Charlie Benson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Chaparral High School for AZPreps365.com

After Chaparral had a heartbreaking four-stroke defeat at last year's Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) boys golf invitational, the Firebirds are seeking vengeance for the title at Silverado Golf Club on Wednesday.

The Firebirds are coming off a third-place finish against Division I teams Higley and Boulder Creek, but are entering the SUSD championship with confidence.

“Our team is built around each other, and everyone has their own strengths which will be helpful on the course,” Chaparral senior Noah Reese said.

The tournament's No. 3 third-ranked Firebirds are led by senior Hudson Ross, individually ranked second in the state.

Ross last played on Sep. 24 in a freedom match against Casteel and Seton Catholic Prep, in which he finished first and led Chaparral to a win by a single stroke.

Alongside Ross, sophomore Aleksei Panek, already a top 30 golfer in the state, is looking to make a name for himself before the Division I state championship that begin Nov. 6. Senior Jack Hart and juniors Trey Mayer and Cameron Summerhays are expected to fill out the rest of the field of five for the Firebirds.

Silverado Golf Club is Coronado’s home course, but Reese feels the team is strong enough and has the experience to finish the job this year.

“Silverado is a very straightforward course. If the team goes into the tournament thinking this, it could change how they play, but overall I believe that Chap will dominate,” Reese said.

Chaparral understands the significance of a district championship. 

When asked about taking a different approach for the tournament, Reese said, “it will be taken more seriously than a normal match." He added, "I think the main goal is to build confidence throughout all the players.”

The Scottsdale area schools have many of the state's best golfers, including Desert Mountain sophomore Connor Bringhurst (No. 6) and Saguaro junior Oliver Uribe (No. 11).