WEST PALM BEACH – Jalen Jeter has got the juice, the stamina, and the swagger.
All three traits were on display when it mattered most in last week’s tight matchup with Palm Beach Lakes. It turned out to be a back-and-forth affair that had a thrilling finish for a 27-26 win in favor of Forest Hill.
Jeter scored the game-winner late in he fourth quarter on a blistering 26-yard run to the end zone. He did it by taking a direct snap and immediately making several Palm Beach Lakes defenders miss as he spun his way out of a jam in the process.
Jeter finished his team’s season-opener with 321 total offensive yards (171 pass, 150 rush) and had a hand in three of the four Forest Hill scores in the game. The MVP of Week 1 runner-up and Week 1 Honorable Mention – Offense rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another one, while also tying for second on the team with seven tackles and one tackle for loss on defense.
The Falcons team leader made sure to leave his footprint on the game in more ways than one, which was necessary in his team’s close win over the Rams.
“They took our coaches away, they took half of our players away,” Jeter said. “I don’t think they wanted us to win. But we came through. We pulled it through.”
Jeter credited Falcons head coach Jude Blessington for getting him right on the conditioning front.
“It’s the things he did to prepare us before the season started,” Jeter said. “That’s all that matters. They think it’s when the season time. No, we do it ahead of time. I was just hungry, I couldn’t get tired. My team needed me, so I came through and we got the win.”
Jeter’s touchdown pass was to senior wide receiver Donovan Draper. This came in the second quarter, as Forest Hill (1-0) was able to keep Palm Beach Lakes (0-2) uncomfortable with a 1-point halftime lead at 14-13.
“This is what we expected,” Forest Hill coach Evan Williams said. “We’ll be seeing a whole lot more of that from him for the rest of the season.”
Next game for Jeter and No. 5 Forest Hill: Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. No. 7 Park Vista (2-0) at Wellington High School, 2:30 p.m. kickoff
