By Mike Clark Sun-Times Mediia November 5, 2011 7:28PM
Naperville Central's Amanda Fox wins the 3A girls state meet. Patrick Gleason ~ For the Sun-Times
PEORIA — Amanda Fox learned her lesson well enough that she aced her biggest test of the season.
The Naperville Central senior lost just one race all fall, finishing behind Lake Park’s Kaylee Flanagan at Wheaton North.
Fox made sure on Saturday that neither Flanagan, defending Class 3A champ Ariel Michalek of Oswego East nor anyone else would catch her.
Fox set a blistering early pace and had enough in the tank to make a serious run at the all-time state-meet record set last season by Woodstock’s Kayla Beattie.
That bid fell just short, but Fox was a comfortable winner in the Class 3A final at Detweiller Park, running 16 minutes, 24 seconds for three miles.
Michalek was the runner-up, 13 seconds behind, and Flanagan was third at 16:43.
“I knew I wanted to try to win it, but I didn’t know I’d be close to the (all-time record),” Fox said. “I definitely learned (from the earlier meeting with Flanagan), because I didn’t go out fast like that. I took myself out of the race and I didn’t have a chance.”
This time, everyone was chasing her.
“I heard people say, ‘They’re coming (at) you.’ I know people have great kicks. The last half-mile, I just wanted it.”
Michalek couldn’t fault her own performance after running five seconds slower than a year ago.
“I ran the race I wanted to,” she said. “The mile (times) were where I wanted them to be. I raced against (Fox) once at the Woodruff Invitational and she did the same thing. She’s a great athlete.”
New Trier, which hadn’t won a state trophy, beat Wheaton Warrenville South 88-144 for the Class 3A title.
There was some controversy in the race for the final Class 3A trophy. Naperville North and St. Charles East both scored 183, and IHSA officials awarded the Huskies third place while ranking the Saints fourth.
According to the IHSA cross country terms and conditions: “If a tie occurs for first, second or third place (at state), both tied teams will receive the appropriate medallions and trophy.”
But IHSA administrator Matt Troha said that comes into play only if ties can’t be broken by comparing the results of each team’s respective sixth (and if necessary, seventh) runners.
North was paced by Maria McDaniel, who placed 31st in 17:39, while the Huskies also were led by Kimber Meyer (43rd in 17:49), Rachel Weathered (52nd in 17:58), Britney Weizeorick (61st in 18:05) and Elly DeTurris (68th in 18:11).
Benet, led by Audrey Blazek (45th in 17:52) and Alexis Mayfield (55th in 18:00, placed 16th with 389 points. Neuqua Valley placed 23rd with 576 points and was paced by Gina O’Brien (80th in 18:21). Metea Valley’s Kendall Cast placed 41st in 17:47 and Waubonsie Valley’s Ashley Bruner was 79th in 18:21.
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