Coming off a Shore Conference Championship, the Christian Brothers Academy lacrosse team is ready to return to the field and defend their title.

“In the offseason, we have done so much to prepare for the new season,” senior Hunter Kilpatrick said. “We’ve been conditioning and lifting multiple mornings per week to make sure we’re ready to go.”

Of course, the Colts will have a target on their backs as the reigning conference champion.

“This year we are looking to prove that last year was no mistake,” Kilpatrick said. “We know our worth and we know that we are one of the top teams in the state. Our captains have done a great job keeping us in shape as well as sticks in our hands.”

The season gets underway with a trip to Westfield on March 27, giving the team a test right off the bat. Local rivalry games against Rumson-Fair Haven and Manasquan are scheduled for later in April.

“We're looking forward to RFH and Manasquan,” Kilpatrick said. “I would say these two teams because whenever we play them it is always a crazy atmosphere and always a great game.”

The Colts were able to beat both RFH and Manasquan during their Shore Conference winning run in 2024. The title game against Manasquan was an all-time classic, as then-junior Davis Campbell provided the heroics.

Trailing by one with less than two minutes to play, Campbell scored after a mad scramble for the ball, knotting the contest up at 4-4. Then with just 12 seconds remaining, Campbell scored again to win the game.

“We have multiple key players returning who will be making a big impact for us this year,” Kilpatrick said. “I believe that we are ready to come out of the gates firing.”

Campbell is one of the standout returners, scoring 31 goals as a midfielder in 2024. Senior Quinn Kelly was a catalyst for the team last season, scoring 17 goals and 17 assists as a defender.

The Colts are looking for a second-straight Shore title, which they last accomplished in 2008 and 2009.