Peyton Pendergrass saw the Twitter post earlier this season. In the season-opener against Olathe East, the Hutchinson High senior delivered a powerful hit. It was so vicious that the tweet compared Pendergrass’ hit to something Ronnie Lott would have done. Pendergrass figured it was a compliment, but he admits now that he didn’t know who Ronnie Lott was at first. Thanks to the glories of the internet and YouTube, Pendergrass has been able to find out more about the hard-hitting Pro Football Hall of Famer, who, like Pendergrass, was a defensive back. “He was pretty crazy,” Pendergrass said with a laugh. That’s true. Lott once opted to have the top of his left pinky amputated, because surgery would have meant he would miss some games. Pendergrass isn’t quite that off the wall, but his reputation for hitting hard has rapidly grown this season. Against Derby, Pendergrass hit a receiver so hard that it was rated as the third hardest hit of the week nationwide by Maxpreps. “It feels really great when you get up and think, ‘Yeah, I did that,’” Pendergrass said. “It gets the whole team hyped, and it’s a big momentum builder.” Here’s the thing about Pendergrass’ hitting style. Although it’s tempting for most football players, he rarely uses his head as a weapon. Instead, Pendergrass will drop an unsuspecting opponent by jarring him with a shoulder. “It doesn’t seem safe to me. That’s not my style,” Pendergrass said about using his head as a means for tackling. “I always lead with my shoulder.” That kind of thinking and style of play comes from experience. Pendergrass has started on Hutchinson’s defense since his sophomore year, and his improvement in 2014 was rapid. In the Class 6A state semifinals, Pendergrass made one of the biggest plays of the game, snagging an early second-half interception in helping Hutch romp past Lawrence Free State 42-14. He was a cornerback then, and this season, Pendergrass has moved to safety. “He’s always been a good cover guy,” Hutchinson coach Ryan Cornelsen said. “That’s how he was able to get onto the field as a sophomore. He’s played against the best wide receivers for years, and now, he plays safety out of necessity.” Pendergrass is still capable of picking off passes, like he did against Newton, a fourth-quarter interception that was returned nearly 50 yards. That same game, Pendergrass had one of his patented pops. A Newton receiver was about to catch a pass, and as the ball arrived, Pendergrass hit him. The hit sounded like a firecracker exploding, and the ball fell for an incomplete pass. What’s the secret? How does Pendergrass deliver these jaw-dropping, bone-shaking hits regularly? “It’s a last-second thing,” Pendergrass said. “But if there’s a chance for a big hit, I’ll give one.” Ronnie Lott style.