Boca Raton boys lacrosse beats crosstown rival to win district title

Boca Raton's boys lacrosse squad checked off two very important boxes on Wednesday night.

Following a regular season loss to the Bulls, the Bobcats achieved redemption over West Boca Raton with a 17-3 victory ― and more importantly, they were awarded district hardware in the process.

Eight players recorded goals for Boca Raton, who matched their season-high goal output in the district championship win.

Dylan Buffone led the way with four goal scored, and James Marzan found the back of the net another three times.

Nathan Crow, Robert Frank, Finn Donnelly, and Julio Kimberly all added two goals apiece, setting the stage for regional momentum as the team awaits their opening-round selection on Friday, April 17.

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Boca Raton gets redemption in rematch from March

Boca Raton's boys lacrosse squad takes a celebratory trophy photo after defeating West Boca Raton on April 15, 2026.

The last time these two teams faced each other, it was West Boca Raton that earned the last laugh in a 12-11 win.

It was a very different story this time around, with Boca Raton dominating the scoreboard, nursing a 2-1 lead through the end of the first quarter before exploding for a nine-goal second quarter.

"We knew coming in here, our systems were in place, our guys were ready to go," head coach James Booth said. "It was about us today. I told them in the locker room, 'it's not a big game because it's a district championship. It's not a big game because it's a big match. It's a big game because we're playing in it.' And that's our mentality every time we play. It's going to stay like that."

The Bobcats brought physicality on defense, a result of the 'team culture' echoed in comments by defensive captain Isaac Clark. And on offense, Boca Raton was relentless, forcing a running clock early in the fourth quarter.

Our entire season, the defensive held it down, and we know that they are our core," Booth said. "Today was a culmination of the whole season. We finally just unlocked, and we went after it."

Next-man mentality pays off after ejection

Boca Raton's Robert Frank (left) and James Marzan (right) celebrate a goal scored during a district championship game on April 15, 2026.

Boca Raton's Robert Frank looked nigh unstoppable in Wednesday's first half, mimicking baseball legend Derek Jeter's jump-throw on one goal and then shooting a long-range fireball past the goalie for his second score.

A scuffle early in the third quarter would be the downfall of his night, sidelining Frank as well as West Boca Raton's Deacon Lindeman for the rest of the match.

"We came into this game talking about discipline, and clearly we've got to work on that a little bit ― especially me as well," Frank said. "I definitely shouldn't have ran out there. I should have just sat in place and not done anything."

Luckily for Boca Raton, this team is far from a one-man show.

When the St. John Paul II Academy transplant left via ejection, others stepped in, with Buffone and Marzan acting as primary goal-scorers in a runaway win.

With the ejection in mind, it's possible that Florida High School Athletic Association rules will automatically result in a one-game suspension for Frank. In this case, that would mean the Boca Raton captain would be on the bench for the team's opening regional game.

In spite of that possibility, the Boca Raton coaching staff remains confident.

"We have a next-man-up mentality here," Booth said. "Obviously he's a big-time player, a captain. So we see stuff happen and he wants to go protect his guys. He wants to make sure we're getting out of situations. And we're just going to talk to the referees about it. We'll get it all solved. And so we're optimistic and we believe he's going to be back here for us. And if he's not, listen, this team is ready to go no matter what."

Bulls hope for a shot at regionals after program turn-around

West Boca Raton's CJ Edwards looks to pass in attack during a district championship game on April 15, 2026.

In his sixth year at the helm of West Boca Raton lacrosse, Thomas Gramando has the Bulls firing on all cylinders, having captured their first top-100 ranking in the state as well as the best record of his tenure thus far.

Despite the loss on Wednesday, West Boca is still 12-4 with the first winning record since the Bulls finished 6-5 in the program's 2021 season.

This year, the Bulls have defeated Boca Raton, Park Vista (twice), King's Academy, and Pine ― all teams ranked in Florida's top 100 programs.

"It's just them grinding and them wanting to be here," Gramando said. "Last year's team built that, and then this year's team kept it going and it really made a difference in everybody's game. We were able to have more depth, more subs, and it makes a huge difference where everyone buys in. And they wanted that, they wanted to buy in, they wanted to take the time to get better and learn about the game, work on their craft, and be better overall."

Now, the team will turn their eyes to Friday's selection show, which will reveal the fates of the state's lacrosse teams.

In the absence of a district title, West Boca will hope they have done enough to earn an at-large playoff berth in the regional tournament, which would likely pit them against a strong opponent on the road.

"If we get a chance to get through, it's some great experience for these kids to see that it's possible," Gramando said. "Building that is the biggest thing that I can imagine, and just have them go out there and have fun. Like, nothing to lose. So just play."

Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton boys lacrosse defeats West Boca for district championship