Two blocked punts and a pick-six helped Cumberland’s varsity Jr Clippers put away Tri-Town, 32–0, on Sunday. All 32 points came before halftime.
The opening drive moved quickly. A quarterback sweep right carried Cumberland across midfield, and a sweep left on the next play broke through contact before turning up the sideline. The runner looked close to taking it the distance but stepped out around the 16.
Cumberland finished through the air with Rome Cruz dropping one right in the bucket. Cruz lofted his pass over the underneath defenders and dropped it into the left corner of the end zone, right where his receivers were. Donovan Martell gathered it in for the touchdown with 7:36 remaining in the first quarter—a touch pass delivered with pinpoint accuracy.
The team’s foundation reaches beyond the scoring plays. Jordan Mowry is a huge part of Cumberland’s success on both the offensive line and at linebacker. He consistently puts himself in the right place and gets the job done for his team. His work up front may not draw the same recognition as the players carrying the ball, but it helps make their success possible.
Jacob Burns is another key cog in that group. His touchdown against North Providence a couple of weeks ago brought some deserved recognition, but his value to Cumberland goes well beyond a scoring play. He has been a steady, dependable part of this team all season. The Jr Clippers are heading into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed because of that kind of work across the roster, and Burns is a big part of it.
Captain Shawn Veloso’s leadership and the attention to detail Joey Scorpio brings to his assignments also help set the standard for the players growing around them.
The defense immediately backed up that start. A penalty and a pass breakup by Kasen Chenevert helped stall Tri-Town’s first possession, bringing on the punt team deep in its own territory. Logan Pistorio supplied the block, recovery and touchdown return, and Cumberland led 14–0 after the successful kick.
Manny Withee added a strong hit on the ensuing kickoff, and the defense went back to work. Tri-Town was pushed into third-and-long, then saw a pass tipped incomplete as pressure reached the quarterback. Fourth down brought another punt—and another block by Pistorio.
This one bounced back into Tri-Town’s hands, but Cumberland took over at the 6-yard line. Jacob Evans handled the finish, taking a jet-sweep handoff, spotting a seam inside and cutting upfield through the opening for a six-yard touchdown. The kick missed, leaving the Jr Clippers ahead 20–0 at the end of the first quarter.
Cumberland’s pursuit kept making the field smaller. Martell disrupted a run to the left in the backfield, forcing the ball carrier to reverse direction. Pistorio arrived from the other side to finish the tackle. Already backed up, Tri-Town faced third-and-28 from its own 4.
Julian Sanchez then added a defensive touchdown. As Tri-Town’s No. 80 rolled right and threw, Sanchez came away with the interception and returned it to the end zone.
For a player in his first year of football, Sanchez continues to show a natural feel for how a play develops. He gives himself time to read what is happening, then lets his speed close the distance. That combination of patience and speed points to a bright future in football.
Liam Lemire added a first-down sack on another possession, and Withee broke sharply on a pass that nearly became another interception. When Tri-Town tried to get outside on fourth-and-long, Evans came up from the corner and delivered the stop, turning the ball over on downs at the 18.
That collective effort includes Tai Lessa, Ethan Barglowski, Andrew Soucar, Lucas “Dozer” Taylor, Owen O’Grady, Mark Vendetti, Jackson Stumpf, Ryan Polak, Noah Durand, Carter Trinh and Seval Bolano. Their share of the work matters to a team trying to play complete football through every change in personnel.
The Hogs up front remain central to Cumberland’s success. Charlie Bessette, Anthony Guerrera, captain Shawn Veloso, Jordan Mowry, Donovan Martell, Jacob Burns and starting center Teo Tabares are key pieces of that foundation. Their work at the line of scrimmage has helped Cumberland earn the No. 1 seed.
Charlie Bessette brings a nasty edge on both sides of the ball. A standout offensive lineman and a major part of the defensive effort, he helps set the physical tone for this team.
Starting offensive lineman Anthony Guerrera is another key part of that foundation, with his work at the line of scrimmage helping give the offense room to operate.
Then the blue offense got its chance to finish a drive. With Rome Cruz and Landon DiBello at quarterback, Cumberland’s preparation at the position reaches beyond one player. Sunday gave DiBello another opportunity to put his work into a live scoring possession.
Landon DiBello kept the ball on a sweep left for seven yards. Chenevert followed with a run from left to right, bouncing outside before cutting up through traffic and picking up the first down. With 33 seconds left in the second quarter, Cumberland had first-and-goal near the 6.
DiBello dropped back, rolled left and hit Evans on a dig route. Evans turned upfield and reached the end zone for his second touchdown of the afternoon. The extra-point kick had the distance but went wide left, sending Cumberland into halftime ahead 32–0.
Evans put together a huge game, scoring twice and coming up with a fourth-down stop on defense. His contributions haven’t always shown up on the stat sheet, but he has been a big part of this team all season. Sunday offered a reminder of the impact he can make as Cumberland heads into the playoffs.
Tri-Town kept competing. No. 80 showed his versatility as a runner, receiver and passer, making a strong catch to move the chains during the second half. A later fourth-down completion came on a well-thrown out route under pressure, with Pistorio making the stop after the catch. The game stayed spirited and respectful as both teams continued to work.
Cumberland had one more defensive finish waiting. With the clock winding down, Ibrihim Qaisar recovered a fumble to close out the 32–0 win.
Everyone got in and played substantial football, with the second half giving Cumberland time to build experience across the roster while protecting the shutout.
Players who were still adjusting to game speed at the start of the year—and may have felt like they were on the outside looking in—are now contributing, making plays and helping Cumberland get better.
Now Cumberland enters the playoffs as the No. 1 seed with more players ready to contribute and the same mission it set at the beginning of the year: win a championship. The top seed is a step toward that goal.
The work continues until the mission is complete.