Tyler Halls wasn’t sure what, if any, impact he’d have on the Husson University football team when he transferred from Western New England University (Springfield, Massachusetts) in 2018.

Husson wide receiver Tyler Halls, a Liston High School graduate, looks to shed a UMass-Dartmouth defender during a season-opening game Sept. 4 in Bangor. Photo provided by Husson University/Eric Ogden

“I really didn’t know if I would play a lot, to be honest,” said Halls, a 2017 Lisbon High graduate. “Coming in from Western New England, and knowing there were a lot of receivers here already, I just wasn’t sure.”

Fast forward to the present, and Halls not only has played, but he’s breaking program records on a near weekly basis.

In a 10-7 victory over Plymouth State on Sept. 11, Halls set the Husson career mark for receptions. A week later, in a 42-14 win over Dean College, he broke the program mark for career receiving yards.

“Surreal,” said Halls, who has 123 receptions for 1,671 yards in three seasons with the Eagles (2-1). “It’s crazy to think about. When I do think about it, I get emotional. I kind of expected to do it this year, and it all just came together.”

Added Husson coach Nat Clark: “Tyler is just a tremendous player. We’ve had some very, very talented receivers over the years, so to break those records is outstanding.”

Halls leads a talented group of Husson receivers who’ve enjoyed big games of late.

Jon Bell, a 2018 Skowhegan Area High School graduate, had five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns — the first scores of his college career — against Dean.

“To finally score a touchdown in college, it’s a great feeling,” Bell said. “I’m a junior on the field now, so this is very exciting. I had a feeling my time would come at some point. But of course it’s very exciting to get that first touchdown.”

Bell began his Husson career as an outside receiver, but Clark said they moved him into the slot this fall to better utilize his skillset.

Husson wide receiver Jon Bell looks to get away from a Dean College defender during a Sept. 17 game in Bangor. Photo provided by Husson University/Eric Ogden

“He does a lot for us,” he said. “He’s just really versatile. He’s just so dynamic with the football so we made that move.”

Bell has 15 catches for 223 yards in three games this season.

“He’s just hung in there,” Clark said. “He’s stayed with it, and he’s seeing the fruits of his work now.”

FORMER LEWISTON standout Garrett Poussard had a career day in Husson’s win over Dean on Friday.

Poussard, a 2018 Lewiston High School graduate, ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns (9, 5 and 4 yards) on 27 carries. Earlier this week, he was chosen as the Commonwealth Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

DEFENISVELY, HUSSON is led by senior captain Kaleb Caron, a 2017 Gardiner graduate.

Caron, a linebacker, has 18 tackles, an interception and a sack through the first three games.

“I definitely like to think I play fast and physical,” he said. “I’m happy with where we are at as a defense. Honestly, especially this early in the season, we are at a good point.”

The Eagles will host Springfield (Massachusetts) College on Saturday at 1 p.m. — the last non-conference game on the slate.

MORGHAN DUTIL, a Leavitt Area High School graduate, set a pair of Husson University golf records over the weekend.

Dutil shot the lowest score in program history with a 75 and the lowest two-round score, 156, during the Husson Tournament at the Bangor Municipal Golf Course.

Dutil finished tied for first, and the Eagles placed second. On Wednesday, she was announced as the Northeast Women’s Golf Conference Rookie of the Week, which makes her the first Husson women’s golfer to earn a conference weekly award.

MITCHELL COLLEGE freshman goalie Gemma Landry was picked as the New England Collegiate Conference Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Week for the second time this week.

Landry, a Lewiston High School graduate, made 26 saves and notched a 0.929 save percentage in the Mariners’ games against Dean College and Eastern Connecticut State University.

MOHAMED MATAN, who played at Lewiston High School, has been chosen as the YSCC Men’s Soccer Player of the Week.

The Central Maine Community College freshman scored two goals in a 4-2 win over Southern Maine Community College.

BATES COLLEGE KICKER Simon Redfern was selected as the NESCAC Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance during the Bobcats’ 28-20 football loss to Amherst on Saturday.

Redfern accounted for eight points, making both of his field goals (26 and 34 yards, the latter a career high) and both of the extra points he attempted.

LAST WEEK, BATES’ Jillian Richardson, an Edward Little High School graduate, was named the NESCAC Women’s Cross Country Performer of the Week.

Richardson, a junior from Auburn, led the Bobcats over Bowdoin and Colby at the CBB Class Wave Races in Waterville on Sept. 11.  Richardson, who was a 2019 All-NESCAC selection, had the fastest time of the meet, finishing the 3.97-kilometer course in 14 minutes, 47 seconds.

CMCC GOALIE Emma Johnson, who played at Monmouth Academy, was named Women’s Division 2 Soccer Goalie of the Week earlier this month.

The freshman made nine saves in the Mustangs’ 4-1 win over Bristol Community College on Sept. 4.

COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
ST. JOSEPH’S 4, UMF 2: Olivia Esposito opened the scoring on a feed from Cailin Seavey, and Emma Rutledge added an unassisted goal as the Monks (5-1) grabbed the early advantage and downed the visiting Beavers (2-3) at Standish on Wednesday.

Aimee Adams added a second period goal on an Alison Michalik pass and Esposito rounded out the scoring from Rutledge in the third.

Chloe Horn and Abby Pomerleau were the goal scorers for UMaine-Farmington.

WOMEN’S SOCCER
BATES 0, UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND 0, TIE:  Sydney Gillingham made three saves for the Nor’easters (4-2-1) and Kat Nuckols stopped a pair of shots for the Bobcats (1-2-2) as the teams played to a scoreless draw at Biddeford.

The Times Record staff writer Eli Canfield and Sun Journal sports editor Lee Horton contributed to this report.