The Cathedral Catholic High School Boy's Lacrosse Team Does More Than Play Sports

For the Dons boys’ lacrosse team at Cathedral Catholic High School, there are just as many lessons to be learned off the field.

It starts from a brotherhood developed during 6:30 a.m. training two-to-three times a week—conditioning, lifting, and agility work—that extends to an off-season regimen. The boys get swim conditioning and even yoga instruction.

"The practice of yoga benefits the boys on levels deeper than just physical strength, flexibility and athleticism," says acclaimed author, coach and yogi Lex Ferrier, who leads the weekly class. "Athletes [need] to learn skills such as mindfulness, self-awareness and meditation techniques, which benefits their lives on and off the field."

Another life lesson learned by the Dons is giving back. Many volunteer with local service organizations, including Chelsea’s Light Foundation, Cathedral’s Campus Ministry program and Teen Volunteers in Action (among many others). They also give back by coaching youth lacrosse in their free time as well—whether it be at clinics, local recreational league teams or middle-school club teams. Seniors Landon Pinchin and Marcus Yandall have coached middle-school teams in Carmel Valley for the last two years; classmate Jack Pharies guided an under-15 club team all last summer and fall; junior Chase Winship provides private and group instruction for a number of young players each month.

At the start of the 2017 season, the team got involved with the Friends of Jacalyn Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers. Cathedral Catholic Boys’ Lacrosse is currently searching for an adoptee that can join the team and look forward to making a difference by inviting another family to become a Don.

2017 Senior Profiles

The 2017 Dons Lacrosse team is led by senior co-captains Mo Mirer, a midfielder committed to Notre Dame, and Nick Doyle, who will attend and play at the University of Maryland- Baltimore County this fall. Both players were key contributors to the Cathedral Catholic football team that won the California Division 1A State Championship in December, and both look forward to great educations and Division I lacrosse careers. Mirer maintains a 4.2 GPA and is a returning All-City League, All-American and Under Armour West All-Star selection. He leads the team in goals in the 2017 campaign and serves as offensive leader. Mirer also distinguished himself when he returned an interception for a touchdown in the football state championship game, giving the Dons a late lead. Nick Doyle holds a 3.2 GPA as a two-sport standout and is active in Links Achievers of San Diego and Jack and Jill of America. Doyle is the Dons’ defensive leader, the heartbeat of the team and plans to study communications at UMBC. 

Both the academics and the lacrosse program at CCHS are designed to prepare young people for college and beyond. The principles of fellowship, accountability, hard work, compassion and faith are the cornerstones of the growth formula.

Lacrosse is known as "the fastest game on two feet" and dictates that 10 individuals work in concert toward a common objective, requiring all these principles to succeed. Eight senior Dons will join the ranks of NCAA athletes this fall:

Marcus Yandall- Elmhurst College (Lacrosse)

Liam Cavanaugh-Fernandez- University of Utah (Lacrosse) Reed Rezanka, Endicott College (Lacrosse)

Justin Gayken, Aurora University (Lacrosse)

Jack Pharies, Centre College (Lacrosse)

Nick Doyle, University of Maryland-Baltimore County (Lacrosse) Mo Mirer, Notre Dame (Lacrosse)

Jordan Genmark-Heath, Notre Dame (Football)

A number of underclassmen have also received recruiting interest or offers and have been selected for numerous all-star events. Sophomore players Eddie Shannon, Alex Fairman and Oliver Mirer played for the Under Armour West All-Star team last summer, and the younger Mirer recently verbally committed to attend and play for the University of Michigan. New to the program this year, but already a varsity contributor, freshman Christian Evans also recently verbally committed to the University of Denver as part of the recruiting class of 2020.

Perhaps the real hero of the 2017 Dons Lacrosse program is a junior named Garrett Lombardi. He was diagnosed at three years old with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, a hip disorder that has led to six surgeries, the latest coming in December of his freshman year, and has bound him to a wheelchair at four different points in his life. He fought through his rehabilitation and enjoyed two years as a successful starting attackman on the Dons junior varsity team.

As his junior year approached, Lombardi realized that there were no returning varsity goalies in the program and seemingly no one volunteering to step up... so he did. He immediately started training, which for a goalie means having hard rubber balls regularly hit you at speeds of up to 95-100 mph, not to mention learning how to handle a new type of stick. His tireless efforts have paid off, as he earned the starting goalie spot and has been an anchor in the cage all season. His story personifies the selflessness, unity and brotherhood that the program preaches, and his sacrifices for his team truly epitomize the Spirit of the Don.

With an unmatched campus facility and a culture of academic and athletic achievement, the school plays a large role in shaping the standards and enabling its students through countless sports, clubs and other extracurricular activities in addition to an ever- expanding list of academic programs and classes. 

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