Wolverines Breeze Past Storm
PAINESVILLE, Ohio - Larry Beavers (Annapolis, Md.) scored three touchdowns of at least 55 yards as No. 9 Wesley College defeated NCAA Division II Lake Erie College 47-26 in non-conference action. The Wolverines sent Shane McSweeny (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) and Mike Pennewell (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) to the showers before the end of the first half as they jumped out to a 47-0 lead at the break and turned the game over to their reserves in the third quarter.
Beavers scored on pass plays of 59 and 55 yards and returned a punt 80 yards for a third touchdown.
The Wolverines seven first half touchdowns came in many forms. There were long drives, a long run, long passes and a punt return as Wesley snatched control of the game.
After Wesley stopped the Storm's Tony Howard on fourth and two on Lake Erie's first possession, McSweeny capped off a 10-play, 82-yard drive with a one-yard rush as the Wolverines jumped ahead 7-0 with 6:35 to play in the first period.
Pennewell made it 13-0 when he broke off an 81-yard run on the next offensive series. The junior finished the day with 151 yards on just nine carries.
Wesley took over on a short field and McSweeny hit Beavers for a 55-yard touchdown on the drive's first and only play with 1:10 left in the first quarter as the Wolverines led 20-0 after the opening period.
On the first play of the second quarter, after forcing the Storm to punt again, McSweeny connected with Beavers again. This time the duo hooked up on a 59-yard touchdown for a 26-0 lead with 14:48 to play in the half. The catch was a historic one for the receiver. It was Beavers' 28th career receiving touchdown, tying the record set last year by former teammate Michael Clarke.
After yet another Storm punt, Wesley went to work on a nine-play, 75-yard drive fueled by 37 of Aaron Jackson's (New Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) 40 yards rushing on the afternoon. The Wolverines went with their jumbo package near the goal line, as linebacker Sean Matthews (Pennsauken, N.J./Roman Catholic {Pa.}) pounded the ball in for a 33-0 lead midway through the second period.
Lake Erie punted for the fifth consecutive possession and Vince Hug's boot took Beavers back to the Wesley 20. But the electrifying senior return man took the kick back 80 yards for a 40-0 lead with 6:08 to go in the half. It was Beavers' second punt return for a touchdown and sixth special teams score of the year.
Another offensive series resulted in another punt for the Storm and the Wolverines again made Lake Erie pay. Pennewell rumbled for gains of 26 and 13 yards on the first two plays of the drive and Jackson ended the possession with a four-yard dash into the end zone for a 47-0 lead heading into the intermission.
Neither team scored in the third quarter before the Storm starting offense finally put something together in the fourth period with the contest out of reach.
After starting quarterback Sean Bedevelsky tossed a four-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 40 points, the Storm's Onesiaum Glass capped a drive with a touchdown run to make it 47-13
Lake Erie's leading tackler on the season, Bill Finucan, recovered a fumble in the end zone for a 47-19 score. With just two minutes left in the game, Bedevelsky threw his second touchdown of the quarter for the game's final score.
The Wolverine defense held a Storm ground attack that had rushed for 450 yards the previous two weeks to only 53 on the afternoon. Wesley, meanwhile, rushed for 208 yards in the contest.
Beavers finished the game with three catches for 128 yards and three scores. McSweeny completed 8-of-10 passes for 211 yards and a pair of scores.
Reserves Eric Adams (Ocean, N.J./Ocean Township) and Bert Molina (Camden, N.J./Camden) tied for the Wesley team lead with six tackles apiece.
Scott Given led all players with nine tackles in the losing effort.
Bedevelsky completed 23-of-36 passes for 273 yards and a pair of scores.
Wesley wraps up the regular season with non-conference contest against Gallaudet on Saturday, November 15 at 1:00 PM at Dr. Scott D. Miller Stadium.
Notes: Jon Lanouette became the first player in Wesley history with 140 career receptions, extending his school record...The senior tight end also passed Joe Able for sixth all-time with 2,058 receiving yards...Pennewell passed Kevin Nelson and is now third all-time with 2,688 rushing yards...He also entered into a four-way tie for sixth at Wesley with 21 rushing touchdowns...Beavers moved into second in the Wesley record book with 2,307 receiving yards, tied James Lowe for seventh with 119 receptions and moved into third with 37 total touchdowns...McSweeny became the ninth passer in school history with over 1,500 career passing yards...His first quarter rushing touchdown gave the Wolverines a score on their first possession for the seventh time in their eight games in 2008...It was the second time in three weeks Wesley scored on each of its first quarter possessions. The Wolverines scored every time they possessed the ball against Webber International on October 25.
