While everybody knows of the Hulls, Liberty's first family of football, fewer know of the school's running sisters.

Even fewer know how to spell Giunta.

Raised by a running-fanatic father, the Giunta sisters never stood a chance of doing anything else. Their preparation, devotion and talent have them and Liberty on verge of postseason success in cross country.

Suzanne, a senior, plays a crucial role, leading the team and keeping morale high during the energy-zapping meets and practices. Stephanie, a sophomore, has emerged as one of Liberty's fastest runners. Combined, they have helped Liberty's girls to second place in the Northwestern District with a 3-1 record.

"We're doing really well," Stephanie says. "We're all working hard and getting stronger."

While the sisters share a love of running, their parents and coaches say the similarities end there.

"Suzanne enjoys the social aspects of running," says their mother Dana. "Stephanie enjoys the competition more."

Stephanie's competitive drive helped her to a 10th place finish at the prestigious Great Meadow Invitational and a 12th place finish at the Chancellor Invitational.

Liberty Coach Dan Thompson says he has to "reel her in a bit" at practice.

"She can run with the faster guys," Thompson says. "But it wears her out."

While Stephanie may have overtaken Suzanne in terms of pure speed, the coaches value the older sister's leadership just as much.

After the race against Brentsville on Sept. 28, Suzanne rallied her teammates and led them in cool down circuits.

"Suzy has been a very vocal leader," Thompson says. "At the last meet, she and the other seniors gave each girl a hair bow."

"The team is my favorite part of running," Suzanne says.

Stephanie, despite showing more reserve than her sister, appreciates the team element of running as well.

"I really like running, but the team is really great as well," she says.

While they used to compete with each other, the sisters say they always want to see each other succeed.

"We've gotten better," Suzanne says. "I used to be bitter when she beat me, but now we're both supportive of each other.

"I don't look at it as me versus her," Stephanie says.

Ask either sister or parent about the first time Stephanie beat Suzanne in a race. The answer comes instantly: The P.B. Smith Elementary School mile race when Suzanne was in fifth grade and Stephanie in third grade.

"They're generally not competitive," Mr. Giunta says. "They also have different groups of friends now."

The Giunta sisters have spent the better part of their lives on the track or on running trails. Their father, Joe, has run for more than 40 years and introduced them to the sport in elementary school.

"He's been bringing them to the track since Suzanne was in second grade," Mrs. Giunta says. "He belongs to the Potomac Valley Track Club and at meets there, they'd jump in for the kids run."

Mr. Giunta ran with his daughters over the summer but says he leaves the coaching to the professionals.

"Once the season starts, they're totally in the hands of the coaches," he says.

They both appreciate their father introducing them to the sport.

"When you're a Giunta, you just kind of run," Suzanne says.

"My dad's been a really big help," Stephanie adds. "He's always been there for me."

Mr. and Mrs. Giunta go to as many of their daughters' meets as they can. Against Brentsville they called out, "Let's go! Great job!" not just to their own kids, but to all the runners on both teams as they ran past.

While coaches talk about her natural talent. Stephanie says she succeeds for another, more simple reason.

"It's hard work," she says. "I have some natural talent but I work really hard and I like to do it."

Jerry Hull, Stephanie's teacher at Warrenton Middle School and later Suzanne's personal coach, remembers the runner telling folks about her times even back then.

"When I taught 'Steph,' she always talked about her running times," Hull says. "I knew she'd be special and that she had God-given talent."

Off the course, they both work diligently in classes and Suzanne prepares to choose a college.

"I'd like to go to either U.Va. or the University of Rochester," Suzanne says. "I am thinking about studying biomedical engineering but I'm not sure."

Suzanne says that if she goes to Division-III Rochester, she probably will run competitively. She does not want to race for a Division I school such as Virginia.

Stephanie has time to choose where she wants to go, but has begun thinking about the future.

"I'd prefer to go to a D-III school but it all depends on the school," she says.

Her preference surprised Coach Thompson.

"She's got the kind of talent to go D-I," he says.

The sisters attend Warrenton Presbyterian Church and participate actively in the youth group there.

"I really like our youth group," Stephanie says. "It's just a good group of people."

Their coaches complement Suzanne's and Stephanie's character and upbringing.

"I'm very proud to have worked with both sisters and their parents," Hull says.

"They're real nice kids," Thompson says. "They're the kind of kids you don't expect to get in trouble and they don't.