PALM BEACH COUNTY – As we cross the halfway point of our regular season, there were a lot of good-to-great developments that took place over the weekend.
Here are some of the bullet points that stood out on the big stage:
•We have a clear No. 1 team in Palm Beach County
•A team overcame the losses of several players and coaches to topple last year’s No. 1
•A collective was a (gulp!) 24-point underdog and pulled off what was the biggest “upset” win to date
•Two teams are quietly making progress as they enter the stretch run
•Two teams make their Top 10 debuts, while two teams fall hard
•One team pulled off perhaps the greatest comeback effort of the season to date
Find out all the changes that are taking place in this week’s Top 10. You will see a skinny on each Top 10 team and more.
Let’s get right to it.
PALM BEACH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOP 10: WEEK 2
1. Glades Central (Belle Glade) (2-0) [Last week: 2]
By now, it is crystal clear that the Raiders are the best team in Palm Beach County. Two blowout wins in a row over seemingly decent teams (41-0 victory over Palm Beach Central in Week 1; 46-6 victory over Royal Palm Beach in Week 2) are enough to convince anyone in a four-game regular season.
Two players have stood out above the rest: QB Zo’Marion Harper (three touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown in Week 2) and DB Jacob Camacho (pick-six in Week 2; second one of the season).
Raiders head coach Rashad Jackson has full control of his team, and we love it in more ways than one.
2. Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) (2-0) [Last week: 3]
The turnaround mission is going fast, as Panthers head coach McKinley Rolle has engineered two straight “improbable” wins over decent teams (25-22 victory over Pahokee in Week 1; 28-18 victory over Palm Beach Gardens in Week 2).
Last week it was QB Tre’Von Taylor who made the Panthers win possible. This week it was DB Xavier Scott, who scored two touchdowns to make the difference in this one.
A 4-0 finish in the regular season is possible, with the next two games coming against Palm Beach Lakes (Week 3) and Suncoast (Week 4). No one should be surprised if it happens.
3. Atlantic (Delray Beach) (0–1) [Last week: 1]
Much credit goes to the Eagles for playing the area’s toughest regular season schedule. Despite a 33-10 loss to TRU Prep Academy, our former No. 1 team is the only one to have a game against a formidable opponent, one that went toe-to-toe with national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas earlier in the season.
Head coach T.J. Jackson has perhaps the most talented team in Palm Beach County from top to bottom. Atlantic’s 23-point loss to TRU Prep Academy does nothing to change that fact.
4. Pahokee (1-1) [Last week: 6]
The Blue Devils started off slow against the Wolverines by overcoming a 10-0 halftime deficit and forcing the county’s first double-overtime game this season. They prevailed in a 22-16 victory over Wellington on two plays by their seniors: an 8-yard touchdown run by RB Anthony Horne and a monster goal-line stop by CB Geoffrey McKelton.
Pahokee head coach D.J. Boldin is righting the ship as his team heads into Week 3 – a critical one as they will be in preparation mode for the new No. 1 team in Palm Beach County.
5. Forest Hill (West Palm Beach) (1-0) [Last week: Not Ranked]
The Falcons went toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with the Rams in Week 2. They landed the knockout punch in a 27-26 win over last year’s No. 1 team.
Two athletes stood out in this one due to their high level of endurance – Jalen Jeter and Dmitry Peters. They helped lead the team when it mattered the most, and their program did it without the head coach (Jude Blessington), a few other coaches, and a few key players.
In more ways than one, this was the most impressive way to battle back from a rough start due to health concerns.
6. Palm Beach Gardens (1-1) [Last week: 4]
Despite a 28-18 loss to the Panthers, the Gators showed plenty of fight from start to finish.
From LB Dom Presto’s pick-six to a goal-line interception caught by DB Jakobe Hines, it is evident that the Gators have a talented defense. And with the connection from QB Lynden Moss to WR Chris Presto, it is clear that their offense has a high level of potential.
This season is about getting the players some Hudl highlight film, and the Gators players are creating great footage for colleges to look at.
7. Park Vista (Lake Worth) (2-0) [Last week: 8]
Don’t look now if you don’t want to, but the Cobras are quietly making moves in their own way.
This has been a true team effort in more ways than one, as Park Vista used multiple key players on both sides of the ball in a 35-0 win over Seminole Ridge yesterday (Nov. 7).
QB Gio Thomas threw for a score and ran for another, while RB Markel King rushes for two scores and WR Courtney Carter found the end zone for his own breakthrough moment.
In two games played, the Cobras have combined to outscore their opponents, 60-7.
8. Boca Raton (2-0) [Last week: 9]
The Bobcats pulled out all of their starters in the third quarter of their 42-2 win over the Olympic Heights Lions.
DE and Louisville commit Ashton Gillotte had a great game in Week 2, as he recorded a sack and had multiple tackles on defense, while adding a touchdown on the offensive side of the ball.
In two games played, the Bobcats have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 62-9.
9. Royal Palm Beach (1-1) [Last week: 7]
Yes, the Wildcats suffered a 46-6 blowout loss to the Raiders last night (Nov. 7). But they are still in our Top 10 is because of who they played, which means a lot when it comes to their schedule strength.
Is it that Royal Palm Beach has regressed after two games played or is that Glades Central is just head and shoulders above everyone else in Palm Beach County?
We will go with the latter.
10. Jupiter (2-0) [Last week: Not Ranked]
Another win, another blowout: After taking down John I. Leonard in Week 1 to score a 50-14 victory, Jupiter took out Suncoast (last week’s No. 10 team) in Week 2’s 42-14 win.
The Warriors offense took over, as their rushing attacked amounted to the tune of 417 yards. RB Monte Brown had three rushing scores, while QB Bates, Max Pareto, and Ricky Williams added one each.
Jupiter has now outscored its two opponents by a combined score of 92-28.
Dropped from rankings: Former No. 5 Palm Beach Lakes (0-2), Former No. 10 Suncoast (1-1)
Close to 10: Boynton Beach (1-1), Palm Beach Central (0-1), Palm Beach Lakes (0-2), Suncoast (1-1), Wellington (0-2)
WEEK 3 PUBLIC SCHOOL GAMES: Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14