Shea Lynch has completed 71% of his passes and thrown just three interceptions in 197 attempts in his first year as a starter at quarterback for Endicott. Photo by Steve LaBonte, d3photography.com

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

Replacing one all-region player can be a challenge for any team.

Try filling the shoes of 11.

For Endicott, that hasn’t been a problem, apparently. The Gulls (8-1) are in position to claim their fifth straight conference title and get back to the NCAA playoffs.

“I think it’s a real testament to our culture,” Endicott senior linebacker Joe Tirrell said. “The guys before us paved the way for us. It’s up to us to carry that on. We basically had a brand-new team this year and guys are getting comfortable with each other and we’re all getting on the same page.

Linebacker Joe Tirrell is a senior who helped mentor those around him on the Endicott defense. Endicott athletics photo

“It sucks to lose guys. I played with a lot of those guys since I got here and they were very talented. But, like our coach says, the end of a season is the death of one team and the rebirth of another team. We’ve just been taking those lessons and culture those guys have passed onto us. The guys understand what the standards are. We’re having fun and playing football.”

Tirrell is one of the few returning starters from an Endicott team that reached the second round of the playoffs last season. A 17-9 setback to Cortland ended the squad’s campaign at 10-2.

Undaunted, the returning Gulls went right to work in the offseason It paid off as, after a Week 2 28-20 loss to Muhlenberg, no team has come within three touchdowns of the squad. The seven-game winning streak produced a 54-10 average margin of victory.

“We lost a lot of good guys from last year, but it’s been awesome what we’ve been able to do,” Endicott junior quarterback Shea Lynch said. “It all starts with our older guys. They set the culture and it’s our job to buy into it and learn from what they taught us. They’ve been great mentors. We’ve been working hard since the offseason and all through camp.”

Lynch, in his first year as the starting signal caller, has seen the unit continue to jell throughout the season. 

“We’re just doing everything together. We’re growing as friends off the field. We’re putting it together and doing what we can on the field,” he said. “I feel like it all starts in practice and working hard against our scout team, which gives us a good look every week. Going against our defense really helps us because they are really good. Our coaches put us in the best spot to succeed. It’s just our job to go execute.”

Defensively, the Gulls feel like they’ve found a rhythm, too. They’ve allowed 10 points total over the past three wins, including last week’s 63-0 shutout of New England.

“We lost a lot of guys, but we had a lot of guys coming back. It just takes a little bit to reestablish that communication. We put a big emphasis on that,” Tirrell said. “We’ve continued to improve that each week and things are really coming together for us.”

With so many new faces in the lineup, Tirrell is one of the veteran Endicott players who assumed a leadership position so crucial to the program’s players.

“When I was a young guy starting to get into the mix and compete any way I could, something that stuck with me was how the upperclassmen helped out – they’d stay and help out after meetings,” he said. “I had guys who helped me out with plays and things I didn’t understand. That instilled in me as a freshman what it means to be a leader. Whether young guys are starting to get playing time now or young guys who might be able to impact the team a year or two after I am gone, I am willing to help them out any way I can. I am so grateful for the help I received, so giving back is something I’ve tried to carry on as much as I could.”

Because Endicott has pulled away from many of its opponents early, it’s allowed reserves and younger players to pick up value game experience, which, in turn, accelerates their development.

“Seeing them go out there and getting a chance to succeed is awesome, especially after being looked at as a mentor by them,” Lynch said. “I remember being in their shoes doing the same thing. I just try to do as much as I can for them.”

The Gulls hope to defend their Conference of New England title this week against Curry (8-1). Both teams are 6-0 in conference play. The winner gets an automatic playoff berth.

“I don’t think there’s any better feeling than winning a conference championship, knowing all the hard work you put in is paying off,” Tirrell said. “So, to be in a position to do that in the last game – it feels like a playoff game. Our guys are pumped up and ready to go. We can’t wait to go out there and compete.”

The Gulls won last year’s meeting, 49-14. However, they know the Colonels are a formidable foe with electric running back Montie Quinn. He rushed for 169 yards and a score against Endicott last year. Just a couple weeks ago, the senior rambled for an NCAA single-game record of 522 yards and seven touchdowns on just 20 carries. He leads D-III with 2,210 rushing yards on the season.

“He’s very talented. I have played against him and we know what he’s capable of,” Tirrell said. “It just comes down to us being better as a unit and doing things the right way, being in the right gaps and wrapping up our tackles. We’re going to doing everything we can to succeed on Saturdays.”