BROOKVILLE, N.Y. - Behind a stellar effort on both sides of the ball, the ninth-ranked LIU Post football team cruised to a 51-16 win over Stonehill on Saturday afternoon.

The win marked the second-straight season that the Pioneers (3-0, 2-0 NE10) hung 51 points on the Skyhawks (1-2, 0-2 NE10) after the green and gold beat Stonehill, 51-20, last season.

Graduate quarterback Yianni Gavalas, the reigning Northeast-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week, completed 35 of his 43 tries through the air, good enough for a 81.4 completion percentage. The Manhasset native accumulated 406 passing yards and connected for four touchdowns on the day. In each of his first three games as a Pioneer, Gavalas has thrown for four scores. His 406 passing yards were one yard better than his 405 last week at New Haven.

Senior Michael Richardson was the recipient of eight Gavalas passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Amir Crenshaw caught three passes, two of which went for scores. Deon Mash and Malik Pierre both caught five passes for 49 and 48 yards respectively.

Mike Williams led a balanced rushing attack as the Westbury native picked up 64 yards on 11 carries. Tim Marinan rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown on five touches, while Pierre took 10 handoffs for 38 yards and a pair of scores.

As a unit, the LIU Post offense racked up 606 yards of total offense and went 6-for-6 in redzone opportunities. The defense held Stonehill to 247 yards and just 6-for-16 on third down.

On the first possession of the game, the Pioneers needed just five plays to go 75 yards for the score. Gavalas hooked up with Richardson for a 55 pass and catch on 3rd and 10 as the LIU Post 25 yard line to swing the momentum. Later in the drive, Gavalas found Richardson again, this time for a 17-yard touchdown to put the green and gold up, 6-0.

On the Pioneers' second possession, the green and gold marched down the field on an 11-play, 70 yard drive. On 3rd and 5 from the Stonehill 10 yard line, Gavalas found Crenshaw in the endzone for the score, giving LIU Post a 13-0 advantage.

The Skyhawks responded with 16 unanswered points to take a 16-13 lead in the second quarter, but it was all LIU Post from there.

Gavalas hit Crenshaw for a 28-yard score to put the Pioneers ahead, 20-16, with five minutes left in the half.

In the closing minutes of the second quarter, Gavalas orchestrated a 10-play, 86-yard drive that spanned 3:01 of game clock. Pierre capped off the series with a four-yard touchdown, putting the Pioneers up, 27-16 late in the quarter.

Then, the Pioneers got the ball back at the Stonehill 17 yard line with 33 seconds before halftime. Pierre eventually took it in from three yards out to give LIU Post a commanding 34-16 lead at the break.

Gavalas hit Mash and Richardson for touchdowns in the second half while Marinan also crossed the goal line for the green and gold. The LIU Post defense pitched a shutout over the final 30 minutes of play. Jake Carlock led the Pioneer defense with six total tackles (5 solo, 1 ast.), an interception and a pass breakup. Jared Chester and Patrick Williams also recorded six tackles. Jess Agbotse and Joe Amalfitano picked up sacks, while Anthony DeNunzio and Breland Archbold each added tackles for loss.

The Pioneers are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 23 when they travel to Waltham, Mass. to take on Bentley at 2 p.m.