Boca Raton’s men’s lacrosse team checked two very important boxes Wednesday night.
After losing to the Bulls in the regular season, the Bobcats achieved redemption with a 17-3 victory over West Boca Raton — and more importantly, they picked up district hardware in the process.
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Boca Raton had eight players score, tying its season high in goals and winning the district title.
Dylan Buffone scored 4 goals and James Marzan added 3 more.
Nathan Crow, Robert Frank, Finn Donnelly and Julio Kimberly each scored two goals to build regional momentum as the team awaits its first-round draft pick on Friday, April 17.
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The Boca Raton men’s lacrosse team takes a celebratory trophy photo after defeating West Boca Raton on April 15, 2026.
The last time the two teams met, West Boca Raton won 12-11.
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It was a different story this time, as Boca Raton dominated the scoreboard, leading 2-1 at the end of the first period before exploding for nine goals in the second period.
“We knew coming in here that our system was in place and our players were ready,” head coach James Booth said. “Today was about us. I told them in the locker room, ‘This isn’t an important game because it’s a district championship. It’s not an important game because it’s an important game. It’s an important game because we’re in it.’ That’s the mentality we have every time we play. It will always be like that.”
The Bobcats brought physicality on defense, a result of a “team culture” echoed in comments by defensive captain Isaac Clark. On offense, Boca Raton showed no mercy, forcing the game clock to start early in the fourth quarter.
Our defense has nailed that all season long and we know they’re our core,” Booth said. “Today was the culmination of the whole season. We finally unlocked it, and then we went after it. “
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After being evicted, the next man’s mentality paid off
Boca Raton’s Robert Frank (left) and James Mazin (right) celebrate a goal in the regional championship game on April 15, 2026.
Boca Raton’s Robert Frank looked unstoppable in the first half Wednesday, imitating baseball legend Derek Jeter’s jump shot and then firing a long-range fireball over the goalkeeper for his second goal.
A scuffle early in the third quarter ended his night, and both Frank and West Boca Raton’s Deacon Lindeman were sidelined for the remainder of the game.
“What we’re talking about in this game is discipline, and obviously we’ve got to work on that a little bit — especially me,” Frank said. “I definitely shouldn’t have run out. I should have just sat there and done nothing.”
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Fortunately for Boca Raton, this team is far from a one-man show.
When the St. John Paul II Academy transplant departed with an expulsion, others stepped in, with Buffon and Mazin the main goalscorers in a runaway victory.
Given the expulsion, Florida High School Athletic Association rules would have resulted in an automatic one-game suspension for Frank. In this case, that means the Boca Raton captain will be on the bench in the team’s first district game.
Despite that possibility, the Boca Raton coaching staff remains confident.
“We have a next-generation mentality here,” Booth said. “Obviously he’s a great player, a captain. So we saw something happen and he wanted to protect his players. He wanted to make sure we got out of this. We’re just going to talk to the referees about it. We’ll work it all out. So we’re optimistic and we believe he’s going to be back here for us. If he doesn’t come back, listen, this team is ready to go no matter what.”
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Bulls hope to reach regionals after program turnaround
West Boca Raton’s CJ Edwards looks for a pass during the district championship game on April 15, 2026.
Thomas Gramando, in his sixth year at the helm of West Boca Raton lacrosse, has led the Bulls to a top-100 ranking in the state for the first time and the best record of his tenure.
Despite Wednesday’s loss, West Boca still has a winning record at 12-4 for the first time since the Bulls went 6-5 in the 2021 season.
This year, the Bulls defeated Boca Raton, Park Vista (twice), King’s College and Pine – all teams ranked among the top 100 programs in the state of Florida.
“It’s just that they’re struggling and they want to be here,” Gramando said. “Last year’s team did that, and then this year’s team continued to do that, and it really made an impact on everybody’s game. We were able to have more depth, more bench, and it made a huge difference in everybody’s buy-in. They want that, they want to embrace it, they want to take the time to get better, understand the game, improve their skills and just overall get better.”
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Now, the team will turn its attention to Friday’s tryouts, a game that will determine the fate of the state’s lacrosse team.
Without a district title, West Boca hopes they have done well enough to earn a playoff berth in the district tournament, which will likely put them on the road against a formidable opponent.
“If we have a chance to pass, it’s a great experience for these kids to see that it’s possible,” Gramando said. “Building it is the biggest thing I can imagine and letting them go out and have fun. Like, there’s nothing to lose. So just play.”
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can contact him at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared in The Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton boys lacrosse beats West Boca for district title
