By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

CUMBERLAND – Two years ago, Cumberland High was a surprise team in the state finals and lost to eventual Division II state titlist Toll Gate.
In 2008, the Clippers deserved the trip, but again fell victim to the Titans in the championships match.
Two straight years. Two heartbreaking losses.
That could all change this spring.
There’s still six matches remaining on their regular season schedule, but the Clippers are certainly showing to the competition it could be the team to beat when the championship rolls around in a few more weeks.
Taking care of business early on Thursday, winning three singles matches and the first doubles to leave the court, Cumberland defeated a tough Lincoln squad, 6-1, at Tucker Field. The victory by the Clippers improved their record to a perfect 11-0 for the season, while the Lions fell to 9-3.
Cumberland is just one of two teams that are unbeaten in the league this season. The Clippers face the only other one on Wednesday when they travel to Westerly, currently 11-0 in II-South.
The strong start is not surprising to CHS coach John Jasionwoski, who lost only two varsity players from last year’s 15-1 team.
“I thought we’d be one of the teams to beat pretty much,” he said. “Westerly and East Greenwich (5-5 in II-South) were the only two teams I thought would give us a battle because each team was only losing one (player) and we only lost two, and it was two in the doubles. We had (mostly) everybody back…It made a big difference.”
Cumberland was battling Lincoln for the second time this season. In their last meeting on April 7, the Clippers shut out the Lions, 7-0.
But the Lions came into Thursday’s match slightly stronger. On Monday, the Lions nearly upset Westerly, falling by a close 4-3 decision.
The turning point in the outcome, according to LHS coach Peter Pendergast, occurred at No. 4 singles where the Cumberland freshman Eric Laboissoniere kept his perfect record intact this season by surviving a hard-fought 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Imran Putawala to give his teammates a 3-1 lead.
Cumberland won at the second and third singles with Tim Luz and Eric Schultheis winning in straight sets. Lincoln scored its lone win at singles when Chris Corrigan avenged his only setback of the season by defeating Alex Warchadlo, who defeated Corrigan in their April match.
The primary reason for the Lincoln coach’s concern in the singles’ matches was Cumberland’s strength at doubles. Prior to their match, the Clippers were undefeated among all their doubles teams.
Cumberland maintained that status on Thursday by sweeping the double matches.
“We had to win one more singles,” Pendergast said. “I was confident CC would win. He really has been playing well. But I knew we had to take at least one of the other singles. The fourth one was the one we almost got, but it just came down to what player was craftier at the end.”
“He got pushed and he pushed himself and pulled it out,” Jasionowski said.
Like Laboissoniere, Schultheis has also been unbeatable this season. He raised his record to 11-0 for the spring by beating the Lions’ Cody Furtado with scores of 6-3, 6-1. The senior captain has been with the Clippers since he was a ninth-grader and wouldn’t mind finally being able to hoist the championship plaque before he graduates.
“It’s my senior year. It’s definitely attainable,” he said. “We should have a tough match against Westerly, but besides that I know we can beat just about anybody else.”
Before the Clippers take on Westerly in next week’s match, it will face winless Warwick and North Smithfield, a squad with just one victory, on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
That might be a challenge in itself, but Jasionwoski will make sure his Clippers don’t get too complacent.
“After we play our match with North Smithfield maybe we’ll come back and practice for a half an hour to get everybody up. That’s what I did (Wednesday),” said Jasionowski, whose Clippers blanked NS, 7-0, before taking on Lincoln. “Not to take anything away, this was going to be a tough match, and they were gunning for us, too.
The focus now for the Clippers is to continue to play the way it has so far and hopefully claim that prize that it has come so close to the previous two years.
“They want to win it,” Jasionowski said. “I think we can but we have to see how we do against Westerly. That’s going to mean the difference…We’ll see how well we do against Westerly, that will make the difference.”
***
Singles – Chris Corrigan, L, def. Alex Warchadlo 6-3, 6-4; Tim Luz, C, def. Nick Arnold 6-2, 6-1; Eric Schultheis, C, def. Cody Furtado 6-3, 6-1; Eric Laboissoniere, C, def. Imran Putawala 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
Doubles – Dan Spader-Randy Walker, C, def. James Fontaine-Jacob Benoit 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Patrick Murray-Patrick Geddes, C, def. Sean McKenna-Joe Ackaway 6-1, 6-2; Kyle Eaton-Ben Proctor, C, def. Kyle Robin-Peter Chau 6-0, 6-1.