Senior receiver Kyren Pettaway started playing football in third grade, and immediately he knew this was something he could be great at. “It always came naturally to me,” Pettaway said. Even though, Pettaway is no longer in third grade, he still makes the game look easy and especially in the past month he’s shown everyone how capable he is. In each of his last four games Pettaway has been able to score a touchdown, including against the (previously) number five ranked school in New England, Berkshire Academy. According to his quarterback, junior Captain Sam Capodice, his job is made a lot easier when Pettaway is on the field. “His speed and quickness makes it so no one can cover him,” Capodice said. “All I have to do is put the ball in his hands and he can do the rest.”
Additionally, according to Head Coach Jason Martinez, Pettaway simply has a great skill set. “He has the intangibles you can’t coach,” Coach Martinez said. He said that Pettaway’s combination of speed, quickness, elusiveness, and soft hands make it difficult for any opponent to guard him. Additionally, Pettaway’s terrific competitiveness and athletic ability makes him the great player that he is, according to junior lineman Stacy Beasley.
Pettaway also has a tremendous mentality about him, as he understands that being confident and believing in yourself is crucial in being successful. “I’m playing with a lot of confidence, and that’s helping me do what I do,” he said. Pettaway also realizes the importance of staying humble and realizing that even though he is one of the most talented players on the team, in the end it is still about the team rather than one individual. Pettaway mentioned how he was fine taking on a lesser role against Berkshire Academy as the running game was working. Pettaway is simply a tremendous player who understands that the first priority is always winning.
Pettaway is also an amazing leader of this football team. “He’s our inspirational player,” Coach Martinez said. Coach Martinez mentioned how due to Pettaway’s nose for the endzone, he is a constant source of energy for the team as he is always trying to incite the best play from his teammates. Pettaway doesn’t only lead in games though, as according to Coach Martinez Pettaway he is a leader by example as his astounding work ethic really pushes his teammates.
Despite recent success Pettaway continues to stay humble, as he even found it difficult to speak about himself in such a manner that seemed like bragging, rather he was more interested in speaking about the team and all of their recent accomplishments and goals, the biggest of which is winning a ring. Pettaway, like his teammates, has high hopes for this season as his main goal is to bring home a championship not only for himself, but for his teammates and the school. This speaks to who Pettaway is as a person, a guy who puts the team and their needs above his own personal agenda.
Even though Pettaway doesn’t like bragging, his teammates and coaches were more than willing to do it for him. “Ky is one of the best players to play for KO because he can score at any point,” Capodice said. Coach Martinez also mentioned how important he is to the team in all categories. “He’s influential on the field in all categories, whether it is on offense, the defensive side, or in the return game,” said Coach Martinez. This will be the last season for Pettaway at KO, but with his tremendous work ethic and skill set he is bound to achieve his goals of playing football in college.
