Born leader: QB Navi Bruzon has Liberty on cusp of its greatest football season

Navi Bruzon got his name from his father, Ivan. Spell Ivan backwards, and that's what you've got. It's turned into all kinds of nicknames for the Peoria Liberty High School quarterback growing up.

One of them is Navi-gator.

It might be the most fitting, because that's what he's been on the football field his entire career, since leading a youth team that his father helped coach to a national championship. He knows how to navigate any defense thrown at him, escape chaos and find receivers quickly in the narrowest windows for touchdowns.

"I just wanted a unique name for him, something that stands out," Ivan Bruzon said.

Now, at 8-1, the only loss coming against national powerhouse Corona Centennial in California, a game that got away in the end, like those heartbreaking endings to the last three Liberty seasons in the Open semifinals, Navi Bruzon has a chance to stand out bigger than anyone.

The Lions are on the cusp of making this not just the greatest team in school history, but one of the best in Arizona high school history.

There has not been a single challenge in Arizona. Peoria Centennial (9-0) hopes to break through Friday night at Liberty in the final game before the start of the playoffs. This game is for the No. 1 spot in the Open playoff. And it is ranked as the top high school football game in the nation this week by MaxPreps.

The stage is huge, and Bruzon loves it that way.

"We have a big task with Centennial and after that we'll see what happens," Bruzon said.

Bruzon never gets too far ahead of anything. He remembers last season well, how all the hype was going to Liberty after a dominating win at Chandler Basha, and a national Top 25 ranking. The Lions were unbeaten and looking invincible before running into Scottsdale Saguaro in the Open semifinals. Like his freshman and sophomore seasons, when they lost to Chandler in agonizing fashion after feeling they had them beat in the semis, the Lions were stunned by quarterback Devon Dampier in a 43-42 loss, after building a 42-28 lead with 11 minutes to go.

Bruzon realizes Centennial's defense might be the greatest challenge the Liberty offense faces this season.

Going down the list of games since August, Liberty shocked Hamilton 56-20, Sandra Day O'Connor 49-14, Queen Creek 56-0, Sunrise Mountain 48-0, Pinnacle 57-19, Salpointe Catholic 49-0, Saguaro 31-3, and Chaparral 60-0. There were running clocks in all but the Saguaro game.

Bruzon, the Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year last season, has passed for 2,267 yards and 24 TDs with six interceptions, completing 71.8% of his passes (122 of 170). He has run for 561 yards and 14 TDs. He's done that while playing less than three quarters in almost all of the games, except, of course, the loss to Corona Centennial.

And yet, Bruzon can't seem to find any Division I college coaches interest in him. He's going the Brock Purdy recruiting route, hoping maybe if he can lead the Lions to their first Open state championship, someone will pursue him. He is 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, but he does things on the field that causes the casual fan to shake his head and wonder how he did it.

"He's just natural at it," said senior wide receiver Braylon Gardner, who has been on the receiving end of eight touchdowns. "He just keeps getting better. He's a very good leader on the team. Everybody follows him. He's so elusive and he knows how to throw it to the right spot."

Ivan said Navi's passion since he was a small kid was to play football. His father was the defensive coordinator of Team Voodoo, a youth team that won a national championship. That same team had Centennial quarterback Kainan Manna on it.

"He used to watch Barry Sanders and Peyton Manning videos before games when he was younger," Ivan Bruzon said. "He always said he would play in NFL. Obviously, it's his height (for the lack of recruiting interest). We all know what it is. But hopefully someone takes a chance on him in the future."

Bruzon isn't worried about that now. He's all about team, and "getting the ball into my playmakers' hands."

"It's Week 10," he said. "We take it one week at a time. End the season out on a good note."

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

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: QB Navi Bruzon has Liberty on cusp of its greatest football season