They’re back in form, with an eye on a postseason run. This is the norm for Cathedral High School boys lacrosse – and it’s very much the theme for the 2024 season. The Irish are strong and showing their strength again. That’s making the ’24 season one of hope – with some statements mixed in. “There’s a lot of determination,” Irish boys lacrosse coach Andy Gruber said. The Irish, long one of the top high school boys lacrosse programs in Indiana and the Midwest, started the ’24 season with a strong 10-2 record with a 12-8 victory on April 19 over the state of Indiana’s preseason No. 1-ranked team – Hamilton Southeastern. “As is typical, we're a three-horse race between them [HSE], Carmel and us,” Gruber said. “We’re a much-improved team from last year. We've been playing really well.” The Irish, after an injury-plagued 2023 season in which they finished 6-13 against one of the state’s toughest schedules, were ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A Indiana High School Lacrosse Association rankings as of April 24. Their lone losses of the season to that point were to out-of-state programs – 13-10 to MICDS of Missouri and 13-5 to St. Xavier of Ohio. The Irish – Indiana state champions in 2005, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019 – through 12 games in 2024 had beaten multiple teams to which it lost last season. Those teams included Cincinnati Moeller (10-9), Zionsville (15-3) and Center Grove (19-3). “We have been able to redeem ourselves against some tough losses from last year,” Gruber said. “We had some uncharacteristic losses last year. Last year's team was a rebuilding year. We had a lot of youth on it. The guys being a year older are much more focused, more experienced, bigger, stronger, better. “As they say, ‘the rumors of our demise were greatly exaggerated,’ so to speak.” Gruber called the Center Grove victory “pretty indicative” of the season to date. “Center Grove beat us last year,” he said. “I think they thought that they had turned a corner above us. They were having a good season. I think we sent a message to everyone that that’s how we're going to approach the season. “Somewhat like [the] Purdue [men’s basketball team’s run to the NCAA Championship Game this past season]: ‘We're on a little bit of a redemption tour here and we're doing what it takes.’ ” The Irish in 2024 are a balanced team with a strong senior class and significant contributions from underclassmen. Leaders include: *Senior defender Joe Konesco, a three-year starter who will play collegiately at Quinnipiac University. “A great all-around player,” Gruber called Konesco. “He typically has been one of the best players on the field in every game we've played.” Konesco had 11 goals and an assist through 12 games. *Senior defender Campbell Reid, who will play collegiately at New Jersey Institute Technology. “He’s been strong for us,” Gruber said of Reid, who had 25 goals and eight assists through 12 games. *Senior attacker Jack Bedich, who had 13 goals and 16 assists through 12 games. *Senior attacker Ian Bonacuse, who had 24 goals and six assists through 12 games. *Junior captain/defender Jake Mayer, a three-year starter. *Sophomore attacker Gus Art, who led the Irish with 25 goals and 21 assists through 12 games. *Sophomore faceoff specialist Trigg Lee. “This team, it has a lot of different guys who can score on offense,” Gruber said. “It's a pretty evenly split team age-wise, amongst the four classes. We have a very unselfish offensive mentality. Then we have a very solid defense with some veterans back there on the defensive side.” Gruber called this year’s Irish a group of “great guys” focused on returning the program to its status with a strong postseason. “We're just doing a lot of small things well,” he said. “We just have to remain focused. It's going to be an interesting remainder of the season. We've had guys who've been with us for a while and they're incredibly humble. Last season we'll do that to you. “They're not thinking they are entitled to anything. They get along really well. They're focused. We probably haven’t had a team like this probably since 2019, who is so adapt, so coachable in which we are putting in certain game plans and they're able to execute them. “They're not thinking that they're better than what they're being told. That's always nice. It creates a good environment.”