5 storylines to follow in epic Liberty-Centennial high school football showdown

If you're looking for a game that might have an Open Division playoff feel this Friday, then head to Peoria for the showdown between Liberty and Centennial. We will be following our Arizona high school football Game of the Week.

Here are five storylines to get ready for:

1. Two of the best defenses featured

Liberty has taken over as the top team in Peoria but Centennial wants to re-establish itself as not only best in that area but the best in the state. Both teams feature great defenses with Liberty having the best it has ever seen. This will be a mammoth challenge for the offensive linemen on both teams, trying to keep out Liberty defensive lineman My'Keil Gardner and Centennial defensive ends Salehe Koonooka and Noah Carter, who have been sack machines.

2. Liberty's offense is well-Navi-gated

Junior quarterback Navi Bruzon might be the most underrated player in the state. He's had a Player of the Year season though Liberty's 8-0 season so far. It doesn't matter what kind of defense he faces, the left-handed, fleet-footed Bruzon finds ways to dissect it. He has completed 75.6% of his passes, throwing for 2,005 yards and 26 TDs with two interceptions. Centennial will be the best defense he has seen since the 35-7 win over now second-ranked Chandler Basha.

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3. Kavaughn Clark's comeback season

Maybe the best story on Centennial's 7-1 team has been senior running back Kavaughn Clark, who has been on a mission to be great after last season when he was hobbled by injuries throughout and was mourning the unexpected death of his mother. Centennial's offense starts with Clark, who has more than 1,000 yards rushing, including 230 last week against Glendale Mountain Ridge.

4. How the dynamics of the rivalry has changed

Are most of the top players in Peoria entering Liberty as freshmen? It seems that way. There's been a power shift under coach Colin Thomas, who has elevated Liberty's play since that 2019 championship in 6A under Mark Smith. Thomas was promoted to head coach and Liberty will be going to the Open Division state playoffs for a third straight year. Meanwhile, coach Richard Taylor is showing he still has what it takes to lead Centennial teams to state titles, and he's got his program battling back after last year's 3-8 anomaly.

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5. Liberty's quartet of receivers second to none in Arizona

Bruzon has been remarkable, but you won't find a better quartet of targets in Arizona than Pince Zombo, Jaqua Anderson, Braylon Gardner and Grant Brunelle. Zombo, who came in last year from El Mirage Dysart, has been a revelation with his 35 catches for 645 yards and eight TDs. Gardner, Anderson and Brunelle each have 22 catches and a combined 16 TDs. Pick your poison.

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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: 5 storylines to follow in epic Liberty-Centennial football showdown