As the Woods Cross girls' basketball team traveled to meet Mountain View in the first round of last season's 4A state tournament, the bus was filled with nervous energy. Most of the fidgety Wildcats distracted themselves with small talk -- anything to keep their minds off the magnitude of the upcoming game.

But freshman Natalie Parsons was absorbed in the moment. Sitting near the front of the bus, Parsons' used a pair of ear phones to tune out all of the hubbub around her as her mind reeled through plays and possible game scenarios. She envisioned herself stepping onto the court to play in her first-ever high-school state tournament game and driving hard to the basket.

When she caught coach Craig Geis' eye, she simply gave him a nod of recognition and, when Geis waved Parsons in during the second quarter, she had been ready to go for hours.

"I just went in there and did my best," Parsons said. "I knew what I had to do -- step it up."

Over the past five years, it's an attitude that has infiltrated Woods Cross' program from top to bottom.

"The team loves to win. Everyone is always ready to go," said Jenny Paget, who transferred from Juan Diego to Woods Cross for her senior season. "It's something I've noticed from day one."

Following two consecutive two-win seasons in 2002 and 2003, Woods Cross has been on the rise. Following a 10-win season in 2004, the Wildcats made it back to the state tournament. They've only missed one postseason since.

Still, the Wildcats had yet to make the jump from a good team to a great one.

"Teams know we are scrappy, but we've always sort of been the underdog, " Parsons said. "No one has really expected us to be that good or to make a run."

Four consecutive first round losses have done little to change that perception. But given their 6-2 start, this may be the year the Wildcats turn the page on their first round inefficiency.

This year, Woods Cross' stock quickly rose as it opened the 2009-2010 season on a three-game win streak. Following a loss to 5A's Taylorsville, a win over top-ranked Mountain Crest was justification of the early recognition. Three days later, a 51-47 win over Mountain View was sweet revenge.

But the road to the top has been far from smooth.

The loss of post players Jami Mokofisi and Nikki Fernandes -- The Tribune's 2008-2009 girls' high school athlete of the year -- to graduation left gaping holes in the Wildcats' traditionally interior-minded game. Senior Kristin Stahle, expected to be a huge impact player this season, suffered an ankle sprain in the Wildcats' win over Provo on Dec.9.

Then, with an opportunity to make a statement against perennial state title contender Sky View on Dec. 16: another set back. Early in the game, Xojian Harry and Pina Auvaa collided, both suffering concussions. With Harry forced to the sideline, the Wildcats struggled to find their offensive rhythm and fell to the Bobcats 87-54 -- their most lopsided win of the season.

But amidst every setback, the Wildcats have responded. While the loss of Mokofisi and Fernandes is still palpable, Geis has found the same kind of ability and athleticism in Parsons and Emily Howey -- just "wrapped up in sophomore packages."

Junior point guard Aarika Anderson leads an offense from the outside to utilize the combination of Harry's gritty inside game with Parsons solid outside shot. Juan Diego transfer and senior Jenny Paget has filled in nicely for Stahle.

"We've been beat up," Paget said. "But it has taught us a lesson. We're not going to catch any breaks later in the season. I think that's the message coach was trying to send."

The Wildcats got the message. Now, Woods Cross must continue to learn to bear the blessing and the burden of a consistently successful program.

"The team has changed so dramatically. We've got people gunning for us now," Geis said. "But I just let it go because the team has to find its own identity. I let them tell me how it works."

So far, so good.