HS football
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Things changed dramatically thanks to Barrington’s propensity for the big play and its ability to capitalize.
South Kingstown was driving late in the first quarter when Chucky Potter swiped an interception and went the other way for a long return. The Eagles ran with the momentum, marching 33 yards in five plays for the first points of the game. McClelland scored from eight yards out.
On the Rebels’ next possession, Matt Zimmerman blocked a punt and DiOrio fell on it in the end zone for a touchdown and the 14-0 lead.
“The interception, the blocked punt — those are plays that bring so much life into us,” DiOrio said. “They’re just momentum changers.”
The momentum didn’t fade there. After forcing a punt, the Eagles delivered another quick strike. McClelland and Evan Anderson connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass.
There was just 1:05 left in the first half, but the Eagles still weren’t done. Potter picked off another pass. On the next play, McClelland passed to Jack Robinson for a 39-yard touchdown.
When halftime hit and the dust settled, the Eagles had scored 27 points in about nine minutes.
“Once we get a little groove, it’s tough to stop us,” McClelland said. “From a confidence standpoint, we’re feeling good.”
Two more fast-paced scoring drives put the game away in the second half. After South Kingstown put up its first points, the Eagles got a 50-yard catch-and-run by Spencer Proulx, which set up a touchdown run from DiOrio.
A fumble recovery gave Barrington possession again, and DiOrio raced in from 24 yards out on the next play.
Points are at a premium against the Barrington defense
High-powered offenses don’t always pair well with stout defenses. It’s difficult to have both, but that hasn’t been a problem for Barrington.
The Eagles have allowed a total of 22 points in five games. No opponent has managed more than one touchdown.
“Our defense has just been playing great this year,” DiOrio said. “I just think that we’re all on the same page. Everyone talks, everyone knows what to do, we all have our assignments and we just perform. It’s been working great.”
The ride began with a 21-7 victory over Burrillville in nonleague action. The Eagles then beat Shea, 42-8, before consecutive shutouts against Westerly and Cranston East.
South Kingstown figured to provide a challenge with its power run game, but it never got into gear. The Rebels were held under 100 yards rushing. Forced to the air, South Kingstown quarterback Derek Cook was under constant pressure by the Eagles, who finished with three sacks.
Barrington also forced four turnovers. “Will DiGiacomo flying off the edge, Owen Willard — they caused that quarterback to get some balls out faster, and that’s why Chucky Potter got two interceptions today,” McClelland said.
Alex McClelland is back
McClelland is one of the top signalcallers in the state, so when he went down with a shoulder injury against Westerly two weeks ago, the Eagles were holding their breath. They survived without him last week against Cranston East and were thrilled to welcome him back for this week’s showdown.
“It was definitely a relief to see him back there,” DiOrio said. “He’s still recovering but he played great today.”
McClelland is not quite 100 percent but whatever percentage he was on Friday was plenty good enough. His ability to do damage with his arm and with his feet was on full display. He rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on five carries, while completing 4-of-8 passes for 100 yards and two scores.
“It was awesome,” McClelland said of the return. “I missed playing ball. It was great being back out there with the guys, making plays and just having a good time. It took a couple of plays to get back in the groove. After that, I just felt comfortable. The guys were helping me out.”
Eagles are in the driver’s seat
With just two league games remaining, Barrington has clinched a playoff spot — and at this point, it would be a surprise if the Eagles aren’t the top seed from Division II-B.
They have outscored their opponents, 165-22, so far and are looking like one of the Super Bowl favorites. Cumberland is also undefeated in the other half of D-II, so those two may be on a collision course.
Barrington’s next league game is against a young Portsmouth team that hasn’t found itself yet this season. Woonsocket, which owns a victory over D-I Central, looms in the regular-season finale.
Before that stretch run, Barrington has an opportunity to make a splash outside of league play with a trip to D-I powerhouse North Kingstown on Oct. 13. The Eagles may not push all their chips in for that game since it doesn’t count in the standings, but they’re looking forward to testing themselves against one of the state’s best teams.
“We’re ranking pretty high in the state,” McClelland said. “You want to take that step. If you can beat one of those Power Four teams, it shows how good of a team you can be. It’s going to be a fun one.”
Rebels need to stay the course
To bounce back, South Kingstown needs to respond to its first loss in the same way that it responded to Barrington’s dominant second quarter. The Rebels came out of halftime with a defensive stop, a long punt return by Amani Boamah and a touchdown run by Derek Cook.
The score didn’t make much of a dent in Barrington’s lead, but it demonstrated that the Rebels weren’t down and out. That attitude will serve them well as they look to secure a playoff spot.
Last year, the Rebels ended up on the outside looking in of a tiebreaker scenario when four teams in D-II-B finished with 3-3 records. They’ll need one more win to feel safer this time around — and to deliver the finish to what had been a terrific start. The Rebels beat Woonsocket, Cranston East and Portsmouth in their 3-0 start.
While Friday’s defeat was disappointing, it was very much a game that got away from them quickly with turnovers and the blocked punt in the second quarter. In their better moments, they were holding up to the Eagles.
Games against Shea and Westerly will wrap up league play for the Rebels.