By William Joseph Borders IV
THE ROUNDUP
This season, the Brophy football team faced some of the states toughest schedules and many injuries.
Despite a 5-12 record, Brophy clinched a playoff spot. Thanks in parts to a three game win streak to close out the regular season and the power points they racked up facing the top ranked opponents.
The broncos knocked off undefeated Westview in the opening round of the playoffs, but fell to desert ridge in the second round in the playoffs Nov. 15.
This year players stepped forward and took a hold of the leadership spots left by graduating three-year starters like Tyler Bruggman ’13 and Devon Allen ’13.
Walker Adams ’16 was one of the youngest players on the team and led the team in tackles with 122.
“I thought my individual effort was good, but more importantly I think it was our defense as a whole,” Adams said. “We all played very hard, and it was the excellent work by the defense and everyone doing their job that allowed me to do what I did.”
As Bruggman left, Brian Woodward ’14 stepped into the quarter back role up and threw for 1010 yards with a completion rating of 54 percent and throwing for almost 15 yards every throw.
“This group of seniors did a great job of leading and a great job of getting the juniors and sophomores involved and feeling like a whole team. I don’t know, it’s just being with each other each day you just grow great friends,” Woodward said.
On the rushing and receiving end of the ball Ryan Velez ’16 ran for 1155 yards averaging six yards per carry. He led the team in all purpose yards as he totaled 1768 yards as a sophomore.
“I feel like we came together as a team and a group. We certainly went forward, and progressed more than I thought we would,” Velez said.
When asked if he thought he stepped up as a leader, he responded with, “I think everyone on the team is a leader, we are all called to be leaders and we are all called to speak our mind to better help the team,” Velez said.
Team captain Will Edwards ’16 was the receiving leader with 337 yards. He was also one of the four captains on the team.
“We overcame a lot of injuries and had one of the toughest schedules in the state. It really prepared us for the playoffs, and I think we surprised a lot of people with our win over West View.
I think there’s only up from now, and I have complete faith in them that they are gonna reload and make a good run next year,” Edwards said when asked how the team will do in the future.
The team’s coach said key wins were important this season.
“We were going into the season a young inexperienced football team, we overcame a lot this year including injury and lack of experience. But we played well and we won some very important and we got into the playoffs,” said head coach Mr. Scooter Andrew Molander.
When asked how the sophmores played this year, Molander said, “they all played very well, the future looks good. We had a lot of guys that were younger that needed to come up and help us and they did.”
