Catalina Foothills junior Billy Flower, hitting practice shots at Ventana Canyon, says competition among teammates has increased.

james S. Wood / arizona daily star

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That sinking feeling was mutual at Catalina Foothills.

The perennially state-contending girls squad, the 4A-I state champs in two of the last four years (2004, 2006), did not defend its title last fall, finishing second to Cave Creek Cactus Shadows.

The Foothills boys suffered a similar fate, finishing 14 shots behind Scottsdale Chaparral. But the Falcons tied their best-ever mark at the state tournament.

The highly inexperienced squads — with one senior between them in 2007 — witnessed their state crowns vanish in a mess of bogeys; all they could do was point to the 2008 season for comfort.

With all that experience, the time is now for both Foothills golf teams, which are among the early favorites to bring Southern Arizona another big-school state golf championship.

The top six boys golfers from last season return, highlighted by junior Billy Flower, who was one stroke off the individual lead entering the final day of the state tourney last November.

Flowers faded down the stretch and placed 10th. He will be flanked by fellow top-20 finishers Blake Coty and Christian Muscarello, and new teammate Andrew Gunn — named the most improved junior golfer in Arizona by Golf Digest over the summer.

"It's more intense competition every day at practice, because there is a group of young guys that are pushing all the guys that were part of what we had going last year," said Flower. "There are a bunch of strong players that have to keep getting better just to hold down their spots."

Championship pressure is nothing new to the Foothills girls.

But with so much emphasis placed on winning titles, the Falcons have slightly altered their approach to 2008.

Rather than focus solely on a championship, the Falcons are looking at breaking 600. A team score under the elusive 600 strokes would shatter the school's state tournament record.

"It's not like all of us are dwelling on just the championship," said sophomore Brittany McKee, an emerging No. 1 player. "The expectations are really high here because of what the other teams before us have done in state.

"But we are looking more at that number (600), because if we can do that, the championship will already be there."

The Falcons' lineup is loaded. Foothills returns four of its top five golfers from last season — including McKee, sisters Morgan and Erin McClure, and Laura Jabczenski.

Foothills coach Mark Polich said he likes the change in approach.

"None of the girls that are with us now had any previous state tournament experience when they got into it last year, and they relied on our top girl, Kate McHugh, to carry the load," said Polich. "It's different this year. Now, there are four interchangeable No. 1s. And no one is trying to singlehandedly guide us along. Everyone knows what to expect this time."