Playoffs

AIC was no match for West Chester as they dropped the first round playoff game 38-7 last Saturday. A promising first quarter turned into a disaster in the second quarter for the Yellow Jackets.

After trading touchdowns on their opening drives, both defenses played much better until late in the second quarter. West Chester scored twice in the final 2:46 of the half to take a 21-7 lead into halftime as two long touchdown passes by the Golden Rams opened up the game.

It took them one play in the third quarter to cement their lead as a 94-yard touchdown pass extended the lead to 28-7. The Yellow Jackets had no answer for the passing game of West Chester and were never able to slow them down.

They were able to bottle up Rondell White as he finished with just 90 rushing yards. But quarterback Sean McCartney had a career day with four touchdown passes and 423 passing yards. The AIC offense was never able to move the ball like they had in the regular season and accounted for just 218 yards on the afternoon.

For those that say that the NE-10 didn't deserve a playoff spot are completely wrong. AIC played a pretty good team on Saturday and has nothing to be ashamed of. The result was not what they hoped for but they deserved a playoff spot. Most teams in other leagues would have had the same result against West Chester.


2013 Campaign

It was not the way that most NE-10 supporters would have liked the season to end but it was another step forward for the league. Two teams were in contention for the playoffs and several teams made large step forwards this year.

AIC was picked to win the league and delivered on the coaches' pick. Teams like Stonehill and Assumption surprised the league by finishing second and fourth in the regular season.

Other teams struggled like LIU Post in their return to the NE-10. They were expected to contend for the championship but were never able to play consistent enough to win the title. Teams like Merrimack and Bentley also played great one week and struggled the next as they have come to expect a winning tradition with their programs.

Joe Clancy rewrote the record books with his video game stats this year. Brian Harrington also broke the record for most tackles in a season. Several other players left indelible marks on the league and will be missed.

Retirements

The league was surprised this week with the retirement of two coaches that have spent a lot of time at their respective schools and have seen a lot of success.

Southern Connecticut head coach Rich Cavanaugh announced his retirement. He was one of the most successful head coaches in NE-10 history. Cavanaugh finishes his career with a 170-131-1 record.

Cavanaugh was the head coach for the past 29 years at Southern Connecticut. He saw several former players move onto the professional league and see a lot of success in the NFL. He also helped the Owls to playoff appearances from 2005-2008.

"It has been a great honor to serve as the head football coach at Southern Connecticut State University for the past 29 years," Cavanaugh said in the release. "The success that we have enjoyed as a program over that time has been the byproduct of support from an extensive group of individuals."

Bentley also announced that Thom Boerman is stepping down and retiring from coaching. Boerman has been associated with the Bentley program for the 28 years, the last five as head coach. He has a 33-17 record as head coach.

Boerman was part of the Bentley coaching staff when they made playoff appearances in 2003 and 2004.

"This was a very difficult decision," said Boerman in the release. "After nearly 30 years of coaching football at Bentley, I felt I needed a change. I hope to spend some time with my family and see what new challenges I may be able to pursue."

Both coaches were great coaches and even better human beings. They will be missed and their contribution to the league will never be forgotten.

New Head Coach

Pace announced that they are going to be looking for a new head coach for next season. Chris Dapolito was the head coach for the past four seasons but was not able to get the program to the next level. The team was 1-37 in his tenure.

The Setters are in the middle of a 27 game losing streak and have not won a game since September 2011. In fact, Pace has lost 35 consecutive NE-10 games and 26 games against Division II schools. They are a disappointing 2-47 since the start of the 2009 season.

Dapolito was the offensive coordinator for the two years before he was named head coach. He brought a lot of attention to recruiting in his first couple of years but it never translated into winning on the field.

NE-10 Defensive Player of the Year2014 Season

The 2014 season is a mere 290 days away and the challenge for winning the NE-10 has already started. Coaches are trying to recruit top players that will help them win the next championship. Players are busy preparing themselves for the next season and dreaming of hoisting the championship plague.

It is never too early to prepare for the 2014 season. Can AIC repeat as champions? Can Stonehill continue their run towards the title? Who will be the next coaches at Bentley, Southern Connecticut and Pace? Can New Haven win the league again? Who will replace Joe Clancy at Merrimack? Can Assumption run the table on the road again? Will year two in the NE-10 be kinder to Post? Can St. Anselm be the surprise team in 2014?

All of the questions will be answered in just nine short months when football season in the NE-10 resumes for another exciting season.