Coaches predict Gulls to take 2011 NEFC Championship
August 22, 2011
MANCHESTER, N.H. – In a poll voted upon by the conference head coaches, the Endicott Gulls were selected as the preseason favorites to repeat and claim the 2011 New England Football Conference (NEFC). Nine of the 16 coaches predicted Endicott to earn the automatic qualifying bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Last season, Endicott had their best season in program history with a 9-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark against NEFC Boyd Division rivals. Several benchmark wins set the tone for the record-breaking campaign including a 33-27 triple overtime victory over Framingham State in the season opener, a stunning 29-28 fourth quarter comeback win on the road over Salve Regina, and a 25-13 home triumph over Western New England to essentially lock up the NEFC Boy Division title.
After winning the NEFC Boyd Division, the Blue and Green traveled up to Castine, Maine to take on the nation’s top-ranked offense in Maine Maritime Academy for the NEFC Championship trophy. After exchanging touchdowns for much of the game, the Gulls delivered the final blow on a Mike Lane touchdown run with 58 seconds left in the game to win 38-35. The NEFC Championship was Endicott’s first title for the eighth-year program. One week later, Endicott traveled to Cortland State to take on the nation’s top-ranked defense in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gulls got two passing and one rushing touchdown from quarterback Phil Konopka but Endicott came up short against the Red Dragons, falling 49-35.
The Gulls ended their 2010 season having broken program records in wins (9), numerous offensive categories including scoring (353 points on 44 TDs, 41 PATs, 14 FGs) and several defensive categories like tackles for a loss (94.0), sacks (27.0), forced fumbles (12), and pass breakups (47).
In mid-August, the Gulls return to gridiron for preseason activities with numerous offensive and defensive All-Conference players back on the roster including First Teamers at quarterback, running back, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, and placekicker. Captains Mike Lane, Phil Konopka, Taylor Allen, Sean Gaffney, Kevin Eagan, Bill Hickey and Nick Scozzaro will provide senior leadership to the over 100 players expected to don the Blue and Green.
Senior quarterback Phil Konopka returns under center for the Gulls after shattering every Endicott passing record in 2010. Konopka set records in yards (2282), touchdowns (22), completions (208), completion percentage (57.3), and yards per game (190.2). The NEFC Boyd First Team play-caller threw just four interceptions last season and led the Gulls to three fourth-quarter comeback victories. Backing up Konopka, following the loss of Matt DeOliveira to graduation, remains unknown prior to the start of preseason but sophomores Dave St. Pierre and Stefan Jensen as well as some talented freshman quarterbacks will all vie for the role.
Endicott will see eight returners rotate in-and-out of the offensive line to protect the quarterback and push the Gulls running attack, including six seniors. Two-time NEFC Boyd First Team guard and 2011 D3 Senior Classic Preseason All-American Honorable Mention Nick Molinari headlines the list of seniors on the offensive line. Molinari was also named to the D3Football.com All-East Region Offensive Third Team for his efforts in allowing just 13 opposing sacks and creating 131.6 rushing yards of offense per game. Other seniors joining him on the line will be NEFC Boyd Second Team and NEFC All-Academic center Mike Zupkosky and NEFC Boyd Second Team tackle Sean Gaffney as well as Andrew Fellini, Mark Ledbetter and NEFC All-Academic member Pat McMenimen. Talented junior Ian Suter will also play a major role in Endicott’s offensive line production in 2011.
At tailback, senior Mike Lane is coming off a 1,247-yard rushing season with eight total touchdowns, including seven on the ground. Lane’s standout game came in an October 30th Endicott win last year over Western New England when he rushed a record 47 times for 183 yards, setting up the Gulls passing game. Coach Wells complements Lane on his ability not only to find the opening rushing lanes but to also catch the ball out of the backfield. He earned NEFC Boyd First Team and NEFC All-Academic Team honors last year and will once again be handed ball this upcoming season. Juniors Jared DiBiase and Merrimack transfer Mike Wheeler will each get carries in a backup role with a number of underclassmen looking to gain experience throughout the season.
