The Patriots won the battle up front and All-Stater Ben Hurd took advantage, rushing for 178 yards on 19 carries and scoring two touchdowns in their 24-7 win over the Clippers.
Portsmouth scored first on a Marcus Evans’ 6-yard run in the first quarter, but Cumberland offered a quick response as Cam Pedro – who ran for 126 yards Friday – popped a 61-yarder to tie the game up.
Hurd went to work in the second quarter. The quarterback scored on a 30-yard run in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 14-7 halftime edge and after an Andrew Perry field goal made it 17-7 through three quarters, Hurd capped off the win with a 2-yard score in the fourth.