Beatties enjoying last run together

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In most years, Woodstock senior Elise Beattie would have two McHenry County Track and Field Meet records.

In most years, Beattie would be more in the spotlight rather than on its fringes. Not that she is complaining, though. Far from it.

Beattie is enjoying what likely will be her final season as the teammate of her junior sister, Kayla, as they dominate the area distance races. The Beatties finished first and second in the 3,200- and 1,600-meter runs April 23 and are the favorites to do the same today at the Fox Valley Conference Meet at Crystal Lake Central’s Owen Metcalf Field. Field events start at 4 p.m.

The meet will be full of stars such as McHenry’s Ashley Conway, Huntley’s Amy Fanella, Crystal Lake South’s Marianne Collard, and Cary-Grove’s Carly Loeffel and Kelly McCoy. The Beatties will be right there as well as favorites again in the 3,200 and 1,600.

At the county meet, they both ran faster than the record times, although Kayla, finishing first in both races, got the two records. For Elise Beattie, who will run at NCAA Division I
New Hampshire next year, beating everyone else still was pretty good.

“It’s tough, yes,” Elise said. “It was frustrating because I would have had the county record in the 1,600, but Kayla beat me in the last 75 meters.”

“That’s really the first time we’ve raced down the straightaway at the end of a race,” Elise said. “If anyone’s better than me, I’d rather it be my training partner and sister than anyone else.”

Last year, Elise was third in the Class 3A 3,200 at the IHSA Girls State Track and Field Meet. Kayla was sixth in the 3,200 and seventh in the 1,600. Kayla won the Class 2A state cross country title in the fall, Elise was third.

The sisters again are leaving most of the competition in their wake. Only Collard, in the 1,600, was close to the Beatties in either county race.

“It’s been a really fun season,” Elise said. “My goal is usually to just run the best I can. This season, my goal is to enjoy everything as much as I can. I’m having a lot of fun with Kayla, and we’re enjoying it together.”

Big day for meets: The Big Northern Conference Girls Track and Field Meet also will run at 4 p.m. today at Genoa-Kingston. The Suburban Christian Conference will hold its meet at 4 p.m. at Rosary High School in Aurora.

Marengo’s girls, led by Allison Rogutich, Shawney Damisch and Katie Adams, will make a run at becoming one of the top teams in the BNC. Hampshire, led by Ashley Fouch, Cassie Kruse and Holly Plichta, also hopes to finish near the top of the BNC.

Harvard and Richmond-Burton are the other local teams at the BNC Meet. Marian Central is the lone area school running in the SCC Meet.

Family tradition: McHenry senior Josh McNaughton will continue his athletic career where most people in his family have, at North Park University in Chicago. McNaughton started for most of three seasons for the Warriors at guard and will play basketball for the NCAA Division III Vikings.

McNaughton averaged 11.1 points this season and was a Northwest Herald All-Area honorable mention selection. His father, Tim, and brother, Ryan, played soccer at North Park. His mother (Darlene) played softball at North Park and two of her brothers also competed there, one in wrestling, one in football.

Mack to Knox: Cary-Grove senior Janina Mack did not play sports this season for the Trojans, but will attend D-III Knox College in Galesburg and play basketball and volleyball.

Mack played volleyball as a junior and was backup setter. She has not played high school basketball since her sophomore season. Her brother, Jonas, was a running back for the Prairie Fire last season. Janina Mack is attending the school on an academic scholarship.

• Joe Stevenson covers high school sports for the Northwest Herald. He can be reached by e-mail at jstevenson@nwherald.com.