Seniors Justin Burl and Izzy Abraham will compete at the fullback position, providing critical blocking support for Endicott’s running backs.
The Gulls will have several key returners catching balls in the open field including seniors Taylor Allen, Ryan Carino, and Mike Fimiani. Allen, named NEFC Boyd First Team, D3Football.com All-East Region Third Team and 2011 Consensus Draft Services Preseason All-American First Team at tight end, led Endicott with seven touchdown receptions in 2010. Allen will also continue to handle the long snapping duties on special teams. Wide out Ryan Carino shattered his previous best with a team-high 52 catches last season while finding the end zone twice. Fimiani, also a NEFC Academic All-Conference honoree, has been Endicott’s most consistent receiver over the course of his career with 20-plus catches in each of his three previous seasons, including 24 a year ago. The Blue and Green will also look to 6’2 sophomore Mike Murphy to increase upon his 22-catch total from his rookie campaign.
On the defensive side of the ball, defensive lineman Kevin Eagan enters his senior season as the most highly decorated player in Endicott football history having won NEFC Boyd Defensive Player of the Year, ECAC Division III North Defensive Player of the Year, NEFC Boyd Rookie of the Year, NEFC Boyd Defensive Line First Team (twice), New England Football Writers Division II/III All-Star (twice), D3Football.com All-East Region Second Team, and numerous player of the week honors. Heading into 2011, Eagan has now been recognized as a Preseason All-American by both the Consensus Draft Services and the D3 Senior Classic. Rightfully so, as the fourth-year lineman has compiled stellar career numbers including 267 tackles, 47.0 tackles for a loss, and 15.0 sacks, not to mention his overwhelming presence on the field. In 12 games last season, Eagan had a team-high 94 tackles, including 18.0 for a loss with eight sacks. He forced two fumbles, recovered one and blocked a kick.
Endicott’s linebacking core is made up three of the team’s top-five tacklers from 2010. Junior Craig Lussier finished the season with 82 tackles, four pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery. Junior Pete Kallas had 73 tackles, including nine that went for a loss of yards. Kallas was also recognized as a NEFC Defensive Honor Roll member after his week six performance against Nichols when he made 14 tackles, five of which were solo, and forced a fumble that was eventually turned into a safety. Nick Scozzaro had a strong junior season with 61 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and 6.0 sacks. He also had two picks, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. Scozzaro was named NEFC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording three sacks, an interception and 10 tackles against Western New England in week nine. Coach Wells anticipates that junior Oscar Moore, who finished the year strong after filling the hole left by the injured Mike Dillon last season, and sophomore Nick Kozlowski will continue to make improvements and contribute towards Endicott’s defensive efforts.
The Gulls defensive backfield will feature some new starters as last year’s team graduated three players in Kyle Capsalis, PJ Bay, and Jordan Fields. 2010 NEFC Boyd Division First Team senior Bill Hickey returns as the veteran of the Endicott defensive backfield with 31 career games played under his belt. Last season, Hickey recorded two interceptions and broke up 12 passes. Sophomores Jason Silva and Andrew Lawson are expected to step into bigger roles in their second seasons with the Gulls at the safety position. Senior Mike Kearns should see significant playing time at one of the cornerback positions as he showed good mobility as a backup last season. Coach Wells also anticipates that sophomore Sean Griffith, a versatile athlete who also contributed in the punting game in 2010, will be a valuable defensive back for the Blue and Green this fall.
On special teams, rising senior Topher Pochebit has always done whatever was asked of him and Coach Wells plans to continue using him in a variety of special teams roles. In the return game, junior Cameron Lett handled the majority of the punt return duties last season, averaging 7.9 yards per return with his longest return coming in at 22 yards. Lett is sure-handed on the catch and developed a strong return game as the season wore on. The aforementioned Mike Wheeler will be given the opportunity to show off his abilities on kickoffs. Last season for Merrimack, Wheeler returned seven kickoffs for 96 yards, an average of 13.7 yards per return with his season long coming in at 24 yards.
