PAINESVILLE, OHIO - Hitting the road for a
second straight game, the Lake Erie College football team will look
to even its record - and avenge a loss from last season - this
weekend against Saint Joseph's College. Kickoff is set for
noon CST (1 p.m. EST) at Alumni Stadium in Rensselaer, Ind.
The Storm (1-2) is coming off a
62-28 loss at West Liberty University last Saturday while the Pumas
(2-1) defeated Missouri S&T, 44-41, in double overtime in its
last game.
THE SERIES: This is the second meeting between
the two schools with Saint Joseph's holding a 1-0 lead after last
year's 58-35 win in Painesville on Sept. 20, 2008. This is
the first meeting at Saint Joseph's.
THE BROADCAST: The game will be carried live on
ESPN 970 WFUN AM and streamed online at www.espn970wfun.com as part of
the Lake Erie Football Network with 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, and has posted a career
varsity record of 4-10 (11-12 overall). Prior to being named
head coach at Lake Erie on Aug. 9, 2006, McNellie was an assistant
coach at Mercyhurst College for 17 years.
Lou Esposito
(Memphis '01) is in his fifth season at Saint Joseph's and has
posted a 26-20 record to date. Prior to being named head coach he
served as the Pumas' defensive coordinator for one
season.
LAST TIME OUT FOR LAKE ERIE: After spotting
West Liberty a 21-0 advantage on the road Saturday afternoon (Sept.
12), the Storm battled back to within 28-21 before the Hilltoppers
scored 34 unanswered points, including 21 in the first five minutes
of the third quarter, to pull away. The Storm put up a season-high
447 yards on offense but could not overcome six turnovers in the
62-28 loss. Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) threw for
225 yards, including a 66-yard TD to Dave Romeo (Eastlake,
Ohio/Eastlake North), but was also picked off three times. Freshman
Andre Wells (Cleveland, Ohio/Villa Angela St. Joseph) provided a
spark with 61 rushing yards and two TDs, including a 47-yard run.
For the Toppers, Zach Amedro threw six touchdown passes and totaled
397 yards passing as part of West Liberty's 637-yard
effort.
LAST TIME OUT FOR SAINT JOSEPH'S: The Pumas
outlasted Missouri S&T 44-41 in double overtime Saturday with
Terrance Freeman scoring his fifth rushing touchdown of the day for
the winning points. Freeman finished with 168 yards rushing on 38
carries. Saint Joseph's totaled 276 yards on the ground while Mike
Hladik added another 228 through the air on 21-of-30 passing. The
Pumas were 9-of-17 (52.9%) on third down in the game.
THE LAST MEETING (Sept. 20, 2008): Lake
Erie College recorded 557 total offensive yards to set a school
record against Saint Joseph's College (Ind.) at Jack Britt
Memorial Stadium. Despite the offensive onslaught by the Storm, the
Pumas prevailed 58-35. Beind wide receiver Brandon James (Mentor,
Ohio/Mentor), who totaled 158 yards on 14 catches and running back
Tony Howard (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights/Kent State),
who rushed for 110 yards on 11 carries, Lake Erie outdid the
visitors statistically-speaking both in the air and on the ground.
Sean Bedevelsky (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) was 26-for-45 for a
total of 308 yards. The Storm rushed for 249 yards - 36 more than
the Pumas, while passing for 149 more yards than its competitors,
but could not overcome six turnovers. Jashon Banks ran for
173 yards and scored twice for Saint Joseph's.
UP NEXT: Lake Erie - Sept. 26 at Adrian (Mich.);
St. Joseph's- Sept. 26 vs. Lincoln
