FFE Week 14 Player of the Week: Jaicere Bateman

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - It’s always best to go into a fight prepared. That’s something Heritage quarterback Jaicere Bateman takes seriously, especially before facing LCA in the regional finals

“Watched way more film that I have probably this whole year that week. When I got on the field, they show some different things I had to adjust to that quickly,” he remembers.

The adjustments worked. Bateman rushed for 105 yards, passed for 86, and had three touchdowns in the 22-17 win that sent LCA home for the year.

“We had to find a way to win. We lost there 14-6 the last time we were there, and I thought our kids did a tremendous job overcoming that and righting ship and figuring out a way to win,” adds Heritage head coach Brad Bradley.

Bateman came to Heritage as a junior after two years at E.C. Glass, where he has seen success playing the game he’s loved since he was four.

“My dad was a youth football coach. So, I used to always go to his football games and I can literally remember the time going to the first game. They were playing here at Heritage at the old school. I remember watching the game, I just fell in love with it,” he remembers. “I asked him could I play when I was four and he was hesitant to let me play in at first but he let me start playing and it’s been up since then.”

As his high school career winds down, Bateman says he’s grateful for his coaches and the young men by his sides.

“I feel like my teammates have my back through whatever. In the game, when I put my head down on things, I make turnovers and stuff like that, make some mistakes, they always pick me up on the sideline, I have my back through whatever.”

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