Brent Lush has an expansive role on the Canyon del Oro football team.
He is the starting center on the offensive line, a star linebacker, and a co-captain.
But forget about all the pancake blocks, tackles and leadership.
Most importantly, Lush is a weekly dinner host. More impressively, he is a carne asada grill master.
"One of our teammates last year (Steve Pope-Rolewski) started the tradition of having people over last year the night before a game, and then I took it over at my house this year," Lush said. "Now the whole team comes over, and we all have a good time."
Lush, a senior, leads CDO into Saturday's 4A-I state championship game against Scottsdale Saguaro. The game is at 1 p.m. at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
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Lush is the Dorados' top tackler with 97 this year and also wrestles and plays baseball for the school.
Win or lose Saturday, it is the last football game of Lush's high school career, and Friday night is the final time he and his teammates will gather for dinner.
With that in mind, Lush talked this week about everything he holds sacred about high school football.
● The feel of center stage: "For the last three years, I got to go out on Friday nights on the varsity team and play for my school, and I enjoyed every second of it. And the playoff atmosphere is the best. There is nothing like it. Every game is so important."
● Proving naysayers wrong: "Everyone says we are too small to keep winning all these games, but we thrive on that. We are the smaller team in just about every game we play, and we find ways to use it to our advantage. It's how we keep cranking out wins every week."
● Having family guidance: Lush's older brother, Ryan, was CDO's star quarterback during Brent's sophomore year. "I was the center, and he was the QB as a senior. I learned how to handle everything by watching him. He always kept his composure, and it taught me how to act."
● Carne asada = success: "It's always a lot of fun when everyone comes over to eat. We just grill up some food, sit in my backyard, joke around, maybe watch some football on TV. It's a good way to relax the night before a game. We've made a pretty good tradition out of it."
● Going out a winner: "I don't want to look back on this game and wish I had done something differently. It hits me hard sometimes that this could be the last football game I ever play, so I have to make it my best game. If we go out with a win, my high school career will be fulfilled."
Up next
• What: 4A-I state championship game: Canyon del Oro vs. Scottsdale Saguaro
• Where: University of Phoenix Stadium
• When: 1 p.m. Saturday
• TV: Cox Ch. 7