The placekicking responsibilities will be handled once again by sophomore standout Dylan Rushe, winner of several postseason awards including NEFC Boyd First Team Placekicker, D3Football.com All-East Region First Team, and ECAC Division III North Special Teams All-Star. Most recently, Rushe was named to the Watch List for the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award for placekicking excellence on the field and significant, selfless contribution off the field in his community. In 2010, he led the Gulls in scoring with 81 points on 14-of-19 field goal attempts and a perfect 39-of-39 in point after tries. His 81 points ranked him first in the NEFC in scoring and 13th in all of NCAA Division III. Rushe showed the ability to hit long range field goals, converting 2-of-3 attempts from 40-49 yards, 7-of-11 attempts from 30-39 yards, while making all five attempts from inside 30 yards.
Coach Wells will welcome back several coaches from last season for Endicott’s upcoming fall campaign including Associate Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator Tony Volpone, Defensive Coordinator Bob Holmes, Receivers Coach and Co-Special Teams Coordinator Drew Canan, and Linebackers Coach and Co-Special Teams Coordinator Todd Lemoine. Jason Scott, who assisted the Gulls during the 2010 preseason, returns on the full-time basis to work with the defensive line. Scott was the head coach at Loughborough University in England and has worked with a number of the top collegiate football teams in the United Kingdom. Coach Wells has also brought on Bob Rosenthal, former Wesleyan University captain and intern with Yale University football, to coach the running backs as well as former Gulls captain Dan Leary to coach the defensive backs. Leary was an assistant coach at St. Anselm last season. Paul McGonagle, former head coach at Fitchburg State and assistant at Eastern Kentucky, Bucknell, Stonybrook and Bentley, joins Wells’ coaching staff and will work with the tight ends.
There are a number of highly anticipated games on the 2011 schedule including Endicott’s season and home opener on September 3rd against NEFC Bogan Division rival and last year’s ECAC Northeast Bowl winner Framingham State. On September 24th, the Gulls will host a crucial NEFC Boyd Division game as Salve Regina visits Endicott Stadium. October 15th is Homecoming Weekend and Endicott hosts Plymouth State, the only divisional opponent to beat the Gulls in 2010. Endicott’s final NEFC Boyd Division test will be Western New England on October 29th at Golden Bear Stadium in Springfield. After Endicott’s division clinching win over the Golden Bears last season, Western New England went on to beat Maine Maritime in the ECAC North Central Bowl. The Gulls hope that by season’s end, they will be competing for the second year in-a-row in the NEFC Championship set to be played on November 12th.
Endicott (62) claimed the top spot in the NEFC Boyd Division, edging conference rival Western New England (52), after being projected to finish first in the division by six of the eight coaches. Rounding out the rankings in the Boyd Division were Salve Regina (47), Curry (44), Plymouth State (32), UMass Dartmouth (19), MIT (17), and Nichols (15).
In the NEFC Bogan Division, Maine Maritime Academy once again was predicted to reach the conference championship game with five of the eight league coaches voting in their favor. Framingham State (47), Bridgewater State (46), Massachusetts Maritime Academy (37), Westfield State (35), Worcester State (31), Coast Guard Academy (24), and Fitchburg State (10) rounded out the Bogan Division ranks.
If the preseason poll holds true, on November 12th Endicott and Maine Maritime will battle for the NEFC Championship trophy at the site of the Boyd Division winner.
