Ambassador Christian’s Preston Pruitt is The Observer’s football player of the week
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Preston Pruitt intercepted three passes, reviewed film and led defensive calls.
- His three interceptions, seven tackles and end-zone pick helped beat unbeaten Knoxville.
- Ambassador Christian holds a 4-1-1 record, cites cohesion and eyes Cardinal Gibbons.
Preston Pruitt said making an interception takes a little help.
“It’s not the kind of thing you really do on your own,” said Pruitt, a junior defensive back at Ambassador Christian School. “You need good communication with teammates.”
The communication between Pruitt and his teammates must have been very good last Friday night.
Pruitt picked off three passes, one of them in the end zone, and helped the Lions beat previously unbeaten Knoxville (TN) Grace Christian, 35-21.
For that — and for his pass breakup, seven tackles, and one tackle for loss — Pruitt has been voted by readers as The Charlotte Observer’s Football Player of the Week.
Pruitt said he did what any good defensive back does, before and during the game. He watched video of Grace Christian, learned his opponent’s tendencies, and then kept a close eye on the quarterback’s eyes during the game.
But, he said, he needed help.
“On a play like that, those of us on the defense are always communicating with one another, to make sure we’re doing the right things,” Pruitt said.
He said he didn’t have time to marvel at his exploits during the game.
“The focus always has to be on the next play,” he said. “It’s a matter of, ‘OK, do it again.’ ”
He likes defense
Pruitt said he enjoys being a defensive back.
His father, Gary McKinley, earned all-America honors at Dayton University, playing defensive back for a Flyers team that went 11-0 in 1996.
But Pruitt was a wide receiver when he started in flag football at age 5 and in tackle a few years later. But by the time he got to Cox Mill High as a freshman, he was playing defense. He played some outside linebacker but eventually made the switch to the secondary as a sophomore last year.
“I like the contact,” he said. “I like tackling.”
Pruitt said he moved to Ambassador Christian after hearing good things about the school.
“I knew some other guys who had gone there, and they were really happy,” he said. “My experience has been nothing short of amazing. I like the idea of faith being a part of everyday experience at the school. We have great teammates, and we all seem to be on the same page.”
Trusting each other
Pruitt said he is not surprised at the way Ambassador Christian has thrived in its first year of varsity football. The Lions take a 4-1-1 record into Friday’s home game against Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons. That game will be played at Johnson C. Smith University, with kickoff at 7 p.m.
“OK, maybe I’m a little surprised,” he acknowledged. “But we have a lot of talent, and it was obvious from the start that we were working together.
“Some of our players came from winning programs, some came from losing programs, but we all have the same goal and we work together. The level of trust we have for each other is really strong.”
Ambassador Christian has played a rugged schedule in its first season, but Pruitt said this week’s game is especially challenging.
“Our attitude is always that the next game is our biggest game,” he said. “But this game is a bit different. It can really help put us on the map. We’re looking forward to it.”
Previous winners
Week 1: Jad Aljakhbeer, Ardrey Kell
Week 2: Weston Michalak, Ambassador Christian
Week 3: Cam Johnson, Ambassador Christian
Week 4: Ben Dorsey, Charlotte Country Day
Week 5: Travis Hill, Independence