After playing for the biggest prize in the state 5A tournament last year, the two teams from Kootenai County will have a bigger target on their backs than ever before.

But the Post Falls and Lake City girls soccer teams should be ready for them.

After playing two overtimes for the state 5A title last year at Coeur d'Alene, the eventual champion Lake City Timberwolves and runner-up Post Falls Trojans return to state with most of those rosters intact.

Now, about those expectations.

Lake City (9-5-3) open against Boise (15-2-1), the No. 3 seed out of the Boise area this season, today at 10:30 a.m. PDT at Meridian High. Post Falls (10-4-3) plays at Rocky Mountain High (15-1-2) of Meridian, the top team out of the Boise area. If they meet again, it would be in the title game Saturday at 3:30 p.m. PDT at Rocky Mountain High.

5A: On its run to the state title last season, Lake City went to penalty kicks in two of three matches, with a third win in double overtime against Highland.

"Everyone is expecting us to perform," Lake City coach Matt Ruchti said. "The players know that and they've got the opportunity to prove that."

Lake City graduated four seniors from last year's roster, and has only one on this year's team.

"We hope it helps a lot," Ruchti said. "We had some good senior leadership last year and have a good senior (Jennifer Snow) this year. But a lot of our leadership comes from our juniors and sophomores."

"It's a unique team," Ruchti said. "They're talented and a lot of those players can play different spots, but the experience is something we'll hope to rely on. This group has played in a lot of big soccer games in their careers, both high school and club, so they're used to coming in and competing."

For Post Falls, which advanced to its first state tournament last year, the Trojans only lost one senior to graduation. Kelcie Hedge, last year's leading goal scorer, is playing with the U.S. under-17 national girls soccer team.

"The biggest thing for us was making it to state," Post Falls coach Briggs Anderson said. "We really don't know what these teams will bring, so we'll try to focus on staying healthy and playing our game."

After the teams had to travel to Coeur d'Alene for the tournament last year, Anderson believes that those from the north will be the most prepared coming into the tournament, because they'll be traveling and remain as a group throughout the tournament, whereas the southern teams will go their separate ways following matches.

"It's definitely a factor," Anderson said. "I think both and Lake City will be well prepared. The biggest thing is we've got to travel there instead of them coming to us. It's going to be the north teams are the most prepared at keeping our teams together, healthy, eating well and going to bed at an early hour. There's so many different elements we'll have to fight going to Boise."

4A: Sandpoint (10-3-4) advanced from the Region 1 tournament with a win against Moscow and will face Blackfoot in its tournament opener at Brothers Park in Caldwell on Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT.

Bishop Kelly (18-0-1) of Boise won the tournament last year, beating Century in the championship match.

3A: Making its first trip to the state tournament in only the second year of the program, the Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy (12-3-3) will face Filer (13-4-1) in its tournament opener at Vallivue High in Caldwell.

"We know they've got a talented goal scorer," second-year Coeur d'Alene Charter coach Dave Baxter said.

The Panthers went 8-9-1 in their inaugural season, but won the Intermountain League and district title this year with a group that includes eight freshmen and only three seniors.

"They've brought a lot of talent and all of them are very positive," Baxter said. "They're upbeat kids and they've really made an impression on those older kids. We were missing a couple of key parts last season, but we've put some of those pieces in place this year and we've got depth in other parts."

Bonners Ferry also advanced and will play Marsh Valley.