It is that time of the season when my Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards are handed out as well as Coach, Team and Game of the Year.

Here are my selections for the 2016 season.


Offensive Player of the Year

Jeff Kidd, QB, LIU Post

The senior quarterback had a tremendous season in leading his team to an undefeated season and playoff slot. The dual threat was dangerous where he had time to throw in the pocket or if he called his own number to grind out a first down.

He finished tops in the league in a 65.3% completion percentage. He was second in the league with 23 touchdown passes and fourth in yards with 2,217. He added another four scores on the ground and made key plays all season long.

His stats would have topped categories if he had not missed two full games late in the season due to a knee injury. He was the most electric offensive player in the league this year and that is why he is my Offensive Player of the Year.


Defensive Player of the Year

Danny Omoregie, DL, American International

The redshirt senior was a force on the defensive line for American International this year. He has been a force in the middle of the line for the past several years and is someone that has to be game planned for.

Omoregie finished the season with 95 tackles including 35 of the solo variety. He was credited with five sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss. He spent a lot of time in opposing backfields and wreaked havoc.

He led a defense that pitched two shutouts this year at home and a streak of three games that no touchdowns were scored by visiting teams.

Omoregie finishes off a very good career at American International in which he dominated his position for several years. But he took it to a new level in 2016 and that is why he is my Defensive Player of the Year.


Coach of the Year

Bryan Collins, LIU Post

What a difference a year makes. In 2015, LIU Post was decimated with injuries and at the end of the Stonehill game, they were fielding players fourth and fifth deep on the depth chart. Fast forward to 2016 and those players are now making contributions.

The Pioneers were the best in the league and probably the deepest. That is a testament to Collins and his coaching staff in their recruiting strategy. One player goes down, there is a capable player on the sidelines waiting to step in. When both are healthy, that spells trouble for the opposition.

Collins pushed all of the right buttons in 2016. He was forced to start three different quarterbacks and the results were the same, victory. Collins faced tough road games and the results were the same, victory. And that was the consistent all season long, victory.

This is Collins' 19th season leading the Pioneers and he has assembled a team that took care of business in the NE-10 and is now looking to make some noise in the region. That is why he is my 2016 Coach of the Year.


Team of the Year

LIU Post

Often, I try to pick a team that was slated to finish on the bottom half of the predictions that exceeded expectations. This year, that didn't happen so I am picking the best team in the league.

The Pioneers completed the first undefeated NE-10 season in five years and completed dominated their competition along the way. They defeated teams with three different quarterbacks due to injuries but along the way, they never lost focus on the ultimate prize.

They eked out a victory on the road in the rain Week 1 at Virginia Union. It was not a pretty victory but it was a sign of things to come. Post avenged a blowout loss last year by completely dominating New Haven in their NE-10 opener.

From there, the Pioneers were cooking. They crushed Stonehill on the road in Week 3 and looked like the team to beat in the league. A last second field goal over Bentley set up a huge match up with fellow undefeated Assumption in Week 5.

Post traveled north and emerged with a well-earned one point victory. They played a very tough five weeks of the season and had five victories to show for it. The second half of the season was much easier but Post was not going to let off the gas pedal.

The only scare was at Southern Connecticut when the Owls trailed by a point entering the fourth quarter. The Pioneers rallied to win the game but also lost their all-conference quarterback for a couple of weeks. Backups provided enough to keep the streak alive and when Kidd returned in Week 10, the explosive offense did as well.

Post earned the right to host the NE-10 championship game and then the earned the right to hoist the hardware at the end of the game. After falling behind early, they scored 37 unanswered points en route to their second championship in three years.

LIU Post was the best team in the NE-10 this year and that is why they are my team of the year for 2016.


Game of the Year

Southern Connecticut 31 Stonehill 27

It was the opening weekend of the league schedule as it was a beautiful and warm Friday night in New Haven. Two teams that entered the game off tough non-conference losses. They both wanted to open the NE-10 schedule on a positive note and it showed.

The first three quarters were nothing to write home about. Southern Connecticut scored two touchdowns in the second quarter but missed the point after kicks. Stonehill scored late in the first half and the score was 12-7 entering the final 15 minutes.

But the fourth quarter featured 39 points and several lead changes. The first play of the fourth was a 29-yard touchdown run by Mike Cordova. The Skyhawks took their first lead of the game but then a theme developed, the lead was not safe.

The ensuing kickoff saw Kendall Thomas field the ball on the two-yard line and find a seam to go 98 yards to the end zone and Southern was back up 18-13 after a failed two-point conversion. Both offenses stalled on their next possessions.

Stonehill took over at their own 36-yard line and quickly moved down the field. After penalties and a catch and run, they had the ball inside the 10-yard line. Matt Foltz did the rest as he scrambles and took off for the end zone. He scored and Stonehill was back on top 19-18 after a failed two-point conversion.

Southern Connecticut took over at the 25-yard line after the kickoff. A quick pass to Shaquan Hall and he found an opening. He goes 75 yards and the Owls are back on top again 24-19.

Stonehill is not able to answer back. They drive down to the Owl 34 before they turn the ball over on downs with 3:41 to play. Southern will look to run the clock down to preserve their lead. But Donovan Phanor picks off Rob Nittolo and Stonehill gets the ball down to the 12-yard line.

Two plays later, Foltz finds Andrew Jamiel for the touchdown and Stonehill somehow has the lead again 27-24 with 2:04 to play.
Thomas nearly breaks off another kickoff but is finally pushed out of bounds at the Stonehill 48-yard line.

Nittolo goes to work and completes a couple of passes and rushes the ball to the 11-yard line. He finds his favorite receiver, Devante Jenkins in the corner of the end zone for another go ahead touchdown for the Owls. They now lead 31-27 but there is still 44 seconds on the clock.

Stonehill has a solid return and will start the drive at their own 44-yard line. Foltz hits Kaleb Lutton and Jamiel to get the ball down to the 26-yard line with eight seconds left. He throws the ball into the end zone for Jamiel but Southern is flagged for pass interference. So, we will have one final play for the game.

Foltz goes back to Jamiel again in the end zone but Corey Chaffee breaks up the play and Southern Connecticut holds on for the 31-27 victory. It was quite the fourth quarter as teams exchanged the lead three times.

You also saw the emergence of young players like Kendall Thomas and Andrew Jamiel. You saw the experience of players like Matt Foltz and Rob Nittolo. It was a great game and that is why it is my 2016 Game of the Year.