
There was no doubt which high school football team was the best on Cape Cod this fall.
Falmouth won the Cape and Islands League title, beat Barnstable on Thanksgiving and posted a region-best 8-2 record. But next season, the Clippers will have a new coach. Joe Morency quit to spend more time with his family. Morency and his wife, Julie, have two young children, Thomas and Reilly.
“It’s really tough with two little kids and for me coaching football is a year-round commitment with bodybuilding, keeping the kids around, keeping them involved,” Morency said. “Unfortunately, I just didn’t think I could dedicate the time needed to continue developing the program where I wanted.”
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Morency has spent much of his life participating in Falmouth’s football program. He played at Falmouth before graduating in 2005 and continuing his football career at Bridgewater State University. After graduating from college, he returned to the coaching staff under Dana and Derek Almeida and Steve Femino.

In 2020, Morency was named interim Clippers coach before the season, which was a five-game season played in February-April 2021 due to COVID-19. Morency lost the interim title and coached Falmouth for three seasons, posting a 15-10 record. The Clippers were 2-9 in 2019, the year before he took over.
“Honestly, it was awesome,” Morency said of his time as head coach. “I always wanted the opportunity to be a head coach and luckily I had the opportunity to do so.”
Morency’s last game, a thrilling 25-19 victory over Barnstable on Thanksgiving, was a high note. The Clippers had lost 42-7 and 38-0 to the Red Hawks in their two previous meetings with Morency as head coach. In November, Falmouth saw a 19-6 evaporate into a 19-19 tie, but Aiden North threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Cole Spellman to secure Falmouth their first victory over Barnstable since 2018.
Following:Falmouth High football claim Cape and Islands League title with win over Sandwich
“The Thanksgiving game was just an amazing way out,” Morency said. “Barnstable has had our number for the past few years and (Barnstable manager) Ross (Jatkola) is doing a terrific job there. We’re just happy to be back where we know Falmouth can be with these type of teams. .
That Thanksgiving triumph, along with Falmouth’s victory over Sandwich in the regular season finale, marked the Clippers as the best team on Cape Cod in 2022. Against Sandwich, Falmouth won 16-12. The win secured the league title and also helped the Clippers qualify for the playoffs. Falmouth was one of three area teams (along with Mashpee and Sandwich) to compete in the MIAA Tournament.
Against Sandwich, the Clipper defense limited league MVP Brady Carroll and the offensive line play of John Alves, Bruce Pimental, Roger Bowman, Brady Garcia and Thomas Richardson allowed Falmouth to win in the trenches.
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“You want to be the best in Cape Town, that’s something to prove,” said Morency. “The kids really did it and they were really excited at the end of the season to see their names back there in the No. 1 ranking. It meant a lot to them.
“It reinstated the belief that they can be league champions and they can be a great team. I think they’ve done a great job of really preparing our young groups for what it takes to be a great team. successful program.
Although Falmouth missed the playoffs in 2021, the seeds for 2022 success were planted midway through the season. After starting 0-3, the Clippers have won five of their last seven games. In their final win of the season, Falmouth rallied from behind to defeat Bellingham, 27-21, in a non-elimination qualifier.

“I really thought we had united and fought from the bottom up and really achieved what it took to come back and be able to fight back,” Morency said.
Morency attributed the success of the program to its last two senior classes.
“Last year’s senior class really set the tone for the last few weeks of the season and really got us back to where we wanted to be,” said Morency. “It took a few years, but luckily we had enough good kids and leaders and we kind of really helped develop that mentality of hard work on and off the pitch that really leads to success.
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“(The senior class of 2023) were such an incredible group of young kids. They were just very close and determined to work hard and improve. It was truly a privilege to be able to train these young people. »
Morency was grateful to Falmouth athletic director Kathleen Burke, then manager Mary Gans and assistant manager Thomas McManamon for the opportunity to coach. Coaching with the Almeidas and Femino and being coached by Joe Driscoll was a key factor in Morency’s development as a coach.
“It’s been a big part of my life, playing at Falmouth, playing college, coming back to coaching at Falmouth,” Morency said. “It’s definitely been a big part of my life and hopefully I’ll be back in the future when things get a little easier for me and my family.”

Morency feels the program has a lot of potential moving forward.
“They’re a hard-working bunch,” Morency said of next year’s senior class. “I think they are going to have quite a successful season next year, I really hope they do. I wish the best for the kids.
“I would love to be there with them, obviously, but I just think (what’s) best for my family and walk away.”