PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Lake Erie College football team came within a field goal of reclaiming the lead in the closing minutes Saturday afternoon, but a 34-yard attempt sailed wide as the Storm fell to Thomas More University, 15-14, at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium.
Trailing 15-14 with 5:55 remaining, Lake Erie put together a 10-play, 52-yard drive that allowed the Storm to take the lead. Hunter Newell connected with Gideon Tafari-Thompson for a 22-yard gain on the opening play to move the ball across midfield. After Hakeem Quran gained five yards on the ground, Newell found Tyleik Maxwell for a 12-yard completion on third down to keep the drive moving.
After a short loss on a Quran rush, Newell connected with Maxwell again, this time for an 11-yard gain to the Thomas More 22-yard line. The Storm continued to lean on the ground game, with Quran gaining three yards and then two more to set up third-and-five at the Saints' 17.
With 1:39 remaining, Salvatore Vargas lined up for a 34-yard field goal that would have given Lake Erie the lead. The attempt missed, allowing Thomas More to run out the clock and escape with the one-point victory.
The Saints took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Ben Chesser to Steven Bokumbe. Lake Erie responded in the second quarter with an 11-play, 81-yard drive that consumed 6:19, capped by Julian Means-Flewellen's one-yard touchdown run. Thomas More added a safety later in the quarter to take a 9-6 advantage into halftime.
The Storm seized momentum early in the second half. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Lake Erie marched 63 yards in five plays. Quran broke loose for a 48-yard rush to put the Storm in scoring position before Newell connected with Dalen Stovall for an 11-yard touchdown. Quran added the successful two-point conversion to give Lake Erie a 14-9 lead with 10:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Lake Erie's defense followed with a key stop, as Ray-Mond Smith. recovered a Thomas More fumble at the Saints' 18-yard line. The Storm reached the 12-yard line but could not convert on fourth down, keeping the Saints within striking distance.
Thomas More regained the lead with 6:02 remaining in the fourth quarter on a three-yard touchdown pass from Chesser to Jonathan Cooper. The Saints failed to convert the two-point attempt, leaving Lake Erie trailing by just one point and setting the stage for the Storm's late comeback opportunity.
Offensively, Quran led the Storm with a career-high 143 rushing yards on 21 carries, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. Newell completed 18 of 26 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, while Maxwell led the receiving corps with six catches for 80 yards. Tafari-Thompson added three receptions for 34 yards in the loss.
Defensively, Smith Jr. paced Lake Erie with 10 tackles, including seven solo stops, and recovered a fumble. Kemari Ward totaled eight tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Jaiden Coriano added seven tackles, while Uzonna Nzekwe recorded a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. The Storm also limited Thomas More to 269 yards of total offense.
Lake Erie returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 31, when it travels to Tiffin University for a Great Midwest Athletic Conference matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
