Steve Houseal sat in the bleachers at Souderton High and did the math. And no, it wasn't necessary for him to divide by three.

If all goes according to plan, the triplet daughters of Houseal and his wife, Sharon, will graduate with a combined total of 26 varsity letters. The Harleysville residents turn 18 in June.

Laura and Valerie will likely earn four apiece in basketball and three each in lacrosse. Allie is on track to finish with four apiece in water polo, swimming and lacrosse.

Just as impressively, all three will graduate in the top 20 of their class of about 480. Laura is ranked ninth, Val 11th and Allie 19th.

"It's been so much fun," Steve Houseal said.

"It will be emotional for me to see them on the field for their last game," Sharon Houseal said. "Everyone says the years go so fast. They really do."

On Friday evening, Steve and Sharon watched together from the stands during Souderton's 68-40 girls' basketball win over Central Bucks West. Allie also attended, sitting with her friends but greeting her parents after the game.

"They come out to my water polo games," Allie said of her sisters. "It's a lot of fun to watch them play basketball together. I get so excited. Senior year has made me realize how much they mean to me. When they scored their 1,000th points, I started crying. I'm so proud of them."

Said Laura: "Allie is always at our basketball games. She's our No. 1 fan."

Against the Bucks, Laura collected 20 points, five rebounds and four steals, while Valerie compiled 18 points, seven steals and six rebounds.

Valerie and Laura are guards for the 13-3 Indians, although Valerie is playing some forward this year. Valerie eclipsed 1,000 in a 60-34 win over Northeast High on Nov. 29. Laura went over 1,000 in a 65-20 win over Bensalem on Dec. 10.

"They're two of the better players in District 1," Souderton coach Charlie Stanley said. "They're one of the major reasons the program has turned around."

While Valerie was first to 1,000 points, Laura was first in the world. Valerie was born second and Allie third. Their births, about 10 weeks premature, were about an hour apart at Pennsylvania Hospital.

There was no history of multiple births in the family, and Sharon didn't take any fertility drugs. The triplets are their only children.

"We thought we were having one for the longest time," Sharon said.

"We were told we were having twins," Steve said. "A week before, they said. 'Guess what.' "

Laura and Valerie are both about 5-foot-9, with light brown hair. Both wear ponytails when they play, although Valerie's is longer and Laura's is higher. Allie is a 5-5 blonde with shorter hair.

"She gets a lot of questions, 'Why do you look different?' " Valerie said.

All three are members of Souderton's National Honor Society and active in their church youth group. Allie, who is close to qualifying for districts in the 100-meter breaststroke for the third straight year, has earned all-state honors in water polo the last two years. She scored 50 goals this season as the Indians placed fourth at the state tournament.

Allie has the reputation as the outgoing one. When asked to define their most distinctive personality traits, Steve and Sharon agreed that Allie is the "risk taker" or "ringleader," Valerie the "thinker" and Laura the "perfectionist."

Steve and Sharon were careful to make sure the girls were always treated as individuals. That meant three birthday cakes at their parties, different types and colors of clothes and toys, separate classes in elementary school, and one-on-one time with Mom and Dad.

Sharon and Steve can watch all three daughters together during lacrosse season, but they split the support when basketball games and swim meets are scheduled the same day.

It will become more complicated next year, when all three girls likely will attend different colleges, although there's a chance Valerie and Laura will wind up together. Somehow, they'll stay connected.

"Our parents really instilled in us to always support each other and help each other out," Allie said. "Even though we've had petty fights, none of that would ruin the friendship we have."