By Justin A. Rice/Daily News correspondent


WALTHAM — .Even though the Bentley University football team didn't play last week, it had one of its most productive weeks of the season as far as the standings and polls are concerned.

During its bye week, the Falcons clinched at least a share of the Northeast-10 Conference football championship after Merrimack College outshot Southern Connecticut State, 52-42, on Friday night.

The team also cracked the Top 25 in the AFCA Division II poll for the first time since 2004 and is No. 4 in the Super Region One.

``Which was exciting to hear, but it doesn't mean anything unless we win this Saturday,'' said junior offensive lineman Jared Kawadler. ``It's going to be a huge game.''

Bentley (8-1, 6-1) can clinch the league title outright at noon on Saturday with a victory in its regular season finale at Stonehill College (4-5, 3-4).

``That has been our goal from Day One when we started this year,'' Bentley head coach Thom Boerman said of winning the league.

While Bentley controls its own destiny in terms of the league title, a bid to the postseason is a bit more complicated. A win on Saturday should guarantee its first berth in the Division II tournament since 2004. The Falcons could also make it if they lose, as long as they maintain at least a No. 4 seed in the regional rankings.

``That's something that's harder to control is the national playoff picture,'' Boerman said. ``We've been in the hunt most of the year for a playoff slot, and if we win we're virtually guaranteed a spot. But it's a selection committee, so who knows?

``There's so many factors. I don't know what will happen if we lose. I just have to go under the presumption that we have to win to make it, and if we lose, shame on us.''

Last year's 35-7 loss to Stonehill was so shameful Boerman has been showing his team film from the game.

``We watched that game film and we got that bad taste in our mouth,'' said senior linebacker Matt Zahoruiko. ``We definitely don't want that on Saturday.''

They also don't want to share the league championship. This season would be the third time Bentley has had at least a share of the NE-10 championship. The Falcons won the title outright in 2003, and shared it with C.W. Post the following year.

``We have paid zero attention to that,'' Boerman said of clinching the tie. ``I'm not a huge fan of that. Somebody should be champion of every conference. If we're co-champs, that's great, we would be honored, but we're not focused on that at all.''

Another thing the first-year head coach is trying to keep off his mind and his players' minds is that he was nominated for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year.

``I'm not even thinking about that,'' he said. ``That's a nice honor. That's kind of cool, but I mean the guy leading the voting is way ahead. I appreciate the fact that someone nominated me and I appreciate the support.

``I'm sure all my relatives will vote for me (via the Internet). Other than that, I don't think about that at all. In my first year, even being nominated is a heck of an honor. But first things are first, we gotta take care of business and beat Stonehill. That's where our focus, attention and energy are this week.''

So much so that Boerman has also been showing his team film from games against Stonehill in the early 1990s when the two teams had a bitter rivalry, including when Bentley overcame a two-touchdown deficit in the final five minutes to win.

``That was kind of fun to watch, just seeing that atmosphere between the two schools,'' Zahoruiko said. ``That rivalry is something we, as students, don't know about. It was cool to go back and see the history between the two teams and what the rivalry was about.''

The regional rankings will be used to determine the seedings for the NCAA Division II playoffs. The top two teams in each region receive a first-round bye and the next two hosting first-round games. The NCAA tournament field will be announced Sunday afternoon between 3-3:30 p.m. on ESPNEWS.

``It's been heck of a ride so far and I hope it's not over on Saturday,'' Boerman said. ``If it is, I'm so proud of the team. It's been a heck of a season.

``Hopefully, we'll prevail and see where the chips lie in terms of a playoff spot.''