Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England established a host of school records to open up Commonwealth Coast Conference play with a 62-26 football win over Nichols College Saturday afternoon (Oct. 14) at Blue Storm Stadium.

The Nor'easters, who extended their best-ever start to 5-1, established program-best marks for points (62), total yards (639) and rushing yards (362) while erasing a 14-7 first-quarter deficit. The setback evened Nichols' overall record at 3-3.

While quarterback Jarrett Henault continued his passing efficiency with an 18-for-24 showing - good for 277 yards and three touchdowns in the air -- it was the ground game that was the story in this one as Henault and rookies Nathan Delgado and Damien Jones combined for 297 rushing yards. Both Delgado (105) and Henault (102) went for triple digits on the ground with each registering a pair of TD runs.

Nichols took the opening kickoff and fashioned a nine-play, 68-yard drive that culminated in quarterback Xavier Powell's 15-yard rush up the middle to give the Bison an early 7-0 advantage. The Nor'easters would respond right away, however, as Jones found the end zone from five yards out to knot the score. Each team would score again on their final possession of the quarter. Powell found Jack Morvan for a 28-yard strike down the middle. The Bison lead was quickly erased when Delgado rushed in from 12 yards out with less a minute to play in the frame.

The defenses tightened things up in the second quarter, with Henault contributing a five-yard TD run for the lone scoring of the stanza.

The second half was all UNE, as the home squad scored touchdowns on each of its four drives while racking up 27 points in the decisive third quarter. Henault sandwiched touchdown passes to Brady Feola and Delgado around a Nichols' score before the Nor'easters broke the game wide open on a 67-yard run up the middle by Delgado and a 63-yard strike from Henault to Berto Zepeda to give the home team a 48-26 after three quarters.

Touchdown runs by Henault and Holdan Wilson capped the offense, as UNE outscored the visitors 14-0 in the final quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Nor'easters were led by Mike Lemay, who had 10 tackles (seven solo). Nate Reid added seven stops, Kese Higgins and Matt Donnelly had six apiece, and Oscar Clark and Anthony Cristoforo each contributed five.

Powell had a monster day for the Bison, totaling 260 yards and three touchdowns in the air. He was 25-for-38 and also legged out 32 net yards. Joshua Vitti led the Nichols ground game with 78 yards, while River Jackson had six catches for 89 yards and a score. Defensively, Derrick Revolus registered nine tackles and Garrhet Manning had eight.

Both teams are back in action next week. The Nor'easters head to Milton, Mass. to take on Curry, while Nichols hosts Endicott.