DELRAY BEACH — Cardinal Newman made the most of its opportunities Friday night, pulling away from Atlantic for a 28-7 victory at Eagle Stadium.
Atlantic won the opening coin toss and elected to receive, but the Eagles’ first possession ended with a three-and-out. Newman quickly took advantage.
The Crusaders drove down the field on their opening possession, with Janarro Sumpter finishing the drive with a touchdown to give Newman an early 7-0 lead.
Newman struck again on its next possession. Quarterback Pedro Martinez connected with Justin Barrera for a touchdown, extending the lead to 13-0. The touchdown added another storyline to the matchup, with Martinez and Barrera both returning to face their former team at Atlantic.
Atlantic appeared poised to answer later in the half after driving deep into Newman territory. But Cooper Clark came up with an interception for the Crusaders, ending the Eagles’ scoring threat.
Newman had one more opportunity before halftime, but its field-goal attempt sailed wide. The Crusaders entered halftime with a 13-0 advantage.
The second half featured plenty of penalties and physical play. Newman was backed up to third-and-30-plus at one point, but the Crusaders eventually found a way to extend their lead. After a sequence that included 10 combined penalties between the two teams and an ejection, Sumpter found the end zone again to make it 21-0.
Atlantic finally broke through when Nicholas Pouncey connected with Javarri Bradley for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 21-7 and giving the Eagles some life.
But Newman answered when it mattered most.
Late in the fourth quarter, Martinez found Barrera again, this time on an acrobatic grab that gave the Crusaders a 28-7 lead and put the game out of reach.
Sumpter’s two touchdowns, Martinez’s connection with Barrera and Clark’s interception highlighted a night in which Newman consistently made the big plays when Atlantic threatened.
Atlantic showed signs of life throughout the game, but the Eagles couldn’t convert their opportunities into points often enough. Newman, meanwhile, capitalized on its chances and left Delray Beach with a convincing 28-7 victory.
Final: Cardinal Newman 28, Atlantic 7
Come hear the initial reactions of the win from Barrera, Sumpter and Martinez in an exclusive interview with our very own Christian Proscia
Notable stats
– Janarro Sumpter, RB Cardinal Newman: 130 yards, 2 TD
– Pedro Martinez, QB Cardinal Newman: 245 yards, 2 TD
– Justin Barrera, WR Cardinal Newman: 7 catch, 90 yard 2 TD
