Today, 42 high school cross country teams from Caribou to Cumberland, R.I., will converge on one of the most fan-friendly courses in the state for perhaps the biggest meet in the state.

The third annual Maine Cross Country Festival of Champions will take place at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast with more than 800 runners competing on the 3.1-mile course.

The meet will get under way at 11:25 a.m. Following the National Anthem by Jesse Wakeman of Belfast, a moment of silence will be held in remembrance of Joseph Diprete-Digioia, the 14-year-old Belfast freshman who collapsed and died during last year’s meet.

This year’s meet features the so-called “slow and fast” heats for unseeded and seeded runners, and a new freshman heat, an idea coaches from Cumberland, R.I., came up with, according to Brewer coach and co-meet director Glendon Rand. The results of all three races will be combined to determine the team scores.

“Apparently down in Rhode Island at their big invitationals, they have freshman races,” he said. “Quite a few teams who’ll be running also run at the Manchester [N.H.] Invitational, and they also have a freshman race there. Some coaches from Maine also thought it was a good idea.”

“It’s turned out to be a really good idea,” Rand added, acknowledging that freshmen who don’t normally get an award can do so in their own race.

Rand co-directs the meet along with Dale and Jo-Ann Nealy of Belfast Area High. Jo-Ann Nealy is the school’s cross country coach.

The meet has grown in the last few years, helping to put Maine high school cross country on the map.

“It’s probably recognized as the most competitive invitational meet in Maine,” Rand said. “It’s been mentioned on the DyeStat Web site and in the ‘Harrier,’ a high school cross country publication.

“It’s seen not only in Maine but across the country for purposes of who are potential Foot Locker [Cross Country Championships] qualifiers.”

On the boys’ side, two-time defending champ Levi Miller of Belfast, a senior and potential Foot Locker qualifier, will try to defend his title on his home course. His competition could come from Cumberland, R.I., stars Andrew Coleman and Derrek Turcotte. Ellsworth sophomore Corey DeWitt was seventh last year and Caribou’s Sam Sheehan, who won the Sectional Invitational last week in Old Town, could also be in contention.

Team-wise, four Maine teams plus the two Rhode Island teams should be in the hunt. Greely of Cumberland Center, Caribou, Mt. Blue of Farmington, and Falmouth lead the Maine teams.

The girls’ race is wide open as Old Town star Cassie Hintz is running in the Great American Cross Country Festival in North Carolina. John Bapst of Bangor’s Maddy Glover and Courtney Martin along with Lily Hanstein of Mt. Blue and Jolene Belanger of Bangor should all contend for the top spot.

The Crusaders look like the team to beat and will face competition from the Cougars, Indians, Greely, and Fryeburg Academy.