Talent there for Cumberland to take next step in Division I
CUMBERLAND – When Josh Lima met with Cumberland High administrators in the spring of 2014 for the school’s vacant varsity football head coaching spot, he laid out a detailed plan of where he expected the program to be heading into his fifth year at the helm.
For the most part, the path that Lima envisioned has held true to form. The Clippers knocked on the door of the Division I postseason a few times before finally breaking through last year as a No. 4 seed. Now, Lima feels Cumberland’s time is now after four years of careful and calculated building.
“During the interview process, I said that you would start to see a difference in year four. Now in year five, we’re starting to see the true change. The players have bought in and as a staff, that’s what we love,” Lima said. “It’s not 50/50 where half the team is in and the other half is kind of there. There’s not anybody who we’re questioning.”
If Cumberland is going to take the next step, which for starters would include hosting a playoff contest for the first time since 2013, a strong season from senior quarterback Joe Leonard is imperative. Last year, Leonard missed significant time with a sprained AC joint.
“It was something that was serious enough that it
affected his throwing motion but the possibility existed where he could come back later in the year,” Lima said about Leonard.
Leonard did return to take a few snaps during the annual Thanksgiving contest against Woonsocket. By that point, Dante Aviles-Santos was the primary guy under center for Cumberland. Entering training camp, both players were given the opportunity to seize the position. Leonard succeeded in regaining his previous role as starting quarterback, yet as Lima noted, “We have a good option in Dante should something happen. We’re not in a position where we’ll be scrambling.”
The return of Leonard under center means the Clippers will utilize Aviles-Santos as a big play, downfield threat. During last week’s Injury Fund contest against Lincoln, Leonard connected on a 40-yard strike to Aviles-Santos, now a junior and arguably the top athlete on the roster.
“He’ll be playing a lot of wide receiver for us,” Lima said about Aviles-Santos, who’s listed at six feet. “He can jump through the roof.”
This marks the first year under Lima that Cumberland’s pass-catching group will feature a height component. Besides Aviles-Santos, Leonard will be looking for two 6-foot-1 seniors in Jack Andrews and Ethan Ellis and 6-foot-4 senior Andrew Cote, who’ll line up at tight end. Kaream Sangare, a 6-foot-1 senior, is another option at tight end.
“We’ve definitely got some guys who can go up and get the ball,” Lima said.
Running back-wise, the Clippers plan to lean heavily on junior Johnell Hill, who started a couple of varsity games as a freshman. Hayden Lacroix, a junior, saw a lot of time last year and will once again be in the mix along with classmate Isaiah Cole. Andrews will also receive some carries.
The one likely constant along the offensive line will be senior center Cole Hopper, who last year saw time at the tackle and guard spots. In the Injury Fund game, the Clippers featured senior Jake Faria at left tackle, senior Joe Larocque at left guard, senior Joe Kessler at right guard, and senior Jaylen Reynolds at right tackle. Also expected to see time in the trenches are juniors Phil Coppolino, Sean Toure, and sophomore Adam Barboza.
“We’ve got some depth along the O-line which is pretty nice,” Lima said.
Shifting gears to the defensive line, the Clippers have the potential to rotate eight players through. The first unit figures to feature seniors Reuben Hancock and Lloyd Griffin along with Reynolds and Sangare. Those also vying for snaps are sophomore Emmanuel Ireland, Kessler, Faria, and Larocque.
“Once we start seeing who we are, we’ll solidify who’s an interior or exterior guy,” Lima said. “Right now, everyone is interchangeable and we’re grooming them to be available to play all positions.”
The two mainstays at linebacker are senior Brad Smith and Coppolino. Now entering his third season as a starter and a 2018 captain along with Leonard and Andrews, Smith led Cumberland in tackles last season while Coppolino was second. The third linebacking spot has seen junior Ed Inscoe and classmate Matt Maguire rotate through.
Pencil in senior Nate Mello and Andrews at the cornerback spots with depth provided by junior Leo Rodriguez and Hill. At safety, you have senior Dylan White and junior Shane Meerbot as the mainstays with senior Mason Matos also expected to see time.
Andrews is the choice for field goals, PATs, kickoffs, and punts. Returning kickoffs and punts will feature a heavy rotation that includes sophomore Ryan Larson, who returned a kickoff in last year’s Thanksgiving contest, plus Cole, Andrews, and Aviles-Santos.
The Clippers are in Division I-A along with perennial power Bishop Hendricken, Cranston East, North Kingstown, Shea, East Providence, and St. Raphael. Cumberland will welcome fellow Division I member Cranston West for a non-league contest this Friday night. A week later, the D-I slate commences with a home game against Hendricken.
“Every week is going to be a battle. There’s going to be no layups,” Lima said. “We’ve always been focused on the team we’re playing at the end of the week and getting in the playoffs, but this year, we have this day-by-day mindset. Every practice matters. If we have a successful Monday, let’s have a better Tuesday. We can’t let those days slip away. Let’s worry about that day so come Friday, you see a positive result.”