Cumberland’s JV Jr Clippers brought plenty to the homecoming field Sunday. The defense chased down a dangerous scoring threat, the offensive line opened room for its runners, and the kicking game supplied seven points as Cumberland earned a 19–0 homecoming win over Tri-Town.
For a group that has kept fighting all season, there was a lot to like about how those points came together. The big runs had their place. So did the pursuit, the blocking and a field goal that made a long possession count.
The defense got to work early. A third-down sack with about 3:30 left in the opening quarter pushed Tri-Town into fourth-and-20 and forced a punt. Later, the visitors found a crease from deep in their own territory and threatened to turn one long run into a touchdown.
Connor Messier had other plans.
Closing from behind, he delivered a physical tackle and knocked the football loose. Cumberland recovered near its own 10-yard line, turning a scramble to protect the end zone into a fresh possession as the second quarter began. That is what staying with a play can do. The runner had open field, but Cumberland still had a chance to finish.
Then the offense gave that effort somewhere to go.
After an opening pickup of roughly 12 yards, the Jr Clippers used motion and a play fake out of shotgun to get the ball to Messier in space. He turned up the right sideline like he had been shot out of a cannon, covering ground before Tri-Town’s No. 99 tracked him down near the visitors’ 32. Credit the pursuit on the other side, too. That tackle kept a dangerous play from becoming something bigger.
Cumberland kept moving. The line was getting out in front and opening holes, allowing the backs to work through the middle and off tackle. Another chunk gain put the ball inside the 20. Shorter runs followed, with runners carrying contact forward and keeping the chains moving. By 5:54 in the second quarter, Cumberland had first-and-goal at the 7.
Cumberland opened the scoring with a field goal, turning a drive that began near its own goal line into a 3–0 lead. A penalty had pushed the Jr Clippers back, but the kicking unit gave them a way to finish the possession with points.
At the preteen JV level, kicking a field goal is a difficult skill to develop. These are young players still building their strength, timing and technique, and the snap, hold, protection and kick all have to come together. Many teams at this stage do not have that option. Cumberland does, giving the Jr Clippers a way to put three points on the board when a drive stalls within kicking range.
Having a capable kicker benefits the offense after touchdowns, too. At this level, a successful kicked conversion counts for two points, while running or passing it in earns one. Cumberland can go after two with its kicking unit, adding another point of separation after each successful attempt. Sunday, the opening field goal and two kicked conversions accounted for seven points.
That is a huge weapon to carry into the playoffs, when defenses tighten and winning margins shrink. Two teams can score the same number of touchdowns and be separated by their conversions. A drive that falls short of the end zone can still produce a field goal that decides the game. For Cumberland, developing that ability at the JV level gives this group an advantage that could make all the difference in a close playoff matchup.
The defense kept creating opportunities of its own. Short-yardage stops and a Tri-Town false start set up third-and-long. Cumberland’s pressure sent the quarterback scrambling left, and the pursuit kept him short of the marker. On the fourth-down throw near halftime, No. 1 broke on the deep ball, met it at its highest point and came down with an interception.
Patrick Garlick added another interception early in the fourth quarter, helping Cumberland protect its advantage.
Bruno “Bam Bam” Vicente supplied a touchdown, and a successful two-point kick helped build an 11–0 lead. With seven minutes remaining, the offense was still finding ways to stay on the field. A quick pass to Messier in the left flat turned second-and-8 into third-and-1. Later, Vicente took a pitch left, bounced outside and picked up a first down at the Tri-Town 38.
Then Messier got the corner.
Tri-Town appeared ready to contain a sweep right, but Messier beat the edge, turned upfield and raced down the sideline for a touchdown of roughly 35 yards. With 3:47 left, Cumberland led 17–0. Another successful kick made it 19–0.
One field goal. Two kicked conversions. Seven points from a part of the game that can give this group a real advantage.
Cumberland kept working defensively, too, with No. 0 delivering a physical first-down tackle that held Tri-Town to a yard. The pursuit and contact continued even with a comfortable lead.
With a playoff berth secured, the JV group now turns toward a rematch with Johnston, which won the earlier meeting 30–0. The chance to avenge that loss adds a little extra motivation, even with all the incentive the playoffs already bring. Cumberland has talent across the roster, with big, physical players capable of lining up against anyone. The recent success gives this group something to build on, and Sunday showed how those pieces can work together: the line opening running lanes, backs finishing through contact and defenders pursuing the football to create takeaways.
The kicking game adds another layer to that matchup. Alongside the size, talent and physical play, Cumberland has a special teams unit capable of turning a stalled drive into three points and adding two after a touchdown. That gives the Jr Clippers more ways to make their possessions count in the second meeting. With playoff margins often coming down to a handful of plays, Cumberland heads toward Johnston with a physical group, encouraging recent results and a kicking game that could help make the difference.