When Clint Edwards intercepted his second pass of the half to clinch Jupiter's 23-14 win against Royal Palm Beach, he wanted to drop the ball and run across the field to celebrate.
But after Jupiter (1-4) dropped four close games to start the season, and with 43 seconds still on the clock in this one, Edwards knew better.
"I decided to take it slow and made sure I covered the ball to secure the win," he said.
The celebrating came next, as the Warriors won their first game after storming back from a 7-6 deficit in the third quarter to break out for 17 fourth quarter points.
"We could easily be undefeated. We've had a tough schedule," Jupiter coach Charlie Persson said. "We were so close in the other games that the kids needed to figure out that we could win."
Royal Palm led 7-3 after the first quarter following Tyler Kochlayn's 60-yard interception return and a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback T.J. Abrams.
Jupiter quarterback Tyler Cameron gave the Warriors their first lead of the game with a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but it was short lived after Abrams threw a 67-yard touchdown reception to Tremane McCullough on the next drive to give Royal Palm a 14-13 lead.
Jupiter quickly regained the lead after Cameron ran for a 26-yard touchdown on the next drive. The Warriors extended their lead with 2:41 in the fourth when David Aguirre nailed his third field goal of the game.
Abrams led the Wildcats down the field on the next drive, but Edwards secured the win with the interception.
Cameron did it all for Jupiter on offense, running for 152 yards and the two touchdowns, while passing for 92 yards.
"It was just a great effort by Tyler," Persson said.
Abrams had a game-high 110 yards passing and a touchdown, while adding 57 yards on the ground.
Royal Palm dropped to 0-4 on the season, but coach Frank Kunf is confident his young team is improving.
"We're hanging with opponents better than we were in the past," Kunf said. "It takes time."
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