JUPITER – Baz Alfred prepared his Jupiter Christian team for battle in their season opener against Berean Christian.
In the Eagles 31-18 win yesterday afternoon (Sept. 11), it was a late first-half rally that provided a spark for the team.
Down 6-0 in the first quarter, running back Alex Rosario took it to the house with his end-zone effort at the 6:23 mark. An extra point gave his team a 7-6 lead.
Jupiter Christian (1-0) overcame two first-half touchdowns by Bulldogs rising star Bryce McDaniels, who scored on an interception return in the first quarter and on offense in the second quarter. McDaniels put the Eagles in a 12-7 hole with 8:35 left in the first half, but it was not enough.
Here’s how Jupiter Christian came back from its 12-7 deficit and never looked back:
•1:49 left in the second quarter – Jupiter Christian’s field goal cuts Berean Christian’s lead to 12-10
•31 seconds left in the second quarter – Brian LaFrance hauled in a catch and ran it to the end zone, and a successful extra point gave Jupiter Christian a 17-12 lead
•7:24 left in the third quarter – Jupiter Christian extends its lead to 24-12 after another catch-and-run score by LaFrance, followed by a successful extra point attempt
•2:24 left in the third quarter – senior wide receiver Jaylen Hixson finds his way to the end zone, and the Eagles converted on yet another successful extra point attempt to make the score 31-12
Jupiter Christian’s 31-12 was safe, even as McDaniels scored his third touchdown of the game at the 6:26 mark of the fourth frame. It proved to be the final score of the contest at 31-18.
“It was November [last year] that we got our first win,” Jupiter Christian coach Baz Alfred told Palm Beach Post reporter Reese Burlow after the game. “I’m excited, I’m almost in tears. Just the type of work they put in since last year and seeing what we overcame.”
Fun fact for Berean Christian (0-1): McDaniels, who is both a running back and middle linebacker, accounted for all of Berean Christian’s 18 points in his team’s season opener.
“We got to keep feeding him,” Berean Christian coach Mario Jackson told Furlow. “He’s giving us good production, so we got to keep feeding him.”
Next game for Jupiter Christian: Friday, Sept. 25 at Boca Raton Christian (7 p.m. kickoff)
Next game for Berean Christian: Friday, Sept. 25 at Glades Day (7 p.m. kickoff)
NIGHT RECAPS
KING’S ACADEMY 33, LEMON BAY 27: No fans or media were allowed at King’s Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the program’s social media team kept everyone informed of all the action that took place in its season opener last night.
Junior running back Dominick Ratty scored two touchdowns, one of which was an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at the 11:30 mark of the third quarter. Ratty’s special teams score, plus an extra point made by senior kicker Bernie Cueto, gave King’s Academy (1-0) a 26-6 lead.
Lions sophomore quarterback Will Prichard threw two touchdown passes to Preston Martin, one of which was for 40+ yards at the 6:55 mark of the fourth quarter. At that point, Cueto’s extra point gave the home team a 33-14 lead.
King’s Academy withstood a furious late rally from Lemon Bay (0-1), which scored twice in the final minutes of the game.
The Mantarays cut the Lions lead to 33-27 with 4:01 left, but they never got the ball back again. This was enough to seal the victory for head coach Keith Allen and his team.
Next game for King’s Academy: Friday, Sept. 18 at Glades Day (7 p.m. kickoff)
CALVARY CHRISTIAN 19, CARDINAL NEWNAN 0: The Crusaders (0-1) failed to reach the end zone in their 19-point loss on the road.
Next game for Cardinal Newman: Thursday, Sept. 17 vs. Benjamin at home (6:30 p.m. kickoff)
BISHOP VEROT 19, AMERICAN HERITAGE (DELRAY BEACH) 0: It was a night that did not go the Stallions way, as they got close to the end zone a few times but could not punch it in.
Down 10-0 in the second half, the Stallions (0-1) hauled in an interception on defense to potentially start a comeback attempt. But the possible rally ended quickly, as the Vikings (1-0) scored on a safety to make it 12-0.
The Stallions allowed another score later in the second half, which sealed their 19-point home loss.
Next game for American Heritage (Delray Beach): Thursday, Sept. 17 at Calvary Christian (7 p.m. kickoff)
SEASON OPENERS IN WEEK 2: Benjamin, Boca Raton Christian, Glades Day, and St. John Paul II
PHOTO CREDITS: Remington Young and The King’s Academy
STORY CREDITS: Reese Furlow and Alex Peterman
