Catalina Foothills baseball coach J.J. Northam left the Falcons in August. Two months before practices begin, Foothills is without a coach.

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star 2005

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Opinion by Tyler Hansen: The winner is... High schools' best Pusch Ridge seniors treat their beat feet after another feat Weldon's intense focus leads to a big celebrationMiraculous comeback lifts Lancers Surprising Ironwood Ridge is 'prepared' for its opportunity to capture a state title Cienega overcomes ejections, late-game mistakes to advance Opinion by Tyler Hansen : Some fearless predictions as 2008 state titles go on the line Opinion by Tyler Hansen : Quiet Hawk makes noise with stick Fridley accepts advice, paces Eagles past Titans Foothills is No. 1 even without No. 1

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Within the last 16 months, three established coaches — all of them in their mid-30s — have stepped down as coach of the Catalina Foothills baseball team for various reasons.

It is perhaps the most illustrious baseball coaching position in town, but, based on recent history, no one seems to want to keep it badly enough.

The most recent resignation came from Trent Emenecker, who held the post for "about two weeks" before coming to the conclusion that it would not work out.

If you are scratching your head, you are not alone. Emenecker is also the varsity boys basketball coach, and the hoops and baseball seasons overlap by about a month.

Emenecker is a more-than-qualified basketball coach who even had success as a baseball coach in Rockford, Ill., and at Palo Verde Christian (now Pusch Ridge). But his track record was not enough of a selling point for himself — or the Foothills baseball parents.

"I wanted it, but it was best for my family, and probably the program, for me not to keep the job," Emenecker said Tuesday. "With all the time conflicts, there obviously would have been too many challenges.

"And I didn't have the kind of support from the parent base that I would have liked. I didn't want to make any enemies, especially if I was going to have to be away from my family to do it."

Emenecker was briefly tabbed as the replacement for J.J. Northam, who resigned Aug. 24 after one season as head coach following seven as a Falcons assistant. Foothills went 26-4 under Northam.

The man many of the team's players and parents want for the job is Jason Hisey, the one who started Foothills' dynasty and resigned in July 2005 to take an assistant coaching position at Pima College.

Hisey, who coached the USA Junior national team to a silver medal in September, guided the Falcons to the Class 4A state championship game three times and won 256 games in 11 years. He submitted an application to be rehired after Northam left but did not meet all the school district's requirements.

"From what I was told, one of the requirements I really fell short on was that they were looking for an on-campus coach," said Hisey, who works in commercial real estate.

"I'm extremely happy with what is going on at Pima, but I have such a love for the program at Foothills that I didn't want to see it go through a rough transition."

Around the time of Northam's resignation, Foothills athletic director Terry Lantz told the Star the school "wouldn't rush" the hiring process. But with little more than two months until the start of practice (Feb. 5), it seems now would be a good time to hurry.

Lantz could not be reached for comment for this story.

The players, though, continue to press on amid the distractions. They have been working rigorously with longtime strength coach Todd Judge.

"If you came and saw the kids, you couldn't tell that we've had three coaches in two years," said Kayvon Bahramzadeh, the Falcons' star junior pitcher. "I think there was a lot of tension for a while because we all want Hisey back. He's the best there is. That didn't work out, but we have to keep going."

Emenecker, one of the most likable figures in high school athletics, has moved on, too. His basketball team is 2-1 this season behind 23 points a game from senior guard Louis Lehman.

So what's next for Tucson's top 4A baseball dynasty? Do not be surprised if Jeff Fowler — a coach on the Foothills softball team for years who also worked some with Hisey's teams — is hired to be the fourth baseball coach since July 2005.

Colts' injury blues

The most interesting race of the boys hoops season has been somewhat tarnished.

Sierra Vista Buena, the reigning 5A Southern Region champion, likely will play the entire year without its best post players: 6-foot-7-inch senior Charles Mackin and 6-5 junior Enrique Martan.

Martan tore an ACL last month, and Mackin suffered a torn labrum in his hip. Buena might not have beaten out Tucson for the region title even with those two, but its chances are unavoidably hindered.

Colts coach Dave Glasgow is not trying to hide his concern, but he is not ready to concede an inch, either. He staunchly believes he has the best guard in Southern Arizona, junior Mike Grayson, a 20-points-per-night player who can handle the ball expertly. There is more.

"We have seven football players who have only been with the team for two weeks, so the way we see it is that we have more room for improvement than just about anybody," Glasgow said.

That's saying a lot: Buena is 3-0 heading into tonight's semifinal round of the Salpointe Tip-Off Classic.