Clippers ‘leaping’ into Division I playoffs
CUMBERLAND — Dante Aviles-Santos and his boys wanted another “Lima Leap,” and the senior quarterback explained they weren’t going to be denied.
Cumberland coach Josh Lima had told his crew after suffering a lopsided Division I-A loss to North Kingstown about a month ago that if they didn’t turn their mini-slump around with three straight league triumphs, his patented dive into the Clippers’ postgame scrum would disappear.
He held that promise … that is, until Friday night.
Before a solid crowd of several hundred at Tucker Field, fellow senior Isaiah Cole hustled for 139 yards and a TD on 25 carries and classmate and signal caller Aviles-Santos racked up 87 yards and two scores on 21 keepers as the Clippers held on dearly to a 21-13 triumph.
Aviles-Santos completed only three of 10 passes for 29 yards and he was picked off once, but his team still climbed to 4-4 overall and, most importantly, 4-3 in league play. In the process, Cumberland sealed the No. 3 seed in I-A.
And, with it, and with his kids chanting “Lima Leap! Lima Leap!” their coach obliged, soaring into their arms with never-ceasing enthusiasm.
Then again, Lima exudes energy and spirit. Heck, that’s why the kids had longed for that display of satisfaction with their effort.
“When we started off 1-4, Coach told us we were no longer getting the ‘Lima Leap’ after a game until we go 3-0, and we ended up doing that tonight,” AvilesSoares said. “We had lost to North Kingstown, 30-7, and he challenged us.”
The Clippers will travel to Providence to play No. 2 La Salle in the Division I quarterfinals Friday night.
“If we play them, it’s just another football game, that’s it,” Lima grinned while talking to his wife and mom afterward. “As for the leap, I told them I was done, that ‘You’ve got to win three straight and lock us into the playoffs, end the season with a 4-3 winning record, then I’ll do it.
“The guys said something about, ‘Coach, you’ve got to go crazy if we win this,’ and I said, ‘Look, I’ll crowd-surf if you do,” he added. “They earned this.”
With the loss, the Saints fell to 3-5 overall and 2-5 in league play – and lost their chance to qualify for the playoffs.
“With a win here, we would’ve been in, but now East Providence is in instead of us,” coach Mike Sassi after speaking with his contingent.
“We have the same record, but they beat us in overtime the first week of the season, so that’s it.
“I’m proud of the way our kids fought, especially in the second half when we fell behind early, but they were stronger than we were,” he continued. “We’ve lost a couple of games because we’re just not as strong as we need to be.”
CHS reigned in spite of being called for seven penalties and a minus-60 yards. It also had two touchdowns called back due to such infractions.
The massive home crowd, however, loved how the game started. After forcing SRA into a quick three-and-out, Lima’s bunch opened its initial possession at the visitors’ 39, and took seven snaps for Aviles-Santos to scamper 11 yards off right guard for the score.
Senior Ben Fogell booted the first of his three extra points for the 7-0 lead with 6:11 left in the period, but – due to an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Clippers on the PAT – not to mention junior Kai Meerbott’s 14-yard return, the Saints took over on their own 45.
They actually moved into Cumberland territory before the drive stalled, and the hosts needed seven play calls to roll 51 yards; that ended on Aviles-Soares’ three-yard keeper up the middle with 1:19 left in the first.
The Saints nevertheless answered that TD with one of their own, that after punting but getting the ball back seconds later on senior captain Andrew Andella’s interception, ironically at the CHS 49.
Highlighted by O’Malley’s 39-yard toss to junior Jaden DeLomba, the quarter
Photo by Ernest A. Brown
back hustled six yards around right tackle to slice the deficit to 14-7.
The Clippers took little time in fashioning a response, moving 58 yards on 10 snaps, with Cole closing the deal with a one-yard TD plunge. That came with 5:52 left before the break.
A few series later, the Saints moved the ball from its own 48 to the CHS 26 before junior Marc DiSalvo brought to an abrupt end with a pick.
With 1:02 left in the third, following Aviles-Santos’ failed fake punt, SRA took over on the Cumberland 27, but O’Malley fumbled it away to Cole.
The Clippers responded with a 14-play possession from their own 31 to the visitors’ 34, and Cole sprinted that distance around the left side and down the sideline for the score with just over five minutes remaining. Yet again, though, a holding call brought it back, ending the threat.
The Saints couldn’t nail down a fourth-and-16 try from their own 30 with 2:10 remaining, and CHS killed the clock.
Still, O’Malley finished with 79 ground yards on 16 carries, and also completed seven of 12 passes for 89 yards and a score. Meerbott caught two for 31.
The Saints also had to play a significant part of the contest without tight end Chase Dombrowski, who was lost early on with an apparent arm injury.
“I think the first half we played very well (on) offense, defense and specials,” Lima noted. “We ran it well. We had one turnover that led to (Saints’) points in the first half, which hurt us a little bit, and – in the second half – it seemed like every drive we got going – we’d get a holding call.
“We had two TDs called back, and that’s been kind of our thing the past few weeks,” he added. “We scored 49 (points) against South Kingstown but had one called back, then we scored 21 last week (opposite Cranston East) and had two called back before this one. That’s the thing that’s hurting us, and we’re just going to have to make some adjustments with the guys.
“I think they’re making mistakes because it’s their first action in the trenches, but I’m still pleased with the overall effort.”
He hesitated, then smiled, “That’s the reason for the ‘Leap!’”