DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football team (2-1 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) made its 2016 home opener a memorable one as the Warriors rolled up a school record 655 yards of total offense and tallied 47 first half points in a 50-7 victory over Lake Erie College (0-3 overall, 0-3 GLIAC) Saturday evening at Tom Adams Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

WSU scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions, although the second score was a pick six by senior linebacker and co-captain Valorian Cunningham (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix).

After forcing a three-and-out by the Storm on the first possession of the contest, Wayne State went 65 yards in six plays with sophomore quarterback Donovan Zezula (Clarkston, Mich.) tossing a 29-yard scoring strike to senior wide receiver Jamel Hicks (East Cleveland, Ohio / Shaw).

Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Cunningham had a 19-yard interception return and the Warriors led 13-0 after the failed PAT.

Another three-and-out by LEC preceded an eight-play, 81-yard drive by WSU.   On a fourth-and-six from the Storm 30, Zezula completed a screen pass to junior running back Demetrius Stinson (Detroit, Mich. / Douglass) who went 30 yards for the touchdown.

Lake Erie had to punt on its next drive after garnering its first first down of the game.  Junior tailback Romello Brown (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) rumbled 40 yards on the first play and Zezula teamed up with Hicks for a 30-yard score on the second play to complete the two-play, 70-yard drive.

The Storm drove into the red zone, but senior defensive end Nathan White (Toledo, Ohio / St. Francis de Sales) stripped back-up quarterback Tyler Eden then White recovered the fumble.

Stinson capped off the eight-play, 70-yard drive with a two-yard jaunt making the score 33-0 almost four minutes into the second stanza.

On the first play following another Lake Erie punt, Brown went 86 yards for a touchdown, tied for the fifth-longest run in school history.

LEC's next drive lasted one play, as White again caused a fumble, this one on starting signal caller John Banyasz.  Senior Dalton Binkowski (Washington, Mich. / Romeo) picked up the loose ball and rumbled 12 yards to the Storm one-yard line.  On the very next play, Stinson notched his second rushing touchdown of the match and third total score.  Freshman Luke Bevilacqua (Lake Orion, Mich.) made the extra point to complete the first half scoring.

Wayne State had a 486 to 103 advantage in total offense after 30 minutes, with Brown rushing for 172 yards on five attempts (34.4 yards per carry average).

Lake