Chaminade-Madonna Beats Cardinal Newman 20-7: 5 Takeaways From State Championship Rematch

A week after watching a 13-point second-half lead disappear against St. Thomas Aquinas, Chaminade-Madonna found itself in a familiar position Friday night.

This time, the Lions finished the job.

Chaminade-Madonna held Cardinal Newman scoreless in the second half of a 20-7 victory at Sam Budnyk Field in West Palm Beach, avenging last December's 17-14 loss to the Crusaders in the Florida Class 1A state championship game.

The victory improved Chaminade-Madonna to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in Class 2A District 7. It also came despite the Lions missing seven players, including two starting offensive linemen.

Quarterback Brady Quinn accounted for two first-quarter touchdowns, sophomore running back Nakia Lambright added another score, and the Lions' defense made two critical fourth-down stops after halftime.

Chaminade coach Dameon Jones wasn't particularly impressed with the aesthetics.

"It was an ugly win, but I'll take it," Jones said.

Here are five takeaways from Chaminade-Madonna's victory over Cardinal Newman.

1. Chaminade-Madonna Learned How to Protect a Lead

The similarities between Chaminade's past two games were difficult to miss.

Against St. Thomas Aquinas, the Lions led 20-7 in the third quarter before allowing 14 unanswered points in a 21-20 loss. They also had a potential winning field goal blocked in the final minutes.

Against Newman, Chaminade built a 20-7 halftime advantage and again needed its defense to preserve a 13-point lead.

The difference was the finish.

Cardinal Newman threatened twice in the second half, but Chaminade turned the Crusaders away on fourth down both times.

The Lions didn't score after halftime, but they didn't need to. Their defense made sure the early lead stood up.

For a team coming off a difficult loss, that was arguably the most important development of the night.

2. The Lions Found a Way to Win Without Seven Players

Chaminade entered the game missing seven players, including two starters on the offensive line.

Those absences could have created problems against a Cardinal Newman team that had allowed only seven points in each of its previous two games.

Instead, the Lions scored touchdowns on three first-half possessions.

Quinn opened the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run with 5:13 remaining in the first quarter. He followed with a touchdown pass of approximately 50 yards to Armani Strong less than three minutes later.

Newman blocked the extra point after Strong's touchdown, leaving Chaminade ahead 13-0.

Lambright added a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to extend the lead to 20-0.

Jones credited the players who stepped into larger roles, particularly along the offensive line.

"It was a next-man-up mentality this week," Jones said.

Chaminade's ability to establish an early lead despite the absences gave its defense a cushion that ultimately proved decisive.

3. Brady Quinn Continues to Drive the Offense

Quinn entered Friday coming off a strong individual performance against St. Thomas Aquinas, when he accounted for all three Chaminade touchdowns and produced 263 passing yards and 88 rushing yards.

He didn't need those kinds of numbers against Newman.

Instead, Quinn helped the Lions take control early, scoring on a short run before connecting with Strong for a long touchdown pass.

The two scores demonstrated the different ways Quinn can challenge a defense.

He can finish drives with his legs and stretch the field through the passing game, forcing opponents to account for both.

With two starting offensive linemen unavailable, Quinn's early production was particularly important.

Chaminade didn't add to its lead after halftime, but the quarterback had already helped create the margin its defense would protect.

4. Cardinal Newman Had Opportunities but Couldn't Finish

Newman entered the game having won two straight since its only previous loss, but the Crusaders struggled to finish drives against Chaminade.

A long punt return by Justin Barerra helped set up Newman's only touchdown late in the first half.

After taking possession at the Chaminade 43, the Crusaders moved inside the 10 on a screen pass to Janarro Sumpter. Quarterback Pedro Martinez completed the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 20-7 with 2:43 remaining before halftime.

Martinez created another opportunity in the third quarter.

After recovering a fumbled snap, he broke free for a 50-yard run on third down, putting Newman in position to cut further into the lead.

But Chaminade's defense held near the goal line.

On fourth down, Newman attempted a reverse to Barerra, who was stopped short with 2:09 remaining in the third quarter.

The Crusaders threatened again late in the fourth, using consecutive completions to move near the red zone.

Chaminade stopped three running plays, and a bobbled snap on fourth down ended the possession with 3:19 remaining.

Newman moved the ball well enough to create scoring chances. The inability to convert those opportunities ultimately kept the Crusaders from mounting a comeback.

5. Chaminade Got Its Revenge, but the District Win Matters More

Last December, Cardinal Newman defeated Chaminade-Madonna 17-14 to win the first football state championship in school history.

The loss ended Chaminade's streak of four consecutive state titles.

Friday's result doesn't erase that championship defeat, but it does give the Lions a victory over the program that ended their season.

More importantly, it strengthens Chaminade's position in the Class 2A District 7 race.

The Lions improved to 2-0 in district play and 5-2 overall, with their two losses coming against St. Thomas Aquinas and another opponent earlier in the season.

For Newman, the loss was a reminder that repeating last year's championship success will require more than the defensive performances that fueled its recent winning streak.

The Crusaders kept Chaminade scoreless for the final two quarters, but their offense couldn't capitalize.

For Chaminade, the victory showed that the Lions could overcome personnel losses, respond to adversity and finish a game when the offense stopped producing points.

Those qualities could prove important as the postseason approaches.

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