RAPID CITY - When Cheyenne, Wyo., squares off with Fort Collins, Colo., today in the championship game of the Elks Firecracker Tournament there will be little need to exchange lineup cards.

Both teams are all too familiar with the other's roster.

The two teams meet at 7:30 p.m. at Fitzgerald Stadium, capping the six-day long tournament, which is hosted by Rapid City Post 22.

It is the fifth time the two teams have faced off against each other already this summer.

"We know them well, we're only 45 minutes away from Cheyenne and we run a fall program together," Fort Collins head coach Scott Bullock said. "They're a good club, and we'll have our work cut out for us."

Fort Collins has scored a tournament-high 77 runs in the tournament, but it has been the pitching that Bullock has been most impressed with.

"Our pitching staff has been the highlight of the tournament so far. They've done a great job of giving us chances and keeping us in games. Post 22 does a great job of hosting a tournament," Bullock said. "The fact that we're in the championship game of this tournament is really exciting for our kids. It's great to see how much support the town of Rapid City gives Legion baseball."

The two teams have met once already during the Firecracker Tournament. Cheyenne was facing a must-win to advance to the title game. It took a slugfest and extra-innings, but Cheyenne managed to edge Fort Collins, 13-12, earning a spot in the championship game.

"We have played three extra inning games in the tournament so far," said Cheyenne head coach Tag Lain. "We knew going into Friday night that we were going to have to win three games in a row to get to the championship. And if we did, we were in control of our own destiny. We did that, so I'm proud of these guys."

Both teams are defending state champs in their respective state, and both teams will be going with their top pitcher in today's title game.

"We have our No. 1 coming back, and he beat Fort Collins early this year, and they got their No. 1 guy going, so it should be quite a contest," said Lain. "We are going to have to continue to battle and shut down the best offensive club in the tournament. They are a very talented team, loaded top to bottom, and we know them really well. All we can do is come out and battle."

Cheyenne and Fort Collins aren't the only two teams that will take to the field today.

The third-place game will feature Missoula, Mont., against Spokane Wash. Missoula went into the final day at 3-3 in the tournament, and needed a win against Coon Rapids, Minn. The Montana-based team thrashed Coon Rapids, 14-0, to earn a spot in the third-place game. Missoula stumbled out of the gate to begin the tournament, starting 1-3 but has come back to win its next three games.

"We came into this ballgame not playing real good baseball," said Missoula head coach Brent Hathaway. "And part of that was not having our center fielder Benny Roberts for the first three games of the tournament. He's a big part of this team, and once he returned it lifted the guys' spirits. But we played pretty good today. We love this tournament, and want to go home, 5-3."

It's been the exact opposite for Spokane, which started the tournament 4-1. But since then, Spokane has dropped its last two games, 9-1, to Missoula and, 6-4, to Cheyenne, knocking them out of the championship game.

The third-place game will begin today at noon.

Las Vegas will play Coon Rapids game for fifth place.

West Warwick R.I. will play Post 22 for seventh at 5 p.m.