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BIDDEFORD, Maine – Damien Jones ran wild for the University of New England football team on a stormy Saturday afternoon, helping lift the Nor'easters to a 56-49 overtime victory over Coast Guard during the season opener at Blue Storm Stadium.
 
With UNE leading 42-41, the teams were forced to clear the field at the 9:02 mark of the fourth quarter for a weather delay, but returned to the turf nearly 40 minutes later to finish the game in heavy rain. Chris Lang's touchdown pass to Gavin Anderson drew the Nor'easters even at 49-49 (Watch) with less than two minutes remaining before going to overtime, where Lang answered the call through the air once again, hitting Berto Zepeda for a 21-yard touchdown strike on the opening possession (Watch). The UNE defense followed through with a stop on the Bears' possession to secure the victory.
 
A combined 105 points goes down as the highest scoring game in program history, but the Nor'easters are not strangers to 50-point performances, having cleared the half-century mark twice a season ago.
 
Jones, recently named a preseason All-American by d3football.com, powered UNE's quick-strike offense with 228 yards on 32 carries, including an electrifying 49-yard touchdown in the second quarter (Watch). Jones' production on the ground surpassed his previous career high by more than 100 yards.
 
The Nor'easters' ground game, which racked up 374 yards, also included 83 from Lang and 59 from Nathan Delgado. Lang's work through the air complemented the rushing attack with 295 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Coast Guard out-gained UNE in total yardage (718-647) behind Hensley Harrison's 327 rushing yards and Sean Burns' 332 in the passing game.
 
Facing a 31-21 deficit with the Bears on the Nor'easters 1-yard line, UNE turned the tides in the third quarter by forcing a fumble on Coast Guard's 4th-and-goal try before embarking on a 98-yard touchdown drive. That swing was crucial in UNE outscoring the Bears 28-18 in the second half.
 
UNE's Ben Cardoso matched Coast Guard's Blake Delavan with 16 total tackles. 
 
The Nor'easters are in action at Blue Storm Stadium once again on Saturday, Sept. 13 to host WPI at 1 p.m.