Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
BIDDEFORD, Maine – The University of New England football team put up a season-best 740 total yards of offense in a dominant finish to the regular season, throttling New England College in the Battle for Route 202 by a final score of 59-3 on Saturday afternoon at Blue Storm Stadium.
Saturday's game was the inaugural Battle for Route 202, named for the prominent New England route that connects the Southern Maine region with Henniker, New Hampshire (home of New England College).
The Nor'easters finish the regular season with a program-best 8-2 record (5-2 CNE) and are undefeated at home (6-0) for the first time ever. UNE's offense, which soared to new heights this season, entered the day ranking among the nation's top 20 in points per game (42.9), and surpassed 50 points for the fourth time this season during Saturday's Conference of New England victory.
Zak Ramos, who ran 20 times for 120 yards, spearheaded a UNE rushing attack that amassed 402 yards. Damien Jones needed just five carries, including a highlight-reel first-quarter touchdown run (Watch), to rack up 90 yards. Javin Willis' 10 carries netted 86 yards.
The passing game clicked for the Nor'easters as well, with Chris Lang putting up 271 yards while completing 21-of-24 through the air with two touchdowns. Dante Howard and Gavin Martin both added to the team passing total during the second half, and Martin was able to pick up his first career passing touchdown with an 18-yard strike to John Germano early in the third quarter (Watch). UNE saw additional first-career scores from Jon Terry (Watch) and Aidan DiMillo (Watch).
Only a fourth-quarter field goal from NEC (1-9, 1-6) kept the Nor'easters from their first shutout of the season. The Pilgrims struggled to break through in their run game, with their 32 total carries going for just 64 yards (yardage from a pair of sacks deducted from that total), and turned the ball over twice in the passing game. Ben Cardoso stood out on the UNE defense with an interception and a sack.
Eight of the Nor'easters' 11 offensive possessions ended in touchdowns, and all but two ended in points (factoring in Jack Niland's fourth-quarter 23-yard field goal).