OrangeandBlueNews.com - Prater is celebrated among the stars

November 7, 2009

Hillside, Ill.- It was a fitting location to finally be able to celebrate the success of the Proviso West football team along with Kyle Prater as the Rivals.com top ranked receiver in the nation received his official nomination to play in the US Army All American Bowl game on January 9th, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas.

You see, the setting for this announcement and celebration of Kyle Prater and the history making Proviso West football team couldn't of been held in a better location. The basketball gym at Proviso West has been the host over the past 49 yards of arguably the best holiday high school basketball tournament in the nation. Basketball legends such as Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguire, Glenn Doc Rivers, Kevin Garrnett, Derrick Rose, Juwan Howard, Michael Finley and many more have made their names and history in the Proviso West gym. Yet on Friday afternoon, another standout player was finally making his name on the hardwood floor at Proviso West while playing a few hundred yards out on the Panthers home football field.

Prater, who received his US Army All American Bowl bid on Friday afternoon was just hours away from seeing his 2009 senior season come to an abrupt end in the IHSA Class 8A state football playoffs was overwhelmed by the ceremony. And also being a part of Proviso West history.

"I just never thought something like this would happen to be honest," Prater said. "I'm blessed. We are blessed. This (US Army invite) is amazing, but to also be in the state playoffs and winning a state playoff game with a chance to win another one tonight? People said that you couldn't do things like we've done this year at Proviso West in football. Proviso West never even made the state playoffs in school history until this year. Again it's all been pretty amazing and I'm just very blessed these days."

When it comes down to his recruiting news these days, Prater is more of the silent type.

"The official visit to Illinois went well, but I just haven't been picking up my phone lately because all of my focus and my attention has been on my team. Once the season is over I'll be happy to talk more about my recruiting but for now I just don't have much to say. Once I do have something to say you'll here about it. It's all about my team these days and less and less about me."

Yet for one day in Hillside in a gym seeping with history and legends, football for once had a few hours to feel pretty special.

And that's historic.

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