Max Clark wasn’t aware of the numbers he was putting up during Husson’s season-opening 40-13 victory over Framingham State.

The senior quarterback from Bangor completed 23 of 26 passes for 323 yards, the 10th highest single-game total in program history, and three touchdown.

“Yardage-wise, I don’t think I really even had a clue where I was at,” said Clark, the son of Husson head coach Nat Clark. “I actually was a little bit shocked to find out that’s how many yards we had. I had a pretty good feeling the balls were getting completed. I knew we didn’t have a lot of balls on the ground. Guys were making great catches.

“We were taking high-percentage throws, not forcing the ball downfield. But a lot of times, I’m just trying, after each play, to get the next play called, thinking about what we’re going to do and not buying too much stock into what the last play was or how (I) personally am doing.”

Clark added that the offensive line gave him time to find open receivers downfield.

Clark’s completion percentage of 88.4% ranks second best in program history, behind Cory Brandon’s 89.5% completion rate against Alfred State College in 2018. Brandon also holds Husson’s record for most yards in a game, with 404 against Gallaudet in 2018.

Clark said another factor in his success was his familiarity with the receivers, which is the benefit of offseason work by the QB and pass catchers.

“It’s just a lot of confidence and trust,” Clark said. “A lot of those guys that are making plays, not only do we work out during the season, of course, but during the offseason, during the winter, and during the summer. A lot of those guys were able to stay up and I was able to throw with them this summer, which most Division III quarterbacks don’t get. Everyone usually goes home. So to have those guys come up to Bangor or stay in Bangor and be able to work out this summer was definitely huge.”

Saturday was Clark’s second time throwing for more than 300 yards. He had 319 yards last November against Western New England.

Heading into the 2025 season, Clark ranked third in program history in completion percentage (60.9%). Nic Visser (2021-23) is Husson’s career leader at 66.3%. Brandon (2015-18) is second (62%).  

Spera off to a fast start with UMF

Owen Spera, a freshman for the University of Maine-Farmington men’s soccer team, has been finding the back of the net often in the first games of his college career.

The Gorham native had a first-half hat trick in his first career game on Aug. 31 against Nichols. He added two more goals in a 2-2 tie against UMaine-Fort Kent on Sept. 3, and netted his sixth goal of the season in a 4-2 loss to Lassell on Tuesday.

“I was just thinking, like, it’s just such a big relief to grab the first one,” Spera said last Thursday about his first goal. “Especially in the first game, starting as a freshman, it’s not always easy. People put a lot of pressure on you, but I feel like once I got the first one, it kind of just settled me into the game, and I was able to build confidence going forward, just knowing that I can score at this level.”

Spera has already been named rookie of the week twice and player of the week once by the North Atlantic Conference.

After his stellar debut, his confidence was further bolstered when he scored twice against UMFK.

“I was not stressed or worried, but there was definitely a lot of pressure, being rookie and player of the week, that I (had) to perform again,” Spera said. “I had another two goals … and it kind of just relieves more stress knowing that, like, I can do this.”

Jones racks up rushing yards

Damien Jones was one of the University of New England’s key contributors in its 56-49 victory over the Coast Guard.

The junior running back, who was named to D3Football.com’s preseason All-American team, ran for a career-best 228 yards and two scores on 32 carries, including a 62-yard scamper. His previous high was 123 yards against Endicott last season.

Jones was named Conference of New England’s offensive player of the week.

Waryas hits milestone

Maya Waryas, a senior, became the fifth St. Joseph’s College field hockey player with 100 career points, reaching the milestone with her second goal of the game in a 4-1 victory over Lasell on Saturday.

Waryas also had two assists, giving her 102 points. Former Thornton Academy standout Libby Pomerleau (2016-19) is the program leader with 156 points.

Ruth White off and running

Former Orono High standout Ruth White started her sophomore year at the University of New Hampshire in fast fashion, earning her first collegiate cross country victory at the Suffolk Short Course Classic in Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Aug. 30.

White finished the 3-kilometer race in 10 minutes, 59.42 seconds, nearly 4 seconds ahead of runner-up Siena Brunetti (11:03.35) of Holy Cross.

White’s highest cross country finish during her freshman season was third place. She earned All-America honors in outdoor track, placing ninth in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA championships.