It’s not easy keeping up with Cora Wentz and Nicole Carroll.

Not only are both excellent runners, the pair are also key members of their respective soccer teams.

Wentz is a member of a Palmerton squad that reached the District 11 Class 2A final. Carroll and Jim Thorpe also qualified for the 2A tournament after another successful season.

The pair will be in action today at the PIAA Cross Country Championships in Hershey for the first time.

Carroll qualified for states with a 15th place finish (21:39) in the District 11 Class 2A meet last week, then also played in the Olympians’ district soccer game later in the evening.

“It’s not as bad as it seems,” said Carroll. “It gets tiring sometimes, but it’s actually a lot of fun. You always have something going on, so it keeps you busy.”

Wentz was 16th in the Class 1A race with a time of 23:04.

The sophomore is also a midfielder for the Bombers girls soccer team, which also reached the Colonial League semifinals.

“It’s been really exciting being able to do both sports,” said Wentz. “It’s been a bit stressful managing being able to go to both practices and make it to all the meets and the games. But I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, and I’m so glad that I’m doing both of them.”

The district meet was the first time Carroll, a junior, had competed in both sports on the same day.

“Soccer is my main sport, so whenever there is a conflict, I’ll go to soccer,” she said. “But if it’s just practice, I usually go to meets. If there’s a meet and a game on the same day, I’ll go to the soccer game.”

“They’re all crazy supportive and understanding. All of my soccer teammates (were) congratulating me as soon as the race finished. All these girls come to my games. It’s great.”

In addition to Carroll, Katelynn Bos and Gabby Cinicola also participate in both soccer and cross country for Jim Thorpe.

Wentz has also balanced her time between the two sports this season, maximizing her opportunities in both as much as possible.

“Normally, I’ll go to soccer first,” said Wentz. “But in certain cases, I’ll balance them equally. Today we had a soccer scrimmage, but I came here (district meet) because this was also very important.

“I just try to balance them the best I can, because I care a lot about both sports.”

Knowing she sometimes has to miss out on one when meets and games fall on the same day is one of the biggest drawbacks for Wentz.

“It’s been a bit upsetting not being able to go to the games,” she said. “But knowing that I’m able to work really hard on the course means a lot and I’m glad that I can do both of them.”

At districts, the top two teams and next 10 finishers not on those squads in Class 1A, 2A and 3A all qualified for states.

Carroll was the 10th and final non-team runner in 2A to make it.

“I knew I was right on the verge of making it to states, on and off,” said Carroll. “I just heard everyone at the end screaming, ‘Go, you still have a chance!’ So I just kept pushing it.

“I was kind of just holding that position the entire race. I’m just so proud I made it. I never thought I would have, starting freshman year as something to keep me in shape for soccer. I’m just super excited for states.”

Wentz was eighth among non-team finishers.

“I was working off of different people and I was able to pass a couple of them in the cornfield,” said Wentz, “which definitely boosted my energy at the very end of it.”

While she has one more event before her fall sports season is finished, Wentz probably won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

“Once this is all over, I’m going to take a bit of a recovery and a break, and then start working on the track season for spring,” she said.

Catch them if you can.

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TIGERS ROARING

... Samuel Bower and the Northwestern boys stomped through the Class 2A field en route to a third-straight district title last week. The Tigers are now just one step away from finishing off a perfect season. Bower, the reigning Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, led a sweep of the top three spots for Northwestern, which also claimed fifth and sixth to win with 17 points. Allentown Central Catholic was second with 97 points. The Tigers finished the regular season 24-0 and claimed the Colonial League meet title a week earlier at DeSales University. At districts, Bower hit the line in 16:48 ahead of teammates Matt Santana (17:05) and Cole Chukoskie (17:20) in second and third, respectively. Joe Chukoskie was fifth (17:27), followed by Nathan Vincent in sixth (17:29). Gavin Nelson recorded an 11th-place finish (18:01). “And that’s the way these guys trained together all year,” said Northwestern coach Chris Stitzel. “These five, six guys, they trained together every day, and it shows. It’s a close group of guys, and that’s why they run so close together because they train together like that. It’s been like that since the summer on. They’re all healthy now, and one more week to go. They just keep building every week, and I think we have a good shot of taking this thing.” The Tigers won the DeSales Invitational and the Lion Invitational at Moravian Academy earlier this year. They also claimed a massive win at the PIAA Foundation Invite in Hershey, topping Grove City 89-94 for the Class 2A title. A state title is well within reach. Santana’s 31st-place finish (17:44) paced the Tigers to a sixth-place result in the team standings a year ago. Bower (18:02) was 49th.

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STATE QUALIFIERS

... In addition to Northwestern, the Weatherly boys will also be making the trip to Hershey after a runner-up finish in the Class 1A team standings last week at districts. The Wreckers were led by Jacob Parker (17:37) and Ricky Ray (17:59), who were sixth and seventh, respectively, at districts. Michael Berger was 14th (18:32) and Frankie Willis 15th (18:36) for the Wreckers. Tim Maguschak was 37th (20:18) to round out the scoring. The Wreckers placed eighth in the Class 1A team standings last year, and were led by senior Scotty Zoscin’s 39th-place finish (18:14). Weatherly won Schuylkill League and District 11 titles for the first time in school history last season. Palmerton’s Owen Hibell (Class 2A) and Natalie Mosier (Class 1A), Jim Thorpe’s Ryan Bailor and Ridge Snyder (Class 2A), Tamaqua’s Grace Stegemerten (Class 2A) and Levi Kunkel (Class 2A) and Marian’s Grace Curnow (Class 1A) will also be competing at the state meet. Mosier will be running for the third straight year, while Stegemerten will be making her second appearance in Hershey. Mosier was 31st in the Class A race with a time of 21:57 a year ago. She was 74th as a freshman.

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THE DETAILS

... The Class 1A girls race is up first and scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on the Parkview Cross Country Course. The other five classifications will start every 45 minutes afterward, from 1A-3A for girls and boys. The championship and the runner-up teams in each class, both girls and boys, will receive trophies. Members of the champion and runner-up teams will receive medals (10 per team). The top 25 individual finishers in each class, both girls and boys, will receive medals. Awards presentation will take place in front of the Giant Center one hour following the start time of each race.