Bob Firman Invite Ready To Roll For First Time Since 2019

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The Bob Firman Invitational will make its return Saturday to Eagle Island State Park west of Boise, Idaho with elite high school racing. 

For the first time since 2019, one of the biggest invitationals in the Northwest is back on. The meet was unable to go in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Our kids are incredibly excited for the opportunity to race at Bob Firman again," Boise Senior coach Aaron Olswanger said. "Most of our team has never raced in this meet, and the atmosphere is always electric."

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Teams from 10 states, with the majority from Idaho and Utah, will push through the familiar features of Eagle Island's 5,000-meter layout. 

Great Oak of California will compete for the boys championship with the No. 12 team in the country and faces competition from Rocky Mountain of Idaho, Corner Canyon, Skyridge and Farmington of Utah and Bozeman and Missoula Hellgate from Montana. 

Landon Heemeyer from Rocky Mountain ran 14:56.6 at the Middleton Twilight in Idaho on Sept. 14. 

Great Oak, ranked No. 3 in California, finished fifth at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, led by Gabriel Rodriguez and twin brothers Mark Cortes and Ramses Cortes. 

In the elite girls race, Eastbay Cross Country finalist Nelah Roberts from Skyline ID will take on Utah's best runner, Jane Hedengren of Timpview, and Boise trio Samantha Smith, Allie Bruce and Lydia Nance. 

Boise, ranked No. 2 in the Northwest, will take on strong teams from Great Oak CA, Bozeman MT, Natrona County WY, Springville UT and Rocky Mountain ID.