NOTE: This football wrapup primarily covers the area from north Scottsdale west through Phoenix, the southwest and northwest Valley, northwest Arizona, northern Arizona and northeast Arizona, including Native American communities.

By Don Ketchum

Practice, practice, practice.

It’s not necessarily going to get you a victory on the football field every time, but the odds of success are far greater than simply going through the motions.

That is why Phoenix Brophy Prep has had one of the most successful big-school programs in the state over the last decade.

Through repetition comes precision, and it shows for the Broncos.

They are not as big as some teams and might not have as many skill players as other high-profile teams, but a bit of E=mc squared goes a long way.

After giving up an early touchdown to host Phoenix Mountain Pointe, the Broncos awakened and were methodical the rest of the way, rolling to a 31-14 victory in Division I Section III play on Friday night (Sept. 30).

As usual, Brophy’s offensive line, certainly not the biggest around, blocked with crisp efficiency, opening the holes for running back D’Amani Grayer, who had 172 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown. Brophy (6-0) scored all of its points in the first half.

Grayer, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound junior, isn’t going to bowl you over with brute strength, but he does have some nifty cutbacks that allow him to break free for extra yardage.

Junior quarterback Tyler Bruggman, out most of the 2010 season with an injury, has returned to provide solid leadership and is developing into one of the top men at his position in the state.

He has some fleet, sure-handed passing targets in junior Devon Allen and senior Frederick Gammage, the latter of whom caught three scoring passes against Mountain Pointe.

The defense is pretty much a non-name group, but swarms to the ball and rarely gives up the big play. A lot of that is due to the focus and intensity of coordinator Gary Galante.

It will be interesting to see how the Broncos fare over the final few weeks of the season as the stakes are raised.

Other observations from Week 6 . . .

*We must first look at Week 7, and issue a reminder that the schedule is divided pretty much in half on Thursday (Oct. 5) and Friday (Oct. 6) due to religious observations . . .

*Phoenix Northwest Christian’s Casey Jahn moved closer to the state’s career rushing record with 334 yards and six touchdowns in a 41-10 victory over Phoenix Christian. Jahn needs 190 yards to pass former Tombstone player Dwayne Thomas, who at the end of his senior season in 2005 had 6,506 yards.

*Scottsdale Saguaro still is the Class of Division III, despite a last-second loss to Division I Phoenix Desert Vista. And the Sabercats’ D.J. Foster remains the state’s best all-around player.

*The Division IV title game could be a rematch between last year’s contestants for the Class 3A title, Show Low and Lakeside Blue Ridge, although Snowflake has forced its way into the conversation.

*More big wins for Phoenix Pinnacle (35-10 over Mesa Mountain View) and Glendale Deer Valley (51-24 over Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain). Pretty soon, you won’t be able to call them dark horses.

*Congrats to Phoenix Moon Valley, which rallied for a 19-15 victory over Phoenix Sierra Linda on a night when the Moon Valley field was named in honor of late former coach Earl Putman.