working pretty well, so we stuck with it,” Barchard said of the power running game.

With running back-linebacker Alex Macaulay out for three or four games recovering from an appendectomy, Barchard might get a few more carries than originally planned. He carried the ball a little bit as a sophomore but played full-time defense last season.

“We all worked hard in the offseason on conditioning, so we’re in good shape,” Barchard said. “In the fourth quarter, [going both ways] got to me a little bit.”

• Joe Stevenson covers high school sports for the Northwest Herald. He can be reached at 815-526-4513. He also can be reached by fax at 815-459-5640 or by e-mail at jstevenson@nwherald.com.