WEST LIBERTY, W. VA. --  After spotting West Liberty University a 21-0 lead in the first half, the Lake Erie College football team made a second-quarter run to cut the deficit to seven. However, a 21-point outburst by the Hilltoppers to open the second half put an end to the Storm's comeback hopes and sent West Liberty on to a 62-28 victory this afternoon (Sept. 12) at Russek Field.  

After the Storm (1-2) cut the lead to 28-21, the Hilltoppers (2-1) rattled off 34 unanswered points, the majority of those coming on the first three possessions of the second half, to blow open the game.  

The theme of the day was big plays, as the two offenses combined for 1,084 yards. West Liberty's first score came on a 53-yard pass from Zach Amedro to Kashif Walls and their third on a 50-yard run by Kevon Calhoun.  

Overcoming some early miscues which included a lost fumble, interception and a three-and-out to open the game, Lake Erie got on the board with a 66-yard strike from sophomore Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) to Dave Romeo (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North). After Amedro and Walls connected again, this time for a 39-yard strike, freshman Andre Wells (Cleveland, Ohio/Villa Angela St. Joseph) scored on a 47-yard run and a 10-yard run on the first two carries of his career to make it a 28-21 game.  

Mike Blewett's 29-yard field goal at the horn gave West Liberty a 10-point margin at the break (31-21).   The Hilltoppers wasted little time getting on the board to start the third, moving 62 yards in exactly two minutes with Amedro hooking up with Eddie Hills for a 21-yard TD. After recovering an onside kick attempt, Calhoun took a short pass from Amedro and weaved his way through the defense for a 62-yard scoring play.   

A three-and-out by the Storm led to another quick strike by the Toppers, this time via the trick play. A backwards lateral to receiver Adam Hill led to Hill firing a 47-yard toss to Walls to make it a 52-21 game with only 4:20 gone in the third.  

Amedro fired another TD pass, his sixth of the game, later in the quarter to Ryan Travis.   

Lake Erie's final score came on another big play from a youngster, with freshman running back Donta Covington (Akron, Ohio/North) running one in from 33 yards out in the fourth quarter.  

The Storm totaled a season-high 447 yards on the day, including 250 through the air, but was hampered by six turnovers. Bedevelsky completed 15-of-29 passes for 225 yards and the touchdown to Romeo, but was intercepted three times. Romeo caught three passes for 93 yards and Wells led the rushing attack with 61 yards on four carries.    

Defensively for the Storm, sophomore cornerback Rudy Glenn (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) recorded five tackles and also notched Lake Erie's first interception of the season.   Amedro finished 24-of-36 for 397 yards and the six TDs. He was intercepted once. 

Calhoun meanwhile picked up 157 yards on the ground as part of West Liberty's 637-yard afternoon. Travis caught a game-high eight passes for 90 yards while Walls totaled seven grabs for 196 yards.   

The Storm will look to return to the win column next Saturday (Sept. 19) at St. Joseph's College (Ind.). Kickoff is set for noon, CST, 1 p.m. EST. The pregame show on ESPN 970 WFUN-AM begins at 12:45.  

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