(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) BOUNCING BACK: Hun School junior striker Jelani Rooks chases down a ball in recent action. After struggling with problems on and off the field this fall, Rooks showed he is back in form last Saturday as he scored two goals to help Hun blank Blair 4-0. Rooks and Hun will look to keep rolling as the Raiders host Rutgers Prep on October 17 and play at Peddie on October 19 before starting play in the Mercer County Tournament on October 20.

With Rooks Regaining Form at Right Time, Hun Boys’ Soccer Poised for Tournaments

Bill Alden

It hasn’t been the easiest fall for Jelani Rooks.

Dealing with problems on and off the field, the junior striker for the Hun School boys’ soccer team has been a shadow of the player he was in 2006 when he emerged as a productive scorer for the raiders.

But last Saturday against visiting Blair, Rooks displayed the dashing form that made him a star as a sophomore.

The speedy, skilled Rooks made several dazzling runs up the field, putting the Blair defense on its heels.

Combining some grit with his pace, Rooks battled for a goal in each half to spark Hun to a 4-0 win over the Buccaneers as it improved to 9-3 on the season.

After the game, Rooks acknowledged that he was happy to be in the middle of the action.

“I’ve had a tough season,” said Rooks. “I’ve had academic problems; I was hurt. I’m just happy to be out here playing with the team at the end of the season. It’s the most important part of the season.”

With both of his goals Saturday coming on rebounds after his initial volleys, Rooks showed that he is ready to finish in crunch time.

“I just keep trying out there,” said Rooks. “One of our coaches, Paul Johnson, always tells me to keep running at people to put the defense under pressure and cross the ball.”

Rooks believes Hun can make a nice run in the upcoming Mercer County and state Prep A tournaments.

“We’re clicking at the right time,” asserted Rooks. “We had a tough loss to St. Benedict’s (2-1). It was a great game; they had an amazing goal to win it. We lost to Delbarton when they were the No. 2 team in the state. It was a good experience playing those teams; they were so tough. I think we are hitting our peak at the right time.”

Hun head coach Chris Kingston is hopping that Rooks is hitting his stride after his early struggles.

“Jelani is a dynamic player,” said Kingston. “He’s very skilled and quick; he did give us a big lift today. He has had a tough year so far with injuries and other issues. He’s getting there; this was a good step for him. He’s a huge part of this team.”

The return of star senior goalie David Putman from injury has been a huge addition for the Raiders.

“He has a tremendous calming influence on the team,” said Kingston. “He’s been a defender for most of his life so his feet are good. He has size, good hands and instincts. The guys have a lot of trust in him.”

Senior defender Thomas Nicholas has earned the trust of his teammates with his superb play in the back line.

“With Ryan Kreger injured, Thomas has been phenomenal,” added Kingston. “He’s so tough, he plays so hard, He has very good feet. He really holds the fort down back there and he’s getting better in picking his spots to go forward.”

In Kingston’s view, his team took a step forward in the win over Blair. “It’s a big game for us because its a league (Mid-Atlantic Prep League) game,” said Kingston.

“There are only five league games so every league game is huge. We have had trouble scoring goals against Blair in the past. I thought we were getting plenty of opportunities in the first half but I was concerned that they were getting too many opportunities. We were trying different formations. In the second half we went back to the 4-4-2 and we had a pretty good half.”

Kingston is hoping that the team can do better than pretty good as it competes in the county and prep tournaments.

“This is an exciting time of the year, we haven’t really accomplished anything,” said Kingston, whose team hosts Rutgers Prep on October 17 and plays at Peddie on October 19 before starting play in the county tournament on October 20.

“The next three weeks will tell the tale. It’s no so much about the results. The goal is to make it feel sweeter but it’s about the process. It’s been good so far. I think we’re getting there. We’re a good team and we’ll see how good a team we are. We’ve got to play our best at the right time.”

Rooks, for his part, is looking to use his savvy to help Hun be as good as it can be.

“I’m an experienced guy, I’ve been on the team for two years,” said Rooks.

“I want to help the other kids, we have some new freshmen. Our focus is working on our chemistry and talking to each other on the field.”

Having Rooks back at full speed should be a big help to Hun down the stretch.

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