PAINESVILLE, OHIO - With wins in three of its last four games,
the Lake Erie College football team looks for its fifth win of the
season this week against Salisbury University. Kickoff at
Jack Britt Memorial Stadium in Painesville is 1 p.m. on Saturday,
Oct. 17.
The Storm (4-3) has already
surpassed its win total from its inaugural 2008 season and is
coming off its most dominating performance of the season, a 36-3
win at the Apprentice School last Saturday, while the Division III
Sea Gulls (3-2) have had a week off since also throttling the
Appentice School, 77-7, back on Oct. 3.
THE SERIES: This is the second meeting between
the two schools. Salisbury won the first meeting, 39-15, last
season in Salisbury, Md. (Oct. 18, 2008). The Sea Gulls
rushed for 533 yards in the win.
THE BROADCAST: The game will be carried live on
flagship station ESPN 970 (WFUN) and streamed online at www.espn970wfun.com with local
sports broadcasting veteran Craig Deas (play-by-play) calling the
action.
THE COACHES: Mark McNellie (Baldwin-Wallace
'88) is in his third season at Lake Erie, guiding the program since
its inception as a club sport in 2007. He has a varsity
record of 7-11 and is 14-13 overall (including club season). Prior
to being named head coach at Lake Erie on Aug. 9, 2006, McNellie
was an assistant coach at Mercyhurst College for 17
years.
Salisbury grad Sherman Wood
('84) is in his 11th season at his alma mater. He is
the school's all-time winningest coach with a 72-34 mark, including
seven consecutive winning seasons entering 2009. Prior to
returning to Salisbury in 1999, he was the head coach at Division
II Bowie State for six seasons (23-37-1).
LAST TIME OUT FOR LAKE ERIE: Lake Erie scored on
its first four possesions and the defense forced five turnovers in
a 36-3 victory at the Apprentice School. Sophomore QB Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) threw for 199 yards and two
touchdowns- on just six completions- in a little over a half and
the Storm rushed for 214 yards, despite missing Tony Howard
(Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights/Kent State) and Kameron Alexander (Akron, Ohio/Buchtel) due to injury. Dave
Romeo(Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North)once again proved to be the big
play maker, hooking-up with Bedevelsky for an 83-yard touchdown on
the third play of the game. It was the longest play in school
history. Defensively, the Storm allowed program lows of three
points and 309 yards. Lake Erie intercepted three passes,
recovered two fumbles and recorded three sacks. David Dunne
(Rocky River, Ohio/Rocky River) led the way with eight stops, an
interception and a sack while Jon Zyznar (Boardman, Ohio/Cardinal
Mooney) and Torre Bogan (Willoughby, Ohio/Willoughby South) also
had
interceptions.
LAST TIME OUT FOR SALISBURY: Salisbury has been
idle since a 77-7 rout of the Apprentice School back on Oct.
3. In that game, the Sea Gulls rushed for 460 yards and seven
touchdowns. Bryan Woolson ran for 120 yards on just three
carries and Sean Kelly threw for 146 yards and three
touchdowns. Both Woolson and Brandon Norwood scored twice on
the ground and Jonathan Briscoe also caught two TD
passes. Justin Chura had eight tackles to lead the defense
which allowed just 287 yards by the Builders.
QUICK SLANTS: With a win, Lake Erie would move
two games above .500 for the first time ever... the Storm is 1-1 at
home this season after posting a 2-4 mark at Britt Stadium in
2008... Lake Erie has scored no fewer than 27 points in any game
this season. The Storm scored fewer than that six times last
year... offensively, Lake Erie has recorded at least 400 yads of
offense in each of the past three games... last week, the
Apprentice School became the first opponent Lake Erie has defeated
twice. The Storm can move to 2-0 against Kentucky Wesleyan in
week 10.
UP NEXT: Lake Erie hosts Urbana University next
Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m. It will be the first meeting
between the Storm and Blue Knights.
