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 2017 season.

Offensive Player of the Year

Yianni Gavalas, QB, LIU Post

The graduate student came home and helped to rewrite the record books. Gavalas became the all-time NE-10 passing yards leader as he had an incredible 2017 season.

He completed 70.8% of his passes as he completed passes to 15 different receivers. Gavalas had 3,087 total yards to go along with 37 touchdowns passes to led the league in both categories. He was picked off a mere eight times during the season for an offense that averaged over 40 points per game.

Gavalas was the main catalyst for one of the top offenses in the league. He is one of the steadiest quarterbacks I have seen play and that is why he is my Offensive Player of the Year.


Defensive Player of the Year

Nick Athy, DB, Bentley

The junior defensive back just has a nose for ball and thus the ball seems to leave the offensive player's hands when he is in the area.

Athy led the Falcons with 76 tackles but that is just part of the story for him. He was also credited with two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions, three pass breakups and one sack. He was always around the ball and played his best against the better opponents in the league.

Athy just snatched this award away from the rest of the league and that is why he is my Defensive Player of the Year.


Coach of the Year

Bill Kavanaugh, Bentley

The fourth-year head coach understands the Bentley football tradition as he was part of the best teams in school history. He is doing his best to put another rung in that ladder.

The Falcons had been 5-6 each of his first three seasons and 2017 was supposed to be more of the same. The team was young and needed some time to mature. A 51-9 loss to West Chester to open the season didn't help. But then the NE-10 fun started.

They defeated St. Anselm and Merrimack to start 2-0 and face LIU Post on homecoming weekend. The Falcons easily defeated Post 40-21 and looked like they would be the real deal in 2017. They lost three of the next four games before defeating New Haven and previously undefeated Assumption to close out the season.

Kavanaugh is responsible for recruiting two of most exciting freshman in the league in Austin Ryan and Stephen Sturm. He also faced a tough decision when Mack Lowrie was injured but he gave the keys of the offense to Sturm and he excelled.

It is the first winning season for Kavanaugh as a head coach and that is why he is my Coach of the Year.


Team of the Year

Bentley Falcons

You knew it was going to a good season on the first play of scrimmage for Bentley. Mack Lowrie dropped back and throw a deep pass to Austin Ryan for a 47-yard gain. The rest of the game was not good for Bentley as they fell 51-9.

The Falcons started 2-0 in the league with wins over St. Anselm and Merrimack. The rest of the league took notice on September 23rd when they easily defeated LIU Post 40-21. The Falcons moved the ball with ease and the defense forced six turnovers in the victory. It was a defining moment for the team as they could play with and beat the better teams in the league.

But they stumbled in the middle part of the schedule. They lost on the road to Pace to close out the first half of the season. They started the second half with a solid win over American International before they had back to back tough losses.

They lost on the road in overtime to Stonehill 41-35. They fumbled on their overtime possession before Stonehill won the game. The next week, Southern Connecticut ran the ball down their throats in a 45-42 loss at home. The main bright spot was the emergence of freshman quarterback Stephen Sturm. The offense suddenly was clicked up a notch and Sturm was the general.

The month of November for the Falcons was memorable. They defeated New Haven 27-24 in overtime as they rallied in the fourth quarter and then made a huge defensive stop before kicking the winning field goal. And then added their second victory over a ranked team.

They walked in Worcester and knocked off Assumption 35-31. It was again the freshman combo of Sturm and Ryan accounting for four scores including a 50-yard touchdown with 1:34 to play.

Bentley is the only team this year to defeat Assumption, LIU Post and New Haven as well as defeating two of them while they were ranked. That is the reason why that they are my Team of the Year.


Game of the Year

LIU Post 35 New Haven 34

It was the opening weekend of league play. Both teams entered the match-up 1-0 after out of conference victories. These teams always play close games and this game would be no different.

The first quarter saw the Chargers take the early advantage. Danny Stock drilled a field goal but the Pioneers responded with a touchdown drive capped off by a Malik Pierre run.

New Haven used a one minute stretch in the second quarter to regain the lead and extend it. Greg Orekoya ran it in from four yards and then a quick three and out for Post saw another big play for the Chargers. Ajee Patterson hit Damon Rodgers for a 57-yard touchdown strike for a 17-7 advantage.

The first half ends with a Stock field goal and New Haven held a 20-14 lead in the locker room.

The second half saw the Charger offense drive the field and Patterson called his own number for a 27-14 lead. Post would mount a comeback as Yianni Gavalas went to work.

He engineered an 86 yard drive topped of with a touchdown pass to Amir Crenshaw to cut the deficit to six. Early in the fourth quarter, he put together a quick drive that resulted in a 21 yard touchdown pass to Deon Mash to recapture the lead 28-27. Then the fun starts.

New Haven drives the field on the next possession as Patterson hits Justin White for the score and gets New Haven back on the positive side of the score, 34-28.

Gavalas then takes the team down the field 83 yards to regain the lead. He tosses his fourth touchdown of the game to Derick Eugene to grab the lead again 35-34.

The Chargers knew their plan and took the kickoff to try to win the game. The drive started on the 30 yard line and slowly moved the ball downfield. A couple of penalties aided the drive as Patterson, Orekoya and Ryan McCarthy chewed up the clock with their legs.

The ball was down to the 10 yard line with under a minute to play. The Chargers were stuffed on their first two running plays and then tried a fade for the winning points. The ball fell incomplete and Stock was set up nicely for the field goal.

But he missed the kick and Post escaped with a 35-34 victory over New Haven. It was the first of four one point games at DellaCamera Stadium this year and the only one that the Chargers ended up on the wrong side of the score.

The game featured several lead changes, an incredible fourth quarter and that is why it is my Game of the Year.