THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Sept. 27, 2014

To be the best, you've got to beat the best.

Today at Eagle Island State Park in Eagle, some area cross country teams will get a first-hand look and measuring stick of if they are the best, or just part of the rest.

LATER TODAY, a total of 135 teams - some from Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming - as well as the top teams from the state of Idaho will compete in the annual Bob Firman Invitational at Eagle Island, which also serves as the host of this year's state cross country meet on Nov. 1 in all four classifications.

The course for both meets is expected to be the same.

For Cathy Compton, the Coeur d'Alene High coach, it's a tradition to head out of town for at least one meet.

"It's a bit of a journey there and we need to see some of the teams from the south," Compton said. "It's still early in the season, but it gives us a good idea of where we are at."

With the meet near Boise, it also gives college coaches a chance to see some of the races.

"There's a lot of college coaches that come in and see the kiddos running," Compton said. "It's definitely a big meet for them."

Coeur d'Alene's girls won the Mountain West Classic last Saturday in Missoula, but are still missing junior Emily Callahan - the team's top finisher at state last year - due to injury.

"She's practicing, but not running this weekend," Compton said. "We're being very careful with her, not just for this year, but for the rest of the year and her entire high school career. The kids are excited to be here. They've been running solid and as a decent pack this season."

In the latest IdahoXC.com rankings, the Coeur d'Alene girls - who have won the last two state 5A titles - are the top ranked team. Timberlake's girls are third in 3A, the Lake City boys are sixth in 5A, Timberlake boys fourth in 3A.

"Firman is big time cross country," Timberlake coach Shawn Lawler said. "It is Nike sponsored with over 130 teams. All the years racing at this meet have helped our runners compete well at large, important meets like the state meet."

Sandpoint's girls, ranked No. 1 in the 4A poll, are the lone ranked team not attending the meet, instead traveling to a meet in Lewiston.

Lawler added that the team has thrown in a couple more hills into their workouts in order to prepare.

"We added a new loop we call 'devils loop', complete with lots of super steep climbs and descents," Lawler said.

SOME OF the work to compete at events such as this started in the summer as well. Lake City is taking seven runners to Eagle this weekend.

"Those that are going it is as a reward for making the '500 mile club', which is a summer training challenge," Lake City coach Heather Harmon-Reed said. "The opportunity to race a course beforehand is always advantageous, but each race varies, even on the same course. The number of people and course conditions can change many things. There will be more runners in each race than what we will see at state and this impacts race strategy simply because of the massive amounts of bodies."

The rest of the Lake City squad will compete at the Inland Empire Klassic in Lewiston today at Lewiston Orchards.

Last week, Lake City senior Jake Finney finished fourth at the Mountain West Classic as the Timberwolves finished eighth.

"He's always been dedicated and competitive," said Harmon-Reed of Finney. "This year, his body has gotten stronger and he has been able to take on more mileage and more intensity."

Timberlake sophomore Brayden Menti, who finished 18th in last year's 3A meet in Idaho Falls, has grown into a leader on the Tigers young squad, Lawler said.

"He's grown tremendously from last year," Lawler said. "He used to approach workouts and races like a typical competitive freshman, 'just hang on to the seniors as long as you can.' This year, he's the guy that leads every workout and wants to be in the front pack on race day. I've seen him grow both as a person and as a leader."

AFTER THIS weekend, area schools have two meets, then it's off to respective district/regional meets, with that one goal.

Get back to Eagle Island.

"It's a bit of a journey on this one," Compton said. "All the camaraderie on the bus and during meets has been fabulous this year. I like taking road trips with these kids. It's going to be a long day, but I'm glad they run the elite kids early."

"Our goal is to be in the trophy hunt every year," Lawler said. "I'm convinced that in addition to the usual expectations coaches have for their athletes, our family atmosphere has been monumental in performing well late in the season. Team dinners, overnight trips, birthday celebrations, summer camp, team movie nights and playing at the lake are some of the things we do to build the family atmosphere."

"This year, it looks like there will be some pretty fierce competition for those trophies," Harmon-Reed said. "We'll need to stay unified as a team, stay healthy, and each member of the team is going to have to show up ready to compete with their whole heart, regardless."

It ends here for those lucky enough to make it to state.

You can't help but think it starts today for everyone else.

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 email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.