The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Jan. 5, 2011

There is something about the heart of a champion.

Two really good examples of that came last week during the Holiday Inn Express Invitational as the defending state 5A champion Coeur d'Alene Viking girls and Post Falls boys both concluded the three-day event undefeated.

Chances are, those teams they defeated might be just as good in their respective tournaments when that time comes.

THE GAME between Post Falls and Priest River was impressive for a couple different reasons. If not for a 31-point game by Trojan senior Connor Hill, who knows what could have happened?

Both teams liked to run the floor and shoot, making the game exciting from tipoff to the final buzzer. Although some wanted to see a little more defense than offense, with the way both teams play, you weren't going to get anything less.

Lake City, which defeated Post Falls for the Region 1 tournament championship last year, played like that squad which advanced to the state tournament a year ago. After beating teams from Lake Stevens (Wash.), Chiawana (Pasco, Wash.) and defending 3A champion Priest River, they could be primed to do it again.

Priest River went 1-2 against 5A Inland Empire League schools, beating a Coeur d'Alene team which won an overtime game between the two earlier this season.

While the rest of this month will go a long way toward determining the seeds and locations for the regional tournaments, the groundwork appears to be set for a strong run to the finish.

NO MATTER how many times I've seen it happen, it still amazes me to watch a team battle back from down 10 points.

It was no different on Thursday night as the Coeur d'Alene Vikings trailed Federal Way (Wash.) by 10 in the championship game of the girls tournament.

Coeur d’Alene went on a 17-6 run in the final four minutes of the game — a run similar to the one that landed the Vikings a third straight state 5A championship last February at the Idaho Center.

Chances are, the race for the 5A IEL won’t be settled until the final weekend, much like last year when a coin flip determined the top seed to regionals.

IT SEEMS like a long shot that the Seattle Seahawks will find a way to defeat the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints when the NFL playoffs begin on Saturday.

But they’re in for a reason, even though it’s the wrong reason.

To me, the heart of a champion can be determined by finding the extra motivation to get a win when the chips are down.

Something that will have to continue for any team with the goal of success in the playoffs.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.