JUPITER- When the primetime lights shine the brightest, you either rise to the occasion, or fold under the pressure. 

Last night’s regional semifinal between Boca Raton and Jupiter High was an offensive shootout for the ages! The quarterback duel between Jupiter QB Luke Douglas (‘24) and Boca QB Chance Routson (‘26) was as high tempo as advertised. Both gunslingers brought their A game, beautifully placing passes in the tightest of windows. All night, it was a spectacle of elite quarterback play that I have not seen all season.

Boca Raton opened the game with a bang, as Routson drops a beautiful pass (30+ yards in air) to his receiver, Damien Taylor, which he extends for a 93 yard touchdown. 

This play specifically stood out to me because, despite being backed up on his own 7, Routson was calm and composed in the pocket. After a quick two-step drop, the 6’3” QB casually flicks his wrist and hits Taylor in stride, which he takes to the promised land. This was a college level throw that Routson made at 16 years old. 

Boca found the endzone five more times, as Routson leads his team to a 48-41 victory. Chance Routson finished the game with 400+ total yards and 4 total touchdowns, solidifying himself as a top player in Palm Beach County. Routson also re-broke the school’s single game passing record, which he set earlier in the regular season.

Tonight’s game was special for Boca’s head coach, Alex Savakinas. This win extends the Bobcat’s storybook season to another week. In 2023, Savakinas took the reigns as Boca Raton’s head coach. During his rookie campaign, he led the Bobcats to a 6-4 regular season, Boca’s first district title since 2000, and Boca’s first playoff victory in decades.

Congratulations to the Boca Raton Bobcats for advancing to the Class 4M Region 3 Semifinals. The Bobcats will travel to Palm Beach Central for their next matchup. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 P.M.