A quick look at the 2011 Endicott football team hints that this year’s Gulls will have a hard time not repeating their record-breaking success from 2010, but head coach JB Wells knows that his team needs to continue to get better if they want back-to-back New England Football (NEFC) Championships and another appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
“Our key to success hasn’t changed since last year,” says Wells, winner of Coach of the Year honors from both the New England Football Writers and the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston for Division II/III. “We need to keep improving and doing the little things right. Last year, our junior class was our core and that group will need to be leaders this season and relay that message to our younger players.”
Last season, Endicott had their best season in program history with a 9-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark against NEFC Boyd Division rivals. Several benchmark wins set the tone for the record-breaking campaign including a 33-27 triple overtime victory over Framingham State in the season opener, a stunning 29-28 fourth quarter comeback win on the road over Salve Regina, and a 25-13 home triumph over Western New England to essentially lock up the NEFC Boy Division title.
After winning the NEFC Boyd Division, the Blue and Green traveled up to Castine, Maine to take on the nation’s top-ranked offense in Maine Maritime Academy for the NEFC Championship trophy. After exchanging touchdowns for much of the game, the Gulls delivered the final blow on a Mike Lane touchdown run with 58 seconds left in the game to win 38-35. The NEFC Championship was Endicott’s first title for the eighth-year program. One week later, Endicott traveled to Cortland State to take on the nation’s top-ranked defense in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gulls got two passing and one rushing touchdown from quarterback Phil Konopka but Endicott came up short against the Red Dragons, falling 49-35.
The Gulls ended their 2010 season having broken program records in wins (9), numerous offensive categories including scoring (353 points on 44 TDs, 41 PATs, 14 FGs) and several defensive categories like tackles for a loss (94.0), sacks (27.0), forced fumbles (12), and pass breakups (47).
In mid-August, the Gulls return to gridiron for preseason activities with numerous offensive and defensive All-Conference players back on the roster including First Teamers at quarterback, running back, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, and placekicker. Captains Mike Lane, Phil Konopka, Taylor Allen, Sean Gaffney, Kevin Eagan, Bill Hickey and Nick Scozzaro will provide senior leadership to the over 100 players expected to don the Blue and Green.
Senior quarterback Phil Konopka returns under center for the Gulls after shattering every Endicott passing record in 2010. Konopka set records in yards (2282), touchdowns (22), completions (208), completion percentage (57.3), and yards per game (190.2). The NEFC Boyd First Team play-caller threw just four interceptions last season and led the Gulls to three fourth-quarter comeback victories. Backing up Konopka, following the loss of Matt DeOliveira to graduation, remains unknown prior to the start of preseason but sophomores Dave St. Pierre and Stefan Jensen as well as some talented freshman quarterbacks will all vie for the role.
Endicott will see eight returners rotate in-and-out of the offensive line to protect the quarterback and push the Gulls running attack, including six seniors. Two-time NEFC Boyd First Team guard and 2011 D3 Senior Classic Preseason All-American Honorable Mention Nick Molinari headlines the list of seniors on the offensive line. Molinari was also named to the D3Football.com All-East Region Offensive Third Team for his efforts in allowing just 13 opposing sacks and creating 131.6 rushing yards of offense per game. Other seniors joining him on the line will be NEFC Boyd Second Team and NEFC All-Academic center Mike Zupkosky and NEFC Boyd Second Team tackle Sean Gaffney as well as Andrew Fellini, Mark Ledbetter and NEFC All-Academic member Pat McMenimen. Talented junior Ian Suter will also play a major role in Endicott’s offensive line production in 2011.
At tailback, senior Mike Lane is coming off a 1,247-yard rushing season with eight total touchdowns, including seven on the ground. Lane’s standout game came in an October 30th Endicott win last year over Western New England when he rushed a record 47 times for 183 yards, setting up the Gulls passing game. Coach Wells complements Lane on his ability not only to find the opening rushing lanes but to also catch the ball out of the backfield. He earned NEFC Boyd First Team and NEFC All-Academic Team honors last year and will once again be handed ball this upcoming season. Juniors Jared DiBiase and Merrimack transfer Mike Wheeler will each get carries in a backup role with a number of underclassmen looking to gain experience throughout the season.
