The starting point was the Memorial Day race at Lynch Field in Greensburg, when Natalie Bower was 7 and her cousin Samantha was 8. The finish line has yet to be determined.

When the cousins took off on that 3.1-mile run that day, no one knew they would develop into two of the top distance runners in the WPIAL.

Natalie Bower, now a junior at Latrobe High School, is the two-time defending WPIAL Class AAA individual champion.

Samantha Bower, a senior at Greensburg Salem, placed 15th in Class AAA at the WPIAL championships last year.

The cousins have taken turns finishing first at the Red, White & Blue Classic, the first major high school cross country competition of the season. At this year's race Sept. 8 at Schenley Park, Natalie won the girls' Varsity race with Samantha fifth. Last year, Samantha won the race with Natalie second. Two years ago, Natalie was first.

"We've kept it in the family," Natalie Bower said after winning the 3.1-mile event earlier this month.

When they embraced after finishing one-two last year at the Red, White & Blue Classic, it was hard to tell which cousin was more excited. Samantha was thrilled that she finally beat Natalie, and Natalie, while disappointed she didn't win, was glad her cousin did.

Samantha and Natalie are good friends and have trained together, although not this past summer.

Running has always been big in the Bower clan. Terry Bower, Samantha's father, has run a number of marathons and even completed the Laurel Highlands Ultra, a 70.5-mile jog on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail from Ohiopyle to Seward.

Ron Bower, Natalie's father, also runs and has done a leg of a relay in the Laurel Highlands Ultra. Natalie's older sister, Ashley, ran for Latrobe and is a senior on the cross country team at Saint Vincent College.

Ken Bower, an uncle, has completed the Laurel Highlands Ultra.

"The Laurel Highlands Ultra has become like a holiday for the family," Terry Bower said. "Ashley and Shalane, Ken's daughter, have been a part of our relay. We just all go and have a good time."

Two summers ago, Natalie and Samantha trained together when their families vacationed at the Outer Banks.

But this summer, Samantha was in France for three weeks as part of an exchange program and the cousins didn't get together.

Natalie and Samantha don't get together much during the school year because they are involved with their own teams and circle of friends.

They race against each other only a handful of times in cross country. They will meet again at the Westmoreland County Coaches meet Oct. 4 at Kiski School in Saltsburg. Natalie was first there last year, Samantha sixth.

They will probably be in the field at the Tri-State Track Coaches Championships Oct. 18 at Cooper's Lake Campground and at the WPIAL championships Oct. 25 at Cooper's Lake.

While both want the other to do well in races, once the gun goes off, there are no families ties.

Some female high school runners don't want to finish ahead of their friends because it might create hard feelings. That's never been a problem with these cousins.

"They are buddies, no matter what happens," said Bonnie Bower, Natalie's mother. "But they are also very competitive. When that gun goes off, that's it. They're out to win."

What's interesting is that Natalie and Samantha have never been on the same team ... in anything. One team they will eventually end up on is a Bower relay for the Laurel Highlands Ultra. The only reason they have been recruited for that is individuals have to be 18 to run the Ultra.

"They've talked about the five girls, Ashley, Natalie, Sam, Shalane and her sister Autumn being a team and calling it 'Bower Power.' " Bonnie Bower said.

The same phrase would apply in the WPIAL these days.