Cumberland went toe-to-toe with a fast, physical Newton North team Friday night. Newton came away with a 26–7 win.

Down 13–0, the Clippers put together a scoring drive that brought life back to the sideline and cut the deficit to 13–7. The offense was moving again on its next possession, and there was a sense that Cumberland was beginning to settle into the game.

The running game gave the Clippers plenty to work with. Jayden Rabbitt ran hard throughout the night, finding positive yardage against an athletic defense. Manny Reyes was back on the field as well, and Cumberland’s work up front helped keep the ground game productive.

Both teams had possessions complicated by penalties, and turnovers interrupted Cumberland’s rhythm. Newton was more successful at recovering from its setbacks and keeping drives alive. The Clippers continued finding good plays, but connecting enough of them to finish possessions proved difficult.

Newton’s athletic linebackers deserve credit for their work underneath. They covered the short routes well, closed quickly toward the flats, and made plays on the ball. Their range was part of what made this a demanding matchup.

Brady Smith wore No. 24 in memory of former Clipper David Benskin IV, who passed away in 2017. The program selects a player to wear the jersey each game, keeping Benskin’s memory part of the team.

After early interceptions, Smith regained his rhythm and continued delivering strong throws through a physical night. Nathan Goodrich, Tyler Hutchinson, Ethan Delgado-Rolland, and Rabbitt all contributed receptions as Cumberland moved the ball in the second half. The points did not follow, but Smith and his offense kept working their way downfield.

Smith’s deep attempt on third-and-2 in the second half nearly produced a big play before falling incomplete. It was a reminder of the downfield connections that helped spark Cumberland against Barrington.

Delgado-Rolland had a strong night, including an effort after the catch that kept a second-half drive moving. With the play bottled up, he worked through contact, reversed field, and found positive yardage where a substantial loss had looked possible. It was the kind of individual effort that gave the offense another chance.

On the other side of the ball, Cumberland’s defensive front generated pressure throughout the game. The line disrupted passing plays and got a hand into a throwing lane for a batted pass, making Newton work for its opportunities. The visitors answered with some difficult catches, using their size and athleticism to come down with well-placed throws.

Izik Supple was regularly around the ball, delivering several big hits and making his presence felt across the field. He kept showing up in the action, part of a defensive effort that continued producing stops even as Newton built its lead.

A significant swing came early in the third quarter. With Newton ahead 16–7 and facing third-and-long, a penalty extended the possession. On the next play, a pass over the middle became a touchdown when the receiver broke through tackle attempts and pulled away. The extra point made it 23–7.

Cumberland later held Newton to a field goal after stopping a third-down run for a loss near the goal line. Hutchinson then supplied a spark on special teams, returning the kickoff to approximately Newton’s 46-yard line with 1:17 left in the third quarter.

The Clippers worked into the red zone on the possession that followed, with Rabbitt’s running and Delgado-Rolland’s effort helping them along. A fourth-down incompletion ended the drive, but the defense responded by forcing a punt and putting the offense back on the field.

Cumberland’s final push reached Newton’s 17 before another fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Newton took over and ran out the clock.

The sideline stayed with the boys through the finish. On a night when the game kept asking Cumberland to respond, the Clippers were still running hard, pursuing the ball, and playing together on those final possessions.