Aggressive Defense Helps Gaels Rebound

CLINTON – Losing football games is never easy, especially when the offense scores more than 30 points.

“I was so fed-up Friday night,” said Clinton High School head coach Justin Ball, following the 35-33 defeat to non-league rival Hudson on Sept. 10. If that wasn’t irritating enough, his team was forced to play in 10-year-old uniforms and equipment. “Riddell didn’t mail us our uniforms. We had to go with old ones. It seemed like we had everything going against us. We’re still waiting on twenty new helmets and twenty new shoulder pads … It’s a good thing I saved some equipment over the last few years.”

Compounding his irritability further, old uniforms or not, the Gaels’ productive offense was wasted. They not only scored 33 points, but they also put up 335 yards of total offense with two running backs rushing for more than 100 yards each. Led by senior captain Jose Diaz at tackle, sophomore Brendan Bernard at center, and seniors Lou Parenteau at tackle, and Trevor Cyr and Xavier Santos at guards, the Clinton offense dominated the line of scrimmage, opening holes for their talented running backs. Melvin Zapata finished the game with 12 carries for 120 yards, a touchdown, and a 2-point conversion, while Cole Nelson rushed the ball 16 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s the offensive line. That’s the answer to any offense,” Ball said. “If you get the horses up front moving the line, then you’ll be ok.”

However, this was not enough to win because the defense still allowed 35 points.

“We had some growing pains on D,” Ball said as he walked to the practice field on the Tuesday afternoon following the loss to Hudson. “I think we need to be more aggressive. We need to do a better job of making hits. That comes from playing sound defense like finding the ball and getting to it; playing faster … We just made too many mistakes on D. It shows when they put up 35 points against us … We’ll correct it, though. It’s all correctable. We’ll be ok.”

As Ball stepped onto the practice field after his team finished their warmups and stretches, he had them gather around. He scanned the faces of his players. He was stoic and he was direct.

“Let’s have a week,” he commanded, suggesting to his players he expects an aggressive and an intense week of practice on defense prior to their Friday, Sept. 17 game against Bay Path RVT. “We need a win in a bad way. Let’s have a week. I’m telling you; you’re going to play like you practice. Let’s see how you’re going to play together.”

“We don’t really need to put any more work into our offense this week,” Ball said as he described his approach to improving his defense. His goal is to keep his defense simple.

“A kid’s a kid you know. You don’t want to throw too much at them,” he said. “They got a lot going on with school. So, the best way to coach high school football is to just keep it simple. Keep it simple and just let them go. Defensively, we just need to be aggressive and play fast. If we get too complicated, everything gets complicated.”

Ball also looks to his captains to help elevate the intensity at practice and lead by example. Senior captain Lincoln Ashline, who is the team’s starting safety and wide receiver, said the team will raise its intensity on defense to get better. “Our goal every day is to just get better,” he said. “If we take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves like the win column. The goal every day is just to get better until playoff time and that’s when we put it all together.”

Ashline returns at defensive back as a league and divisional all-star. During their last full season in 2019, he recorded 66 tackles and four interceptions. Ball said “Lincoln’s main contributions are that of a leader. When Lincoln snaps the buckles on his helmet, he becomes a very good football player and when the helmet comes off, he is a true gentleman in every sense of the word.”

Ashline is a four-year starter at defensive back. He has been on the varsity team for six years, playing since the seventh grade after waivers were obtained through the MIAA. He brings that experience to the practice field.

“We came out with more intensity at practice,” Ashline said. “But I think (against Hudson) it was all about slowing down and making our reads. We’re athletic enough to make the plays. It was just all about putting ourselves in the right positions to make those plays. I think that’s where we screwed up last week where we weren’t in the right positions.”

Diaz, who also plays on the defensive line, said, “our defense just wasn’t hitting that game. We can do a lot better than that … We had a couple changes and we’re going to be on our guys this week to make sure they’re going to be aggressive, so when we go to the game, we’re going to hit. Hopefully people will come to play.”

The message got through to the defense during the entire week of practice leading up to the Bay Path game because the outcome was much different. The Gaels completely controlled the game on both sides of the ball, beating the Minutemen 41-14.

“Our defense did improve,” Ball said after the game. “We were moving faster and getting more players to the ball. So, I was extremely happy with that performance.”

The offense was even better, as well, with three running backs rushing for more than 100 yards in the game. “Offensively, we continue to roll,” Ball said. Nelson had 110 yards on only four carries and Zapata ran for another 130 yards on eight carries with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. This time, they were outdone by fellow rusher Josh Seidl, who ran for 191 yards on seven carries with a touchdown.

Zapata, who is also a senior captain, leads the talented Clinton offensive backfield. He is an athletic runner who is difficult for opposing defenders to bring down. With his line picking up their blocks, he and the other backs have an excellent ability to read their blocks to find the right holes for big gains. He said he enjoys running behind such a stout offensive line. “It’s amazing honestly. We haven’t had a line like this in the last three years and it feels good to have it right now. Our offensive line is great. I appreciate it.”

Ball said Nelson is a major contributor at fullback and defensive end. “Cole is a big kid, 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds and he can move.”

In addition, Clinton has been getting strong contributions from sophomore Axel Ramos and the team’s starting quarterback Matt Phillips. Ball added that Robert Feliz, Nolan Weinacht, and Taha Sabri are all four-year players expected to make an impact the rest of the season, along with Mark Dwinells, a two-year starter.

Clinton’s football roster consists of 47 players: seven seniors, seventeen juniors, eleven sophomores and twelve freshmen. “We will expect all 47 to contribute one way or another,” Ball said, who is in his sixth season as head coach of Clinton. He is joined by an experienced staff with Harold Ogilvie as defensive coordinator, Tom Santasania as offensive coordinator, Bill Soto as line coach, Shane McCarthy as defensive backs coach, and Sean Whitney defensive backs coach and junior varsity and freshman coach.

Ball also said their new uniforms did finally arrive in time for the last game and, “yes, they looked awesome! And the helmets and pads are starting to trickle in, so we are getting there.” But regardless of what the team wears, the coach’s agitation has now turned to optimism after his players responded to such early season adversity. “I am very happy with the directions we are heading and I hope we continue to improve with every snap of the ball,” he said.

Clinton’s next game will be at home against Maynard Academy on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. Ball expects his team to maintain their intensity on both sides of the ball because Maynard is going to be a challenge. “Yeah, they’re good,” he said. “We’re getting into the meat of our schedule and we have to be ready.”

Clinton High School Football

At a Glance

Nickname: Galloping Gaels

Affiliation: Midland Wachusett Division D

Colors: Green and Gold

2021 Record: 1-1

Coach: Justin Ball (Sixth year)

Assistants: Harold Ogilvie, Tom Santasania, Bill Soto,

Shane McCarthy, Sean Whitney.

Upcoming Schedule

Sept. 24 – Maynard at Clinton High School home field – 7:00 pm

Oct. 1 – Littleton at Littleton High School – 7:00 pm