Ali Worthen and Elliot Adams had parallel careers in the Bay Area.

Both athletes entered high school four years ago and quickly became stars in multiple sports. By the time they were done this spring, they had been recognized countless times for all-league honors and won individual state titles. They had also become natural team leaders, even if they were quiet by nature.

For those reasons, Worthen and Adams are The World’s athletes of the year for the 2007-08 school year.

Success had been expected for Worthen, if for no other reason than because she comes from a family known for success. Her mom, Fran, was a 10-time state champion in individual events and relays for Marshfield’s track team in the early 1970s and led the Pirates to a state title before becoming one of the top sprinters in the country. Ali’s older sisters, Nikki Sichting and Leah Worthen, also became state champions, and Ali won a Junior Olympics national title in the high jump when she was still in elementary school.

Once she got to high school, she did not disappoint, living up to all those expectations in track and field and also becoming a basketball and volleyball star for Marshfield.

She was a starter in those other sports by her sophomore year, using her athleticism to become a force at the net in volleyball and around the post in basketball.

She also became a team leader in both of those sports.

Last fall, Marshfield volleyball coach Tammie Montiel moved Worthen from her position at middle hitter to outside hitter so she could get more offensive attacks. The result was Worthen sharing player of the year honors in the Midwestern League with Courtney Radekin of North Eugene and Tara Hill of Thurston. Worthen also was a first-team all-league selection as a junior and was named to the third team her sophomore year.

In the winter, she was named first-team all-league in basketball for her all-around play for the Pirates. While she wasn’t always a high scorer for the team, she was a constant with her play on defense and rebounding. Worthen was recognized on the first team for the second straight season.

But track and field was always Worthen’s best sport, as she showed the versatility that likely will make her a standout heptathlete at Seattle-Pacific University.

This spring, she won the state title in the high jump for the third straight year. She also took the title in the 300-meter hurdles for the second time and won her first long jump crown. Add in a second-place finish in the high hurdles and she earned high-point honors at the Class 5A meet with 38 points.

For her career, Worthen won six individual state titles and also had seven other state medals in individual events and relays.

Adams won his lone state title in the shot put this spring, capturing the 4A title after placing fourth his junior season. He also was fourth in the discus this year and qualified for state in both the shot put and discus as a sophomore.

While he was a steady contributor in track and field, Adams was a standout the other two seasons for North Bend.

In football, he earned a reputation as a tough lineman on both offense and defense, using his bulky frame to help open up running lanes for North Bend’s speedy backs when the Bulldogs had the ball and to clog the holes for the opposition when North Bend was on defense.

An outstanding student, he also was able to quickly adjust to changes in North Bend’s schemes and help the other linemen learn their assignments.

For his senior year, Adams was named to the first team on both the offensive and defensive lines in the Far West League.

The biggest contributions by Adams, though, came on the basketball court, where he burst onto the scene as a freshman starter for North Bend and continued to carry a big load at post throughout his career.

Adams earned first-team all-league honors three straight years in basketball and was the focus of North Bend’s offense and — in most games — the opposition’s defense.

North Bend coach John Olson often raved about how composed Adams stayed in the post when other teams were double-teaming him and had players grabbing him on defense throughout the games.

Adams often scored in double figures and grabbed 10 or more rebounds during games, helping the Bulldogs reach the state playoffs four straight years.