Bentley football captures NE-10 title, postseason berth 

Isaiah Osgood took the snap, surveyed the field and took off.

With blockers and daylight, the Bentley backup quarterback scampered for an eight-yard go-ahead touchdown in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. An interception off a tipped pass moments later all but sealed the eventual 20-17 victory over No. 24 Assumption  — and a Northeast-10 Conference regular season title and automatic bid to the NCAA DII Championship tournament. 

“Our coach was telling me, ‘don’t even throw the ball, just run it’,” Osgood said amidst the postgame on-field celebration. “He trusted me. I trust my guys to block for me and they did exactly that.”

The Falcons (6-3, 6-1 NE10) continued their turnaround stretch in dismantling the Greyhounds (7-2, 6-1) and handing them their first league loss at Peter Yetten Field on a sunny Saturday afternoon. This is the first year of the conference regular season winners earning a guaranteed postseason berth. Bentley last competed in the postseason in 2021. The outright league title is the program’s third-ever and first since 2019.

Osgood, a junior, came in relief of starting quarterback Luke Warnock late. The former rushed for 29 yards on five carries and completed one pass for 45 yards. Warnock (18-of-32, 245 yards) threw and ran for one touchdown. Osgood entered the game as part of situational strategy.

“Coach trusted me with the ball,” Osgood said. “[Warnock] is a good quarterback. Just in this situation, I was trusted with the ball and took advantage of the opportunity.” 

Graduate student receiver Isaiah Decias (6 receptions, 153 yards, touchdown) and graduate student tight end Pat Damon (7 receptions, 94 yards) posted big games.  

Quarterback Jay Kastantin (27-of-38, 332 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) kept the Greyhounds in it. Receiver Connor Smith (9 receptions, 126 yards, 1 touchdown) also posed a threat to the Bentley defense. The Falcons sacked Kastantin four times.

CJ Scarpa’s tenure as Bentley’s coach started with a bumpy stretch. The Falcons lost their first three games, but the 2017 graduate and former Falcons quarterback guided Bentley to five straight wins entering the conference regular season title showdown. 

The Falcons host American International in the regular season finale next Saturday, November 15, at 1 p.m. Postseason play begins the following weekend with matchups to be determined.

“Man, we stuck together. Know what I’m saying?” Osgood said. “We were never down on ourselves. We never quit on the team …. We fought back.”