By Brent Ruffner
Mail | X: @AzNewsmedia

Hustle and grit looks to be a majority of the makeup for players on this year’s Notre Dame Preparatory varsity football team in Scottsdale, said Coach George Prelock.

Last year’s team was “injury-plagued” and this squad is a much younger group eager to learn under the guidance of its head coach. Prelock enters his ninth season as Notre Dame’s leader.

The team’s 2024-25 record was below .500 — 5-6 overall and 1-4 in the 5A Conference’s toughest region.

Prelock — who was hired as head coach in 2017 and led the Saints to 5A runner-up finishes that year and in 2018 — relied on an offense that included senior wideout Cooper Perry and first-year starting quarterback Dylan Rarden behind center. Both missed the first round playoff loss at Buckeye Verrado with injuries.

This year, the team looks to come back with a tough mentality, Prelock said.
“Our kids want to be pushed,” Prelock said. “They want to succeed.”

Perry’s younger brother, Gunnar, is the Saints’ second-leading returning tackle, behind fellow junior Mason Pavone.

Dynamic defensive end Nate Jones may be the jewel of that junior class, after racking up 71 total tackles and 13 sacks as a sophomore.

On Aug. 29, Notre Dame faces its first test in a matchup with Yuma Catholic at home. Its fellow — and smaller — Catholic school just moved up to 5A this year.

In the last few weeks, the team has been practicing and fine-tuning its strategy for the first game, Prelock said.

Improvement from last year’s squad is high on the team’s list of objectives.

“I think we just need to continue to get better and cut down on mistakes,” the Prelock said.

Senior Landon Stych said he and his teammates are pushing each other to do better and have developed some chemistry since June, he said.

Stych — who plays receiver and outside linebacker — said this year’s team should surprise doubters.

He listed 5A Northwest Valley Region foes Cactus Shadows, Horizon, Desert Mountain and Chaparral among the tough matchups for 2025.

“...People aren’t expecting us to be great,” Stych said. “I think we are going to be more than great.”

The region still looks like the toughest in 5A but is not quite as loaded as last season, with Open Division team Gilbert Higley and 5A top seed ALA-Gilbert North moving on. Chaparral is new, dropping down to 5A after a 2-8 season in 6A last fall.

In a short time, Notre Dame has developed a camaraderie, said Matt Friend, a senior who plays on special teams and receiver. As a team leader, Friend said he wants to push his teammates to be their best.

“We talk, we have a trust and a relationship with one another,” Friend said.
The head coach wants to get to the ultimate game and play for a 5A state championship by season’s end. But Prelock knows forward progress is a positive step.

“The goal is always to win the state championship,” Prelock said. “But it’s important to take it one game at a time.”

Brent Ruffner
Lead News Reporter | Phoenix

BRuffner@iniusa.org

Meet Brent

Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.

He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.

Community:  He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.

 Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.

Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball. 

Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.