By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer
SMITHFIELD — This one was an inside job.
A dominating presence underneath the basket proved to be the difference on Saturday afternoon as Cumberland High defeated Burrillville, 50-34, in the Smithfield Boosters Officials Tournament. Senior Kristen Cahill (14 points, 17 rebounds) and junior Kayleigh Guyer (10 points, 16 rebounds) led four players with double-double efforts for the Clippers.
Head coach Deb Engels was particularly impressed with the performance of Guyer, a 5-foot-10 center.
“We had the height advantage and Kayleigh came to play today,” she said. “We’ve been waiting for her, waiting for her, waiting for her knowing that she can do it. Hopefully this will give her enough confidence that once we start league play after (Christmas) Break, she can go in there and be strong. I think she played a good game today.”
As did her teammates, including Cahill, senior Molly McLaughlin (11 points, 10 rebounds, four steals) and senior Nikki Fagundes (game-high 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists). The talented quartet were responsible for all of the Clippers’ offense.
Cumberland took a big blow to its outside presence with the graduation of all-stater and 1,000-point scorer Kaitlyn Lambert last June. While Engels quickly points out that she does have some long-range threats — such as Fagundes — she does feel with a some height on this winter’s roster the strength of her team will be in close proximity to the basket.
Just like it exhibited in Saturday’s contest.
“We have Cahill and Guyer that start and I have (Lauren) Sloss and (Ally) DeHertogh — a junior and sophomore that will be ready to come on inside, too. We have four pretty strong, big (players), we just need our guards working with them. We do have outside shooters. Nikki Fagundes can drain them. Molly’s drained a few. All of them can. It’s just one of those matters of catching the ball and getting ready to shoot.”
Burrillville did manage to hang with the Clippers a good portion of the game. Although their only lead was at 2-0 at the beginning of the tilt, the Broncos kept within striking distance until early in the second half.
It was then that the Clippers too over.
Holding a slim 28-24 lead with a little more than 10 minutes remaining, Cumberland (0-1 in Division I, 2-2 overall) broke away from its D-II rival with a 15-5 run that was primarily due to its inside game. Seven of its points came from the free throw line and the remaining points, except a 15-footer from Fagundes, were scored underneath.
“We just had a hard time matching up with them on the boards,” admitted BHS heaqd coach Marty Crowley, whose squad dropped to 0-5 for the season.
Cumberland’s offensive outburst appeared to be inspired by some words from a few choice words by assistant coach Gerry Ethier.
“He yelled at them,” Engels said. “They seemed to be beating us to the ball and getting to that spot on offense, like popping to the middle and three girls are watching. I’m like, ‘Girls, you need to see that and take that path away.’ Mr. Ethier yelled at them and they seemed to step up.”
Burrillville did get itself into foul trouble, allowing the Clippers to get to the free throw line 25 times in the game. Sarah Williams and Kelsey VanRossum were the top scorers for Broncos with eight points each.
“We got into a little foul trouble, some lazy fouls, some second-chance fouls,” Crowley said. “We got a couple of charges, though. We love taking charges. We’re getting there.”
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CUMBERLAND (50) - Molly McLaughlin 4 3-6 11, Nikki Fagundes 3 8-8 15, Kayleigh Guyer 5 0-2 10, Kristen Cahill 4 6-9 14, Amanda Briere 0 0-0 0, Lauren Sloss 0 0-0 0, Ally DeHertogh 0 0-0 0, Carlynn Smith 0 0-0 0, Kelly Maurice 0 0-0 0, Dana Mazzone 0 0-0 0. Totals - 16 19-25 50
BURRILLVILLE (34) - Madilyn Royer 2 0-0 5, Sam Williams 4 0-0 8, Jen Kent 0 2-2 2, Kelsey VanRossum 3 1-2 8, Kalli Hayter 2 0-0 4, Naomi Takita 1 0-0 2, Chelsea Murphy 0 0-0 0, Kaitlin Connell 1 1-2 3, Lauren Plante 1 0-2 2. Totals - 14 4-8 34
Halftime - C, 23-15. 3-point goals - C (1): Fagundes. B (2): Royer, VanRossum