The Front Row with Jason Elliott Feb. 20, 2010

Forty-eight teams, one goal.

To make it to their respective state championship game and have a shot at winning a state title for their school.

Of those teams, only six will achieve that goal by the time the final horn blares tonight at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

IN MY first experience in traveling to the area to cover the event, I've been curious just how competitive the tournament can be when the best of the best come south to compete.

On the way to the first game at the Idaho Center, which featured Highland and Eagle, I wasn't sure what to expect, since the biggest gym I'd ever covered a game in was right along the shore of Coeur d'Alene at Christianson Gym.

Walking into the gym, the Eagle pep band was playing the theme to the "A-Team" and the game was a hard-fought battle, as was almost every game I watched on Thursday night.

Then there was the pair of freshman twins from Highland, which after each basket jump and pump their fists. You could say that they should act like they've been there before, but considering they hadn't, who was going to tell them otherwise.

SURPRISINGLY, THE North teams represented themselves very well as three of the four teams advanced in the championship round, with a few league rivals on a collision course to play for a state title.

Coeur d'Alene and Lewiston took care of their business on Friday and will collide tonight for the fourth time in 2009-10, however this time to decide the 5A state champion.

And in the 3A tournament, Kellogg beat Weiser and Priest River beat Kimberly, so they too will meet for a fourth time today to decide a state champion.

PLAYING WITH a lot on the line, each team has brought a new kind of level with them to the state tournament, fans get louder and the cheerleaders, rather than cheering "Go, Fight, Win," instead move onto the more state-worthy "I strongly disagree with that call, ref."

Even the announcers at the various game sites bring a new intensity with them, making sure to give a thanks to the Dairy Farmers of Idaho for helping sponsor the tournament. The Dairy Farmers also do a great job of reminding you of that, passing out free milk during the games at various spots in the gym.

With the state setting comes a different chain of command when it comes to walking into the various sites. Instead of just flashing a business card and getting a stamp (which I've grown used to), you get to drive into the back of the arena, get taken through security and instead of walking through the front doors with the rest of the fans, you walk through a tunnel down on the floor and are taken away to a room where you get credentials to allow you where you need to go.

FOR A first-time experience, I've gotten to learn a lot of the tricks and traditions for what goes on at the state tournament.

Now if you'll excuse me, there's a timeout and some chocolate milk is calling my name.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-0239 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.