CHARLESTON, W.Va. (October 25, 2008) - Another game, another challenge for the first-year varsity program, this time as the NCAA Division II provisional Lake Erie College Storm went on the road and faced the seventh ranked rushing team in the nation which happened to be on a four-game winning streak. The Storm also faced the additional challenge of playing without several of its top players because of injuries and illness, including leading rusher Tony Howard (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights) who did not dress for Saturday afternoon's game against the University of Charleston.

The Golden Eagles scored on  their opening drive on a 58-yard run to go up 7-0. The Storm countered with an 11-play series that ended 74 yards later with a 10-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) to tight end Dane Gardner (Mentor, Ohio/Lake Catholic). A blocked extra point attempt left Lake Erie trailing by one with 8:44 remaining in the first quarter. Charleston scored another touchdown in the opening period on a 21-yard run, to make it 14-6.

In the second quarter, Lake Erie reversed the scoring trend to total 14 points as compared to the Eagles 7 to go into the break down just one, 21-20. Freshman wide receiver Kyle Gregory (Avon, Ohio/Avon) scored the team's second TD of the afternoon on a 31-yard pass from Bedevelsky. Corner back Kenneth Glenn (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) spoiled the Eagles first scoring opportunity by forcing a fumble that was recovered by Lake Erie. Wide receiver Brandon James (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) then found the end zone on a three-yard pass as Cameron Szatala (Lorain, Ohio/Admiral King) kicked the extra point on each of the Storm's scores.

After the break, Charleston strung together three touchdowns in the third quarter, two on rushes and one on a pass, only to be broken up by a 68-yard reception by Dave Romeo (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North).  Another extra point by Szatala kept the game close at the conclusion of the third, with the score at 41-27 in favor of the hosts.

In the final period, Lake Erie brought the score to within seven with less than 12 minutes to play after James' caught his second touchdown pass, this one on a 36-yard throw from Bedevelsky. Charleston finished out the day's scoring with another TD run and  pass to earn its fifth consecutive win by the score of 55-34.

Gregory led the team with 70 receiving yards on five catches while freshman Onesiaum Glass (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central) picked up the slack in Howard's absence with 95 yards on 14 carries. Bedevelsky finished the game 20-for-37 for 279 yards with a program-best five touchdowns and one interception.

Defensively, Bill Finucan (Rocky River, Ohio/Rocky River) turned in another solid performance with 13 tackles and one of the team's three sacks. Freshman Scott Given (Elyria, Ohio/Midview) totaled 11 tackles and also had a sack.

Lake Erie (2-7) remains on the road for its next contest on Nov. 1 at Kentucky Wesleyan. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. CST and will be broadcast live on WELW 1330 AM and welw.com.