• Score:  Edinboro 69, Lake Erie 0
• Records:  Edinboro (1-0), Lake Erie (0-1) 
• Location:  Painesville, Ohio – Jack Britt Memorial Stadium
• The Short Story:  Offense, defense, special teams -- Edinboro was impressive in all three phases of the game while opening the season with a big win at Lake Erie. The Fighting Scots jumped out to a 35-0 lead and finished with 559 total yards. The defense limited the Storm to just 104 yards while coming up with six turnovers (four fumbles, two interceptions. And special teams turned in a strong showing, including a blocked punt.     

• Box Score:  Click Here

• Edinboro's first possession ended in disappointment, as Andrew Tomko's pass was intercepted, halting a drive at the Lake Erie 3. The defense forced a three-and-out, an the Fighting Scots proceeded to score on their next five possessions.  
• The first score of 2018 came on a Walter Fletcher 13-yard run to give Edinboro a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Edinboro's next possession resulted in a 2-play, 69-yard drive, with Tomko hooking up with Ta'Nauz Gregory for a 60-yard scoring strike at 4:49 of the first. Tomko recognized Lake Erie was offside and he had a free play, finding Gregory streaking down the left sideline.
• Edinboro would score three touchdowns in the second quarter. Buoyed by a 34-yard completion to A.J. Turner, the first career reception for the redshirt freshman, Fletcher scored his second six-pointer of the game on a two-yard run. The score came one play after Lake Erie intercepted a Tomko pass in the end zone, but the Storm was called for pass interference. 
• The Fighting Scots needed just five plays to fo 84 yards and make it 28-0 with 11:17 left in the second quarter. Tomko accounted for all but three of those yards, the final 57 coming on a short slant pattern that Gregory turned into a long scoring pass.
• Lake Erie drove to midfield on its next possession before Trey Hall forced a fumble that was recovered by Derek Dorr. Kyle Galyk capped the 7-play, 50-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run, Galyk started up the middle, then bounced the run outside and outraced Lake Erie to the right corner of the end zone. That made it 35-0 with 6:35 to play.
• The Storm had their most serious scoring opportunity at the end of the half. Following an interception, Lake Erie drove from its own 34 to the Edinboro 2, with several penalties assisting the drive. The Storm would run six plays from inside the seven, including two untimed downs following penalties in the end zone. The drive finally ended with Antwan Harris fumbling and Brandon Anderson recovering at the two.
• A sloppy third quarter saw Edinboro stopped on its first three possessions, but the Fighting Scots would still build the lead to 56-0 after three quarters. The longest drive of the day resulted in a 42-0 lead, as Edinboro drove 93 yards on 5 plays. After Tomko and James Clark combined on a 36-yard gain, three plays later Tomko scrambled for 32 yards and a touchdown on a 3rd-and-8 play. 
• Two plays later, the craziest play of the day made it 49-0 with 1:41 left in the quarter. David Ballew III sacked Javarian Smith, with Devon Brown recovering at the LEC 23. He would return the ball to ten, then eventually DeAndre Dowdell received a lateral and traveled the final 10 yards for his firsat collegiate touchdown. 
• Edinboro made it 56-0 after Joel Fulton blocked a Lake Erie punt and recovered at the two. Tomko hit Clark on a short slant for a two-yard Touchdown with 22 seconds left.
• The Fighting Scots would add two more scores in the fourth quarter thanks to the second unit. Billy DePaul's first career interception set up an eight-yard touchdown pass from Jarrod Kellar to Kyle Carrington. Kellar transferred to Edinboro from Lenoir-Rhyne, and Carrington from Liberty.
• Kellar directed a 13-play, 65-yard scoring drive late in the quarter, with Kyle Simms scoring his first career touchdown on a two-yard run with 2:40 to play. After nine successful PATs and with a chance to tie the school record, freshman Jake Monroe saw his extra point go wide to the left.

• Edinboro finished with 559 total yards, with 356 through the air and 203 on the ground. Lake Erie was held to 104 total yards, including just 11 yards rushing on 44 rushes.
• Edinboro finished with 31 first downs compared to 13 for the Storm. Six of those first downs came on penalties.   
• Speaking of penalties, Edinboro committed 13 for 118 yards and Lake Erie 14 for 119.
• Turnovers were also abundant.  Lake Erie lost four fumbles and threw a pair of interceptions. Edinboro had a pair of interceptions, but did not put the ball on the ground.
• Walter Fletcher led all rushers with 110 yards on 23 carries with 2 TDs. Andrew Tomko added 40 yards on five rushes. The redshirt sophomore completed 14-of-32 passes for 311 yards with 3 TDs. Ten different players caught passes, led by James Clark with four catches for 58 yards. Ta'Nauz Gregory caught just three passes, but for 131 yards and two scores. 
• The Edinboro defense held Antwan Harris, a second team All-GMAC selection in 2017, to 25 yards on 14 carries. Javarian Smith completed 15-of-32 passes for 93 yards with a pair of interceptions. He was also sacked seven times.
• Though he did not come in until the fourth quarter, Anthony Gates was the leading tackler with 8 stops. The defensive effort also featured three players with six tackles -- Brandon Anderson, Brandan Rivers, and Trey Hall. David Ballew III had three tackles for losses, including a pair of sacks. Anderson and Billy DePaul had interceptions. 

• Edinboro won its third straight opening day game while defeating Lake Erie for the second straight year in the season opener. A year ago, Edinboro opened the season with a 30-3 win over the Storm.
• The 69 points is the most since Edinboro scored 69 against Seton Hill in week number nine last year. They are also the most in a season opener since an 83-0 win over Alliance in 1928.
• Edinboro has now posted back-to-back shutouts after ending 2017 with a 63-0 win at Cheyney.
• Andrew Tomko made his second career start at quarterback. The redshirt sophomore threw for 311 yards and 3 TDs after entering the year with 207 career yards passing and one touchdown.
• Walter Fletcher rushed for 110 yards on 23 carries. The redshirt junior now has 11 100-yard rushing games in his career. He has also gained 100 yards on the ground in each of his three season openers. .
• Ta'Nauz Gregory caught just three passes, but for 131 yards. The junior now has seven career 100-yard receiving games. 
• Backup quarterback Jarrod Kellar played two seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne before transferring to Edinboro. He played the fourth quarter and completed 6-of-12 passes for 45 yards.
• Edinboro's third-string quarterback also saw action, but as the team's punter. Levi Becker punted twice for a 41.0 yard average. Tghe transfer from Ohio Dominican also ran 20 yards on a fake for a first down.
• Among the firsts on Saturday, sophomore free safety registered his first career interception while making his first career start. Other Fighting Scots making their first career starts included guards Ryan Pasternak and Kyle Screiner, plus tight end A.J. Turner.  DeAndre Dowdell scored hirst first career touchdown on a fumble return, with Kyle Carrington notching his first career touchdown reception and Kyle Simms his first career touchdown on a rush. Carrington is a transfer from Liberty.

UP NEXT

• The Fighting Scots play their second straight game on the road, traveling to Bloomsburg on Saturday, September 8. Kickoff at Redman Stadium is 2:00 p.m.