The Jedburgh side, hoping to pick up their sixth title, are now on 23 points after four rounds, two better off than eight-times winners Melrose’s tally of 21 and nine ahead of third-placed Selkirk’s 14, after seeing off the latter 22-10 in the final at Berwick Sevens on Sunday.
Kelso are fourth with 10 points, Berwick seventh with five and Peebles and Earlston joint eighth with three.
Jed-Forest beat Edinburgh Accies 45-14 and Berwick Bears 50-0 in their pool matches, then Berwick 35-5 in a semi-final to get to the final.
Selkirk beat Watsonians 22-10 and Gala 26-10 in their pool games, then Kelso 26-5 in the last four to book their spot in the final.
Hawick and Gala both went out at the group stage at Scremerston, the former losing 28-12 to Melrose and 26-12 to Kelso and the latter 22-14 to Watsonians as well as against Selkirk.
Jed-Forest captain Gregor Young was delighted to see his side pick up their eighth win at Berwick – three more than Edinburgh’s Watsonians, the second most successful side in the 39-year history of the event – telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “It’s a tournament we love coming down to and we always put in a good performance here, and again we did that today. It’s been a good day.
“It’s good to be sitting up there at the top of the table. We didn’t get off to the best of starts, but we’ve put a real focus on sevens and we want to win Kings this year.”
The sevens season now heads west, with its fifth round taking place at Langholm in Dumfries and Galloway this Saturday from 2pm.
A dozen teams will be taking part, split into four pools of three.
Jed-Forest are up against the hosts and invitational charity side Hearts and Balls, Hawick against Kelso and Berwick, Selkirk versus Edinburgh Accies and Hamilton Bulls and Melrose against Watsonians and a team calling themselves Squad 150.
Four more rounds follow after that, all on Saturdays – at Kelso on April 30, Earlston on May 1, Selkirk on May 7 and Jed-Forest on May 14.
Jed-Forest beat Edinburgh Accies 45-14 and Berwick Bears 50-0 in their pool matches, then Berwick 35-5 in a semi-final to get to the final.
5. Berwick 7s
Jed-Forest captain Gregor Young playing against Selkirk at Berwick Sevens, supported by Finlay Scott and his brother Lewis Photo: Bill McBurnie
6. Berwick 7s
Duncan Hardie playing for Berwick Bears against Jed-Forest at his club's sevens on Sunday Photo: Bill McBurnie
7. Berwick 7s
Jed-Forest's Rory Marshall in action against Selkirk at Sunday's Berwick Sevens Photo: Bill McBurnie
8. Berwick 7s
Jed-Forest captain Gregor Young celebrating with Jed Jaguar Nathan Goodfellow after winning Berwick Sevens (Photo: Bill McBurnie) Photo: Bill McBurnie