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The first weekend of play in the NE-10 is always the measuring stick for the rest of the season. And in 2017, the league held their own with a 5-5 overall record. But more importantly, it was 5-3 against Division II competition.

Last year, they were 2-8 overall and ironically, the two victories were had by the teams that played in the NE-10 championship game and ultimately made the playoffs in LIU Post and Assumption.

The league was 2-0 against the CIAA and 3-3 against the PSAC. The three losses against the PSAC were ugly ones and one sided for the PSAC teams. All three PSAC trams scored at least 40 points and the three NE-10 teams combined for 38 points.

Over the years, the NE-10 has become a stronger conference. They are starting to make some noise in Super Region One and need to continue this progress. Moral victories are not going to get teams in the playoffs and the NE-10 schools realize that. They have stepped up their scheduling game to match their on-field game.

The results have been encouraging.

Victory

Pace scored its first victory since 2015 as they knocked off Millersville 28-20. The Setters were very strong on the defensive side of the ball as they caused four turnovers and took advantage of the sloppy Millersville play.

The most impressive play for the Setters' defense was their pass rush. The defensive line was pushing into the backfield and it helped their young linebacker core to make plays. They filled the gaps well and helped to cause a bunch of those turnovers.

The Pace offense was opportunistic with the turnovers. They used short fields to score points as well as holding the ball for the longer drives. Quarterback Dan Anerella spread the ball around to his skill players and let them make plays. The offensive line opened holes for Jhalen Bien-Aime and the receivers made tough catches like the one for a touchdown by Tyler Mason late in the third quarter.

Andy Rondeau's team is not quite ready to compete for the NE-10 title but they will be a thorn in the side of teams this year. They have players capable of making plays and they need to continue their development. They are also capable of grabbing their first NE-10 regular season victory since 2009.

"Home" Game

Stonehill quarterback Matt Foltz played high school football two hours south of Bloomsburg so it is no surprise that he has been dominate in the state of Pennsylvania.

The senior won his second straight on the Bloomsburg turf in the Skyhawks' 44-28 victory last Saturday. Two years ago, it was a 27-10 victory as a sophomore that saw him throw for 175 yards and two scores.
This year, he topped those numbers with 275 yards and three scores as well as a rushing touchdown. Foltz has been a three-year starter for the Skyhawks and feels very comfortable under center.

I picked Stonehill for third in the league because of Foltz. The senior has shown that he can put the team on his back and carrying them to victory. He was banged up a bit last year and it showed at times. If he stays healthy, the Skyhawks are a dangerous team in the league with weapons on both sides of the ball.

Old Face, New Place

Merrimack quarterback CJ Scarpa was a solid high school player who has bounced around to a couple of schools. But he is back close his home in Andover and showed that he is ready for a big season.

Despite Merrimack falling to Bryant 49-41, Scarpa was a big reason why the Warriors were in the game. He threw for 469 yards and four touchdowns. He attempted 73 passes and had two receivers in double digit receptions.

He should pass his 2016 numbers sometime in the third quarter next week. He completed 96 of 165 passes last year to go along with eight touchdowns. He has a little wider open offense at Merrimack than he saw at Bentley the past couple of seasons. It is just one game but he seems to like the change.

I thought that Merrimack would struggle this year to find their rhythm but after one game, it appears that I may be wrong. The defense allowed 39 points in the second half but again, it was a FCS team on the other side of the ball.

It was an impressive showing for Merrimack and they face a strong defense this week at American International.

Old Face, New Place, Part II

LIU Post quarterback Yianni Gavalas is no stranger to Long Island. His hometown is several miles away from the Post campus and he came home for his final year of eligibility.

He picked up where he left off at St. Anselm as he tossed for 273 yards and four scores in the Pioneers' 42-13 victory over Virginia Union.

Gavalas had a solid career with the Hawks but is joining a team that is the reigning NE-10 champ and has a lot of good players on the offensive side of the ball. He has big shoes to fill after Jeff Kidd's MVP season last year and deep run into the playoffs.

Post is known for solid quarterbacks and Gavalas is just the latest in a long line of players that excelled there. He is no stranger to the schemes and defenses in the league and with an extra weapon or two, Post might be back in the same position as last year.

Anniversaries

2017 is the year of the anniversary in the NE-10. Several teams are hitting big milestones in the history of their programs.

It is the 70th year of football at Southern Connecticut. The Owls have one of the oldest programs in the league and were playing independently well before the NE-10 was born.

Pace is hitting their 50th season on the gridiron. The Setters have seen down times in recent memory but the program was very solid for a long time as well as early on in the NE-10.

Stonehill is celebrating their 30th season and has a right tradition on the field. The Skyhawks have seen ups and downs but the past several seasons have been some of the best in N. Easton.

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