WEST PALM BEACH ― Cardinal Newman's Janarro Sumpter was a man on a mission Friday night.
The senior running back tallied two rushing touchdowns and two interceptions, including a pick-six, in a 45-14 drubbing of John Carroll Catholic.
Charged by a 42-point first half, the Crusaders made no mistake about their lack of mercy in pursuit of a mercy-rule running clock, and their leader in the backfield played no small role in helping his team seal that fate.
"He's just a great football player," Cardinal Newman head coach Jack Daniels said. "You know, he can catch it. He's a hell of a physical tackler on defense, and he runs hard. He's got great strength, first of all. He's got great football IQ, and he's incredibly tough. He's the heart and soul of our
team."
Before the season started, The Post predicted that Janarro Sumpter would be one of the most dynamic players to watch — and the dominant runner has thrived on both sides of the ball so far this season.
Sumpter got some help Friday night from the return of Colt Houser, who hadn't played on the offensive line since the Kickoff Classic, but he otherwise had to contend with a John Carroll team content with loading the box.
Still, it was a quick night for the Newman star, who spent most of the second half cheering on his teammates from the sideline.
It was a well-deserved break after a 19-carry, 190 yard performance in last week's barn-burner victory over Cardinal Mooney.
Whether at home like Friday or across the state like last week, his No. 1 cheerleader is always on hand to watch.
"You know my mom (Erica Parker) is always at every game, so when she comes, I make sure I find her," Sumpter said. "When I find her, that's my spark. I go out there and do what I've got to do."
While his defensive prowess played an integral part in the Crusaders' Class 1A state title run last year, Sumpter's evolution within the Cardinal Newman offense did not happen overnight.
Playing second fiddle to Phoenix Donghia had its moments, and while the James Madison signee led the team in rushing, Sumpter also gashed opponents for 439 yards and five scores at 6.9 yards per carry.
Playing both sides of the ball, Sumpter had the opportunity to split reps with Donghia on offense while going against him on defense in 2025.
"I learned how to be a powerhouse running back from him," Sumpter said. "He taught me how to go downfield. He just taught me how to become better, be a better tackler, be a better running back, just be better in general."
Funny enough, neither Daniels nor Sumpter himself know which side of the ball they'd rather have him play if either had to choose.
"That's a really good question," Daniels said. "I don't have to answer that."
No, he doesn't. Heading into a matchup against West Boca Raton, the Crusaders will be glad to have him making an impact on both sides of the ball once again.
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Janarro Sumpter is the 'heart and soul' of Cardinal Newman this year
