He said he was not a lifetime Panthers fan, and had not watched a high school football game before playing in one.

Babb said he met Scott in eighth grade at a feeder school football camp and originally thought he was athletic but not very big.

Scott fit in with his undersized but skilled classmates. Linebacker Alaa Barakat leads the Panthers in tackles the last two seasons and is 5-8, 170. Defensive end Gabriel Ocampo is 6-0, 205 pounds, but is tied for fourth in the state with 13 sacks.

“Coach says if you can play and help us win on Fridays you will play no matter the size,” Scott said.

Babb said he saw a change before Scott’s junior season, He became perhaps the Panthers’ strongest players, pound for pound.

“He’s more confident and much stronger. The weight room changed his physical and mental make up,” Babb stated.

Scott and junior quarterback Kyle Samford were not called upon much early in 2018. Then star tailbacks Juwaun Price and Malachi Potee were injured before a crucial region game at Desert Edge.

Suddenly, the Panthers had to pass. Scott finished with seven catches for 201 yards that game, after entering it with five catches for 138 yards in the previous four games.

“We always had a chem-istry. He’s been my quarterback since freshman year so we always had that connection. The Desert Edge game I told him just throw it far as you can and let me go get it. And we get better every day at practice. He tells me what I should on some routes so I can get open faster,” Scott stated.

Babb said the duo’s success feeds off one another, and that the other receiver and run game also help them do their jobs so well.

This season, the Panthers played three full games without sophomore Cameron Mack, their top running back. That meant more work for safety/tailback Micho Cordero and a more extended time in the spotlight for Samford and Scott.

Scott caught 17 passes for 574 yards, carrying the offense during that stretch. His play helped seal a one-point win at San Tan Poston Butte.