Seniors Justin Burl and Izzy Abraham will compete at the fullback position, providing critical blocking support for Endicott’s running backs.
The Gulls will have several key returners catching balls in the open field including seniors Taylor Allen, Ryan Carino, and Mike Fimiani. Allen, named NEFC Boyd First Team, D3Football.com All-East Region Third Team and 2011 Consensus Draft Services Preseason All-American First Team at tight end, led Endicott with seven touchdown receptions in 2010. Allen will also continue to handle the long snapping duties on special teams. Wide out Ryan Carino shattered his previous best with a team-high 52 catches last season while finding the end zone twice. Fimiani, also a NEFC Academic All-Conference honoree, has been Endicott’s most consistent receiver over the course of his career with 20-plus catches in each of his three previous seasons, including 24 a year ago. The Blue and Green will also look to 6’2 sophomore Mike Murphy to increase upon his 22-catch total from his rookie campaign.
On the defensive side of the ball, defensive lineman Kevin Eagan enters his senior season as the most highly decorated player in Endicott football history having won NEFC Boyd Defensive Player of the Year, ECAC Division III North Defensive Player of the Year, NEFC Boyd Rookie of the Year, NEFC Boyd Defensive Line First Team (twice), New England Football Writers Division II/III All-Star (twice), D3Football.com All-East Region Second Team, and numerous player of the week honors. Heading into 2011, Eagan has now been recognized as a Preseason All-American by both the Consensus Draft Services and the D3 Senior Classic. Rightfully so, as the fourth-year lineman has compiled stellar career numbers including 267 tackles, 47.0 tackles for a loss, and 15.0 sacks, not to mention his overwhelming presence on the field. In 12 games last season, Eagan had a team-high 94 tackles, including 18.0 for a loss with eight sacks. He forced two fumbles, recovered one and blocked a kick.
Joining Eagan on the defensive line will be seniors Andrew Zani and Chris Gogolos as well as sophomores Marcell Cooper and Alex Filomeno. Cooper led this group of players with 51 tackles with 2.5 sacks. Gogolos recorded 27 takedowns with 1.5 sacks while Filomeno and Zani had 22 and 19 tackles, respectively. Gogolos has also been recognized for his efforts in the classroom with NEFC Academic All-Conference honors.
Endicott’s linebacking core is made up three of the team’s top-five tacklers from 2010. Junior Craig Lussier finished the season with 82 tackles, four pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery. Junior Pete Kallas had 73 tackles, including nine that went for a loss of yards. Kallas was also recognized as a NEFC Defensive Honor Roll member after his week six performance against Nichols when he made 14 tackles, five of which were solo, and forced a fumble that was eventually turned into a safety. Nick Scozzaro had a strong junior season with 61 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and 6.0 sacks. He also had two picks, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. Scozzaro was named NEFC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording three sacks, an interception and 10 tackles against Western New England in week nine. Coach Wells anticipates that junior Oscar Moore, who finished the year strong after filling the hole left by the injured Mike Dillon last season, and sophomore Nick Kozlowski will continue to make improvements and contribute towards Endicott’s defensive efforts.
The Gulls defensive backfield will feature some new starters as last year’s team graduated three players in Kyle Capsalis, PJ Bay, and Jordan Fields. 2010 NEFC Boyd Division First Team senior Bill Hickey returns as the veteran of the Endicott defensive backfield with 31 career games played under his belt. Last season, Hickey recorded two interceptions and broke up 12 passes. Sophomores Jason Silva and Andrew Lawson are expected to step into bigger roles in their second seasons with the Gulls at the safety position. Senior Mike Kearns should see significant playing time at one of the cornerback positions as he showed good mobility as a backup last season. Coach Wells also anticipates that sophomore Sean Griffith, a versatile athlete who also contributed in the punting game in 2010, will be a valuable defensive back for the Blue and Green this fall.
