'It's always going to be close to me': Brophy DC Kevin Scott has special place in his heart for St. Mary's

When Phoenix Brophy Prep defensive coordinator Kevin Scott looks across the field Thursday night and sees those green and white uniforms, memories will rush back.

Memories of when he played for the Phoenix St. Mary's Knights, was an all-state defensive back, who helped them win back-to-back state championships in 1984 and '85.

St. Mary's and Brophy Prep battle Thursday night at 7 p.m., at Central High School in The Arizona Republic's high school football Game of the Week.

"Always," Scott said when asked if St. Mary's still holds a special place in his heart. "I got my start there as far as my football career goes. There are some stuff I learned there that I bring here, and I bring everywhere in life.

"It's always going to be close to me."

The Knights and Broncos are in two different places now than when Scott played high school football in the 1980s, when the rivalry between the two central Phoenix Catholic schools was intense and competitive.

Much has changed over the decades. They're no longer in the same region, let alone the same AIA conference. Brophy (0-2) has remained in 6A (the highest conference), while St. Mary's (1-0) now is in 4A, where it is ranked No.1 by The Republic.

St. Mary's through the years lost its grip in the rivalry. Then, after a succession of routs, the annual game vanished. After nine years, the rivalry returned last year with the help of Brophy coach Jason Jewell and St. Mary's coach Jose Lucero.

But it wasn't the kind of game St. Mary's was hoping for. It got trounced 49-0, showing the gap is still there.

Can that ever be closed?

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Scott played at St. Mary's during a time when the school campus was located in downtown Phoenix off of Third and Polks streets. The team would drive to practice at one of the city parks, either Eastlake or Coronado.

Those teams had strung together 26 wins. The players would rub the nose of a statue before the game at the St. Mary's Basilica just southeast of Van Buren and Second streets. They'd pray in the church.

Then, in the 1990s, St. Mary's moved its campus. The Arizona Center moved into where the Knights had roots. They went to uptown Phoenix, south of Thomas Road and Third Street.

"I think when they left downtown they left all that tradition down there," Scott said.

Urban sprawl didn't help. As subruban schools in the northeast, southeast, and northwest parts of the Valley took off in football, St. Mary's was experiencing a decline.

After Scott's high school playing days ended, he went on to play safety at Stanford and for four NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions. During that time, things changed in Phoenix. Brophy Prep put in a sports campus with a turf field and a state-of-the-art weight room. They now walk along a bridge over the canal to play home football games at Central High, a Phoenix Union High School District school located next store.

St. Mary's these days walks across the street from campus to practice at Monterrey Park.

"Evolution," Scott said.

Scott believes the facilities at Brophy helps.

"You need this type of facility for football," Scott said.

When Jewell was given the job a few years ago, and the community colleges were closing down football in Maricopa County, Scott left Glendale Community College to join Jewell's staff. Jewell was the offensive line coach at GCC.

While Lucero has helped build back pride in St. Mary's football, where he played, the rivalry is something that is special to all alum from St. Mary's and Brophy Prep.

The crowd last year was great. They're hoping a Thursday night game can attract another standing-room only crowd, generating a buzz that was around when Scott played in the rivalry.

"The rivalry is a little bit different," Scott said.

Scott now is wearing red, and he's trying to devise schemes to beat his former school.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brophy DC Scott still keeps special place in his heart for St. Mary's