Cumberland’s JV Jr Clippers wasted no time making their presence felt in Sunday’s playoff matchup with Johnston, taking the opening kickoff to the house for an early advantage. A strong first half included a forced fumble and recovery, another touchdown on the ground and a 14–14 tie in the second quarter.
Johnston pulled ahead before halftime and went on to win. As injuries accumulated, the physical game took its toll on a Cumberland roster already limited in numbers. The Jr Clippers were unable to add to their 14 points, but that competitive first half showed how far this group had come since the teams’ earlier meeting.
There were encouraging signs down the stretch, including a 19–0 homecoming win over Tri-Town. The offensive line opened running lanes, defensive pursuit turned into takeaways, and a capable kicking unit gave Cumberland another way to put points on the board. Those contributions came from across the team, with different parts of the game coming together as the season progressed.
This group battled all fall. They finish with a solid core of young players, valuable experience and plenty to carry into next season. There is a lot more football ahead for these Jr Clippers.