For twin sisters Emily and Lindsay Mauch, the first spark of competitive energy began in fourth grade. Each afternoon the girls' father would drop them off at the end of the driveway and challenge them to race home. "He didn't think we were getting enough excercise at school," quipped Emily. "He'd always time us," added Lindsay. "Emily never wanted to race." Initially, the races were fairly one-sided but that changed with time. As they prepare to enter their senior year at Warrenton High School, the sisters still serve as each others' driving force. Over time, they discovered they were destined for greatness in separate sports, but that hasn't eliminated the competitive nature from their lives. Both have been varsity athletes since their freshman year — Lindsay in softball and Emily in cross country and track. But their journey began together. "We've always both been very competitive and would try to do better than each other," said Emily. "But we're also each others' biggest supporter." In elementary school, they played on the same Khoury League team. As time passed, Lindsay got invited to pitching clinics and joined more competitive teams. Emily began to direct her interest elsewhere. For a while, she felt inferior to her twin, often letting Lindsay run ahead during the driveway races. The driveway races faded, with Lindsay having bragging rights. "Whenever we'd run the mile in P.E., she'd beat me," explained Emily. Eventually the tables turned. One day during a middle school track meet, Emily surprised herself by running an impressive time in the mile. Thrilled by her breakthrough, she was anxious to tell her twin about her accomplishment. Lindsay refused to believe her sister until facing defeat in a one-on-one race. At the time, Lindsay was still involved with the middle school cross country team. It was around that time Emily realized running might actually be her strongest sport. When the twins reached high school, both immediately got the chance to prove themselves. Lindsay made her debut as a starting pitcher during the season opener at the Holt Tournament. Emily was promptly cast into a varsity role on the cross country team. It almost didn't end up that way. "Going into freshman year right before the season started, I wasn't going to do cross country," acknowledge Emily. "I was considering softball instead." Encouragement from other runners helped change Emily's mind, and three years later she is the most accomplished individual on the team. Each twin is entering their fourth year on the varsity level. "The time has gone by so fast," said Emily. Coach Mike Spoede has seen Emily embrace her role as a mentor on the cross country team. "She has carried the torch since joining our team as a freshman to now being a senior captain," said Spoede. Emily is a three-time state qualifier in cross country but is determined to heighten her achievements by earning all-state honors. To do so, she'll have to finish among the top 25 in the MSHSAA Championships in Jefferson City. "I definitely want to go to state again," said Emily. "My goal is to keep improving my time. To medal at state in both cross country and track would be amazing." Spoede has seen Emily's confidence escalate over the past three years. "She has really driven herself and that confidence has been there," said Spoede. "She's probably one of the most driven athletes I've had as a coach. She's got a lot of self-motivation." Emily transformed from a shy, timid first-time qualifier of the state meet in 2008 to an esteemed social leader as a senior. Her sister will attest to that. "I don't like to talk as much as her," confessed Lindsay. "She's really outgoing, and I've always been a little shy." Lindsay is anxious to begin her final season on the diamond, hoping to garner a college scholarship. After three seasons as one of the Warriors' primary pitchers, a nagging shoulder injury has forced her to retreat to the outfield. She has quickly grown fond of her new position. "It's not even been a year since I started playing outfield, and I love it," said Lindsay. Last season Lindsay was one of Warrenton's most effective threats at getting on base. She batted .238 with 15 hits, scoring 14 runs. "I definitely want to improve my batting average," said Lindsay. "As a team last year we did really well, and hopefully we can beat some of the teams that beat us last year." She will be expected to bat near the top of the lineup and provide guidance for the underclassmen this season. "Lindsay will put the pressure on the opposing team," said coach Trevor Hibbs. "She's a quiet leader who's got a good spirit and is full of life." As it turns out, Lindsay's running days haven't completely come to an end. In need of a fourth member for the 3200-meter relay team last spring, Emily decided to recruit he sister. "After softball ended, she'd always run on her to stay in shape," said Emily. "I thought it would be awesome to have my sister on the team." Lindsay says it didn't take much haggling to get her on the track but she had a lot of ground to cover before becoming as competitive as the other members. By season's end, the twins were standing on the podium at the state track meet, claiming their medals. They are looking forward to sharing one more trip to the awards stand in May, before their college journeys send them separate ways. "We've decided that once Emily leaves for school we'll probably never see her again," said Lindsay. Emily plans to study physical therapy, while Lindsay wants to study nursing. Both plan to compete in college sports.