By Ron Brocato

It has been 30 years since Brother Martin won a state baseball championship in the highest classification of schools. But the anticipation that the long wait is about to end reverberates through the Crusaders’ locker room and into the stands where their large following of fans and family await the big day.

And that day may come following a best-of-three series between the No. 1 ranked Crusaders and No. 2 Catholic High Bears for the Select Division I championship at Sulphur’s McMurry Park on May 14-16. Game No. 1 on Thursday is at 5:30 p.m. on Field 41.

Just a year ago, Catholic High defeated the Crusaders in two games for the title, 2-0 and 8-1. But Coach Jeff Lupo’s hard-hitting lineup has the ability and incentive to step up from a runner-up role to holding up the state championship trophy as Louisiana’s best Division I ballclub.

The Crusaders have all the tools in their box to do so. In winning a school record 35 of 40 games, including six over three playoff opponents, they have outscored their fallen foes, 46 runs to 3.

Catholic (35-5) has been almost equally dominant with playoff wins over St. Augustine, Holy Cross, and No. 3 John Curtis, all of which were 2-0 sweeps.

The difference between 2025 and the 2026 Bears? Lupo pointed out, “They don’t have the star power of last year’s team, but they are still very good and athletic. One of the things they try to do differently is that they don’t play for a big inning. They are happy to score one run per inning. They are also very good on the mound.”

Brother Martin, on the other hand, has a lineup that is hitting for a collective .341 average. The team’s No. 9 batter, Dominic Toten ‘27, is the team leader, with a lofty .403 batting average. And the rest of the lineup resembles a mini version of “Murderers’ Row.” In order are Brady McCluskey ‘27 (.339), Tyler Durand ‘27 (.330), Bronson Leaumont ‘26 (.381), Colton Elliott ‘28 (.389), Brody Shannon ‘27 (.343), Dominick Jabbia ‘28 (.321), Luke Gab ‘27 (.299), Kamber Keller ‘28 (.311), and Dominic Toten ‘27 (.403). And most are underclassmen.

The batting order has been intact for almost all of the season, and Lupo sees no reason to juggle the order. “These guys feel comfortable with where they are,” Lupo said.

And like all superstitious coaches, he doesn’t want to change what’s working to make arbitrary changes for the sake of change. More so, the team is working like a Swiss watch. And it starts with pitching.

“And pitching is our big plus. I don’t think we have a one, two, or three starting pitcher. We have 1A, 2A, and 3A starters. I say that because, on any other team in the state, all of them would be the No. 1 pitcher. So that's a luxury we have in Nolan Amato ‘27 as our No. 3A.”

As the season has progressed, the Crusaders have continued to play a solid, nearly free of mistakes game. Lupo points out, “In the six playoff games we played at Kirsch-Rooney, we’ve made one error, and that was a throwing error that allowed one unearned run to score. So, I think we’re playing our best baseball at the right time of the season.

“These kids have really been good at whatever we need to do to win,” Lupo continued. This season hasn’t been about their egos. It hasn’t been about who’s getting the credit. They have really embraced the idea that if Brother Martin wins, we all win. And that’s been the strength of the team all season.”

And Lupo wants that attitude and outlook to be the catalyst that brings home a third state championship trophy to join the hardware from 1984 and 1996 and also vindicate last year’s championship series losses to the 5-time champion Catholic Bears.