The fall football season is in full swing, and spirits are high as the Broncos head into the last half of their school matchups, all with one goal in mind: qualifying for the State Championship and adding another trophy to Brophy’s extensive cabinet.
Head Coach Mr. Jason Jewell returns to lead the Broncos, and he offered a few words about what direction he plans to take the team and some players within his squad that have risen to the occasion to be leaders.
“We want to build off of last season and do better this year,” Mr. Jewell said. “We aren’t going to be doing anything differently, just improving from what we already have started. As far as guys that have become leaders, the two that come to mind are Anderson Kopp and Cree Thomas, who just got voted captains by the team.”
Kopp, who plays tackle and center for the Broncos, and Thomas, cornerback and free safety for the team, are both seniors. The two upperclassmen have assumed a decisive role in leading the squad to a potential State Championship win.
The Broncos started the season strong with five straight wins, beating Williams Field 35-28, Regis Jesuit 44-0, Centennial 28-14, Perry 24-20, and Notre Dame Prep 40-0. Unfortunately, the team’s unbeaten streak was cut short, with a hard-fought loss to #1 ranked Basha 35-32, but the Broncos won back some confidence with a strong 51-10 win against Desert Vista. Brophy is set to encounter some more fierce competitors down the road, facing off against Corona del Sol on October 24th and Salpointe Catholic on November 8th.
Arizona’s Family Sports cast the spotlight on the Brophy football team with their all-new, weekly documentary series on the Broncos, “Unfinished Business.” The show highlights Brophy’s academics and athletics and is streaming throughout the regular season at 9 p.m. on Fridays and noon on Saturdays.
Brophy’s collection of standout players has also attracted much regional and national attention within the last year. These exceptional athletes with familial ties to NFL stardom have a mountain of pressure upon them as they roll past the first few games of the season.
Daylen Sharper ’26, son of former pro defensive back Darren Sharper, shared about his junior year and what he hopes to accomplish both personally and with the team this season.
“I like everything school-wise,” Sharper said. “I just want to keep getting better and growing with the team this season, because we want to win State. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Twin brothers Bastian and Case Vanden-Bosch ’26, sons of former pro defensive end Kyle Vanden-Bosch, expressed their content with school and desire to perform well during the season.
“Junior year is going great,” Bastian said. “Great start to the season, our defense is rolling, offense is rolling. Obviously I want to play well, but I want everyone to play well. The team comes first for me.”
“There’s always that struggle of balancing sports and school,” Case said, “but Brophy does a good job of supporting you and making sure you’re able to succeed. Our ultimate goal is to go to the open and win State, because I think we’re one of the best teams in Arizona. Personally, it’s about growing each day, being more involved in the community, with my team, and being a leader on the field.”
The Broncos have high expectations for the rest of the regular season, and everyone on the squad is intently focused on qualifying for State and winning it all on the big stage. “Team morale is high,” Mr. Jewell said, “though we gotta keep it rolling because our schedule is really tough. I’m optimistic for the rest of the season, though.”
