Yetten closes book on 30 years at Bentley

The memories are many. The disappointments few. But after 30 years on the sidelines, 30 years without a fall vacation, Peter Yetten knew it was time to close the book on a brilliant football coaching career at Bentley University.

"No single reason stands out as to why," said Yetten, who makes his home in Westford. "I've put in a lot of time at Bentley. It was a good time for me to transition. I'm not getting younger and there are a few things I want to do. I had fun there. I'm leaving [interim coach Thom Boerman] in pretty good shape. He has a good bunch of kids coming back."

Yetten, who succeeded Jack Regan as coach of a club team in 1979 before taking the program to the varsity level in 1988, was a success from the start and in 30 years as head coach, had just three losing seasons - 4-7 in 1999, 5-6 in 2000, and 5-6 this season. He finished 225-81-2 overall, and 154-60-1 in 21 varsity seasons.

Sprinkled among the 27 winning seasons were National Club Football Association (1982 and 1983), New England College Football Conference (1982, 1983, 1986, and 1988), Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (1990, 1992, 1993, and 1994) and Northeast-10 Conference (2003) championships, and two NCAA Division 2 playoff appearances (2003 and 2004). Throw in a 30-game winning streak from Sept. 10, 1993, to Nov. 4, 1995, three undefeated seasons (10-0-1 in 1982, 10-0 in 1993, and 11-0 in 1994), and you have the ingredients of a very successful career.

"We had a lot of great individual players, but our teams were even greater," said Yetten. "People hear Bentley and don't realize that we had a quarterback [Marc Eddy in 2001-04] who broke Doug Flutie's passing records and a receiver [Dallas Mall in 2001-04] who caught 78 touchdown passes. That was the most in college football history. We had a lineman [Mackenzie Bernadeau 2005-07] who now plays in the NFL. We attracted some top-quality football players.

"Teams? Sure, we had 10-0 and 11-0 teams, but they weren't carbon copies, so I'd have a hard time picking one over the other. And don't even ask me to name my favorite players because I had so many of them."

Yetten said his biggest disappointment was that he couldn't bring a Division 2 national championship home. "Twice we almost got there, but we just couldn't get over the hump. That was tough getting the bid into the playoffs and not winning. Overall, though, I have few regrets and for the most part don't look back. You can't change what happened."

Senior linebacker Mike Muccio of Andover, one of four captains on this year's team, said he could always count on Yetten.

"He is probably one of the most loyal men outside of my family I have ever met," said Muccio. "He was one of the main reasons I came to Bentley. I loved his coaching style. He was a motivator. He'd always go to bat for you. He was a fierce competitor who wanted to win and prepared everyone with that goal in mind."

Athletic director Bob DeFelice appreciates what Yetten meant to the Bentley program.

"Where we are today is because of him," said DeFelice. "He fought for everything. When Bentley went from club football to varsity, they tossed him the ball and said 'good luck.' We're here because of his persistence, perseverance, and commitment. He has been tremendously loyal to his staff and to his players. I have tremendous respect for what he has accomplished."

Yetten hedged a bit when asked if he'd ever return to the coaching ranks.

"Right now, I haven't had a fall vacation for many years. Between recruiting and practice, it's been a long grind," he said. "I started coaching in high school when I was 23 and I'm 60 now. That's a long time. I'm done for now, but am I completely done? Who knows. I'll listen if people want to talk. I never shut the door. For now, though, I think I'll do some fishing."

Postseason honors are starting to flow in for Harvard senior quarterback Chris Pizzotti of Reading, who led the Crimson to their second straight Ivy League title. On Tuesday, he was named the Asa Bushnell Cup Ivy League Player of the Year. A finalist for the Walter Payton Award as the nation's top player, Pizzotti led the Ivy League in passing efficiency (146.19) and completion percentage (193 for 308, .627) for the second straight season. He threw for 2,490 yards - the second-highest output ever at Harvard - and tossed 17 touchdown passes, also the school's second-highest single-season output. He threw just four interceptions, and in Ivy League play, threw 13 touchdown passes against just one interception. He finished his extraordinary career with a 20-2 record as a starter. On Monday, he was chosen winner of the Frederick Greeley Crocker Award as Harvard's MVP for the second straight season.

Lowell opened its Hall of Fame doors recently to five former athletes: Chet Szablak (1944, football and basketball); Brian Donnelly (1971, football and wrestling); Thomas Durkin (1973, football and baseball); Brenda Benoit Coady, (1981, gymnastics and track); and Lori Loureiro Trahan (1991, volleyball, basketball, and track).

Senior captain Meg Curran of Chelmsford capped her US Army career with a third-place finish in the ECAC Cross-Country Championships at Van Cortlandt Park in New York. In her best performance of the season, Curran ran the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 40.11 seconds. . . . Senior Margaret Fawcett of Belmont was the starting goalie for the Brimmer and May School (Chestnut Hill) girls' soccer team, which finished its regular season undefeated at 11-0-2. Fawcett had 12 shutouts and a goals-against-average of .4 per game. . . . Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski of Andover and St. John's Prep, the grandson of Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, will attend Vanderbilt. He turned down overtures from Boston College, Brown, and Harvard. . . . Congratulations to the Chelmsford girls' swim team, which dethroned nine-time champ Andover as state champion. Depth proved the difference for Chelmsford, which failed to win any individual event, but placed multiple swimmers high enough to score points. Acton-Boxborough was second, Reading third, and Andover fourth.

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