Peyton Bittle, Carterville High School’s star Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, was an extremely integral part of a Carterville football team that made a deep playoff run. He had 39 receptions for 580 yards and 6 touchdowns on offense, and 43 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced Fumble and 1 defensive touchdown on the other side of the ball. We got a chance to talk with Bittle about this year’s football season.

Give us a reflection on your season, what did you do to prepare for your very strong Junior season?

Most of my summer was spent rehabbing my knee and in the weight room trying to get my body ready for the grind of a full season.

What was your favorite memory from this past season?

My favorite memory has to be the Du Quoin game. I fumbled on our first play of the game and it looked like it was going to cost us, but to have the opportunity to come back and score the game winning touchdown was pretty special.

What were your overall thoughts on our play as a team and how do you think we grew over the year?

This team clicked pretty well from the start and I think that’s why we were so successful.

What were some challenges you faced playing on a knee and thumb injury all season?

Some of the challenges were picking spots where I could get rest. That was hard for me because I always wanted to be on the field. But Coach Diel did a great job of getting me rest when he could which kept me healthy throughout the year.

What were some major growths you saw in yourself as a player this past season?

I feel like I grew into a much better receiver in terms of route running and finding ways to get yards after the catch

What was it like being a crucial player on a team that brought playoff football back to Carterville and what was that home game against Harrisburg like for you?

Carterville has a very rich football tradition so to bring some of that history back was a big deal. The home game was awesome, but now we need to make sure that we not only host week one, but again later on in the playoffs.

What are you looking forward to next season on the field and what do you think this team can accomplish?

I’m looking forward to seeing how we can elevate our game to a whole other level next season. This team is capable of a lot and I feel that we can do some things that have not been done in a long time as long as we work hard and stay together.