Xavier Prep is intent on hogging the spotlight as the first round of the Division I state girls golf tournament illustrates.

The Gators Emily Mahar and Alisa Snyder shot 4-under par 68s on Monday to share the lead at the 2015 tourney contested at Aguila Golf Course in Laveen. Xavier is seeking its 17th consectuive team title and 33rd in school history. The Gators are also shooting at medalist honors for the the fifth straight year and ninth in the last 10.

Mahar's round was mostly about her final 10 holes. She triple-bogeyed No. 9 to make the turn at +2 -- not the way to head to the back nine. Mahar, a junior, regrouped quickly mentally with a six-under back nine to forge her portion of the lead. That began with an eagle at No. 10 and biridies at 15, 16 and 17. Snyder was the more consistent of the two, carding -2 on the front and back nines. Chaparral sophomore Kelly Su, runner-up last year, is third with at 71 (-1).

Mahar, Snyder and Su are used to being near the top of the leaderboard. Mahar finished in a tie for fourth at state last year, Snyder was third and Su was second. In fourth place at even par 72 is Salpointe sophomore Haylin Harris. Harris was the D-II state runner-up last year,  played at Maryvale Golf Course.

Rounding out the top 10 plus ties afte the first round are Millennium's Emily Smith, Hamilton's Hannah Li and Xavier's Mikayla Fitzpatrick at 73 (+1). Millennium's Guilia Scotton is alone in eighth at 75 (+3). The next four are at +4 -- Xavier's Lily Worden, Corona's Emma Lower, Pinnacle's Sara Padilla and Hamilton's Rachel Fujitani.

Xavier's well on its way to the team title. The Gators team total is 285 (-3) and leads runner-up Millennium (312) by 27 shots. Trying to track down Millennium for second place on Tuesday are Salpointe (318), Chaparral (330) and Hamilton (331). 

Tee times for Tuesday's final round begin at 7:30 a.m. with groups encompassing the leaders teeing off between 8:40 and 9:20.