Phoenix Brophy Prep hosted Phoenix Pinnacle and Mesa Red Mountain on Thursday night in a football scrimmage with each team rotating 10 plays.

Here are a few takeaways:

Sharpening up

Pinnacle, which opens next week against Gilbert Perry, came out conservatively against Mesa Red Mountain’s defense with nationally top-ranked senior quarterback Spencer Rattler under center and handing the ball off on two straight dive plays.

On his first two passes, Rattler was nearly intercepted with a deep ball that was a tad under-thrown, then got picked off on a short pass over the middle.

Later, Rattler found his receiver in stride for a touchdown on a deep ball.

“Might have some mistakes, but a week before the season, we just have to sharpen up and just get loose, really,” Rattler said.

Rattler has some speedy guys on offense that will allow the Pioneers to be balanced. He predicts a big year from junior tailback Matt Goodlow, who is 6-feet-1, 190 pounds. Goodlow had a long scoring run before Rattler’s TD pass in the first 10 plays.

“I’d say we’ve got the best running back in the state with Matt Goodlow,” Rattler said.

Mr. Versatility

Phoenix Brophy Prep first-year coach Jon Kitna apparently is going to have his best athletes playing both ways. There could be as many as seven players going both ways.

That was the case for senior safety Marques White, who played some running back in the scrimmage. White’s a physical specimen who looks like he will add punch to the offense.

Kitna’s son, Jalen, a sophomore, started at quarterback. Even though Brophy wasn’t able to score against Pinnacle’s first-team defense in its first 10 plays, Jalen Kitna was effective getting the ball out quickly in a short passing game.

Brophy’s defense was strong against the run against Red Mountain its first time out.

Waiting game

Red Mountain could be one of the 6A’s more dangerous teams the second half of the season when running back/slot Deonce Elliott become eligible. He will sit out the first five games after transferring from Mesa Red Mountain.

Elliott scored on a run on Wednesday.

Marcus Brown, a transfer from Mesa Skyline, who will have his hardship appeal heard next week by the Arizona Interscholastic Association, also scored on a long run out of the Wildcat formation.

Brown adds a dimension that could remind Red Mountain coach Mike Peterson of former Lions standout Lance Lawson.

Defense might be Red Mountain’s strength.

READ MORE:

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.