PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Lake Erie College Storm football team took the field at home on, Saturday, September 17 during homecoming weekend to face the McKendree Bearcats. The Storm would play an exciting game all the way until the final play but fall, 38-37.

The Lake Erie defense would show up to start the game. Looking to start a tone, the Storm defense would force a three-and-out to force a punt and give the ball to their offense for their first drive of the game.

The Storm offense would turn the ball over on a Gerald Gardner interception however and give the ball right back to McKendree who would turn around and score four plays later to take an early 7-0 lead.

Lake Erie would get on the board the next drive though when Gardner would find Nate Dantley for a 35-yard touchdown, tying the game up.

McKendree would then proceed to put up nine unanswered points and the Storm would not score again until the very end of the 2nd quarter when Gardner would this time connect with Koraun Perdue for an 18-yard touchdown to bring them with two, 16-14.

On McKendree's first offensive play during the next drive, a bad pass would find the hands of Jaylen Johnson and he would bring it in for an interception and give the Storm one more chance to score before the end of the half. 

Lake Erie would march down the field and settle for a 32-yard field goal by Nathan Tager and giving them a 17-16 lead going into the locker room.

The Storm would be the first to strike in the second half as Gardner would find Peyton Brown this time on a 37-yard pass and extend their lead, 24-16.

After a McKendree score to bring them within two, 24-22, Robbie Sanders would go 73 yards to the house further the gap once again, pushing out the Lake Erie lead to a two-score game.

McKendree and Lake Erie would trade a pair of scores and settle the score at 37-25 in favor of the Storm with four minutes remaining. The Bearcats would then use a 12-play, 62-yard drive to take the lead 38-37 with just 19 seconds left in the game. In an effort to make it a three-point game, they would attempt a 2-point conversion and fail, now giving the Storm limited time to get into field goal range and try to win the game. 

Lake Erie would be unable to make it down the field and would end up dropping the game, 38-37.

On the day, Gardner would complete 24-38 for 291 yards and three touchdowns while adding one on the ground as well. Sanders would compile 133 yards on the ground on 10 attempts in addition to Raphael Jones Jr.'s 104 rushing yards on 20 attempts. In the air, Peyton Brown would haul in 7 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown. Defensively Cameren Grodhaus would total a team-high eight tackles and 3 tackles for loss with Ali'Vonta Wallace recording 1.5 sacks and Michael Cox adding a half sack of his own.

The loss takes the Storm's record to 1-2 on the season while they remain at a 1-1 conference record. Lake Erie will be back in action on Saturday, September 24 on the road at Southwest Baptist at 2:00 PM.