Cardinal Newman boys lacrosse wins program's first district title

WEST PALM BEACH ― Cardinal Newman boys lacrosse left no doubt in winning the first district championship in program history on April 16. Top-seeded Newman defeated King's Academy, who was also making their first district final appearance, 17-4, in a game that featured the Crusaders leaping to an 8-1 lead by the end of the first quarter of action. The Crusaders struck first through Chase Lofurno, and the junior would continue to set the tone throughout the evening, pacing his team with six goals.

The championship victory propels Newman into regional play on a streak of four straight wins, allowing the Crusaders to await their opening round matchup with confidence and momentum. Newman finally healthy as they hit stride From Week 1 to now, it's felt like Cardinal Newman has fielded a different team nearly every week ― out of necessity, not by choice. Injuries have decimated the Crusaders all across the field, forcing the coaching staff to manipulate lineups and formations.

At one point, the team was down six starters, head coach Cam Bazin said, a testament to the next-man-up mindset the team has adopted. Many of those players have been key members of a talented team, but perhaps no one got the shorter end of the lacrosse stick this year than Gavin Chandler, who dealt with a concussion, back stitches, a sprained wrist, and more. "We overcame a lot of adversity this year," Chandler said.

"I know I went through some crazy stuff. It's not about me, it's about the team. We've got a lot of new guys who came here for exactly this and what's to come for the future, you know.