As week 2 of the 2021 high school football season concludes, the Pittsburg Pirates, led by head coach Victor Galli, beat the Valley Christian Warriors by a score of 42-20.
Khai Taylor (#7) helped lead the Pirates to victory with his playmaking abilities. Taylor is a 6'2", 170-pound junior who plays wide receiver and defensive back. He had a massive impact on the defense, finishing the night with six tackles, four pass deflections, and three interceptions.
Pittsburg's main focus was stopping Valley Christian's top wide receiver. Coach Galli noticed how much the offense was centered around him so he wanted to key in and not let him do too much damage. Taylor was matched up with him for most of the night and did a great job slowing him down.
In the first quarter, the Warriors did a fake punt to keep their drive alive. However, the Pittsburg defense cut the drive short with the help of Taylor's interception. Through his film study, he noticed that their offense liked to do a specific route in the red zone. Taylor recognized this route and jumped in front of the ball as it came towards him. This interception was Coach Galli's favorite one of the night because Taylor was in man coverage and read the route perfectly.
The Pittsburg Pirates love what Taylor brings to the team. Coach Galli appreciates his tremendous work ethic and says his speed and length make him stand out as a defensive back. Not only is he a student of the game, but he is also a phenomenal student in the classroom. Taylor is a true student-athlete, maintaining a 3.9 GPA while he balances football.
As the school of this week's recipient of the 49ers PREP High School Player of the Week presented by U.S. Bank, Pittsburg High School will receive a grant from the 49ers Foundation to put towards its football program.
Congratulations, Khai!