On special teams, rising senior Topher Pochebit has always done whatever was asked of him and Coach Wells plans to continue using him in a variety of special teams roles. In the return game, junior Cameron Lett handled the majority of the punt return duties last season, averaging 7.9 yards per return with his longest return coming in at 22 yards. Lett is sure-handed on the catch and developed a strong return game as the season wore on. The aforementioned Mike Wheeler will be given the opportunity to show off his abilities on kickoffs. Last season for Merrimack, Wheeler returned seven kickoffs for 96 yards, an average of 13.7 yards per return with his season long coming in at 24 yards.
The placekicking responsibilities will be handled once again by sophomore standout Dylan Rushe, winner of several postseason awards including NEFC Boyd First Team Placekicker, D3Football.com All-East Region First Team, and ECAC Division III North Special Teams All-Star. Most recently, Rushe was named to the Watch List for the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award for placekicking excellence on the field and significant, selfless contribution off the field in his community. In 2010, he led the Gulls in scoring with 81 points on 14-of-19 field goal attempts and a perfect 39-of-39 in point after tries. His 81 points ranked him first in the NEFC in scoring and 13th in all of NCAA Division III. Rushe showed the ability to hit long range field goals, converting 2-of-3 attempts from 40-49 yards, 7-of-11 attempts from 30-39 yards, while making all five attempts from inside 30 yards.
Coach Wells will welcome back several coaches from last season for Endicott’s upcoming fall campaign including Associate Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator Tony Volpone, Defensive Coordinator Bob Holmes, Receivers Coach and Co-Special Teams Coordinator Drew Canan, and Linebackers Coach and Co-Special Teams Coordinator Todd Lemoine. Jason Scott, who assisted the Gulls during the 2010 preseason, returns on the full-time basis to work with the defensive line. Scott was the head coach at Loughborough University in England and has worked with a number of the top collegiate football teams in the United Kingdom. Coach Wells has also brought on Bob Rosenthal, former Wesleyan University captain and intern with Yale University football, to coach the running backs as well as former Gulls captain Dan Leary to coach the defensive backs. Leary was an assistant coach at St. Anselm last season. Paul McGonagle, former head coach at Fitchburg State and assistant at Eastern Kentucky, Bucknell, Stonybrook and Bentley, joins Wells’ coaching staff and will work with the tight ends.
There are a number of highly anticipated games on the 2011 schedule including Endicott’s season and home opener on September 3rd against NEFC Bogan Division rival and last year’s ECAC Northeast Bowl winner Framingham State. On September 24th, the Gulls will host a crucial NEFC Boyd Division game as Salve Regina visits Endicott Stadium. October 15th is Homecoming Weekend and Endicott hosts Plymouth State, the only divisional opponent to beat the Gulls in 2010. Endicott’s final NEFC Boyd Division test will be Western New England on October 29th at Golden Bear Stadium in Springfield. After Endicott’s division clinching win over the Golden Bears last season, Western New England went on to beat Maine Maritime in the ECAC North Central Bowl. The Gulls hope that by season’s end, they will be competing for the second year in-a-row in the NEFC Championship set to be played on November 12th.
2011 NEFC Preseason Poll*
| Bogan Division | Boyd Division | ||
| Institution | Point Total | Institution | Point Total |
| Maine Maritime^ | 58 | Endicott^ | 62 |
| Framingham State | 47 | Western New England | 52 |
| Bridgewater State | 46 | Salve Regina | 47 |
| Massachusetts Maritime | 37 | Curry | 44 |
| Westfield State | 35 | Plymouth State | 32 |
| Worcester State | 31 | UMass Dartmouth | 19 |
| Coast Guard | 24 | MIT | 17 |
| Fitchburg State | 10 | Nichols | 15 |
* 8 points awarded for a first place vote, seven for a second place vote, etc…
^ won their respective divisions in the 2010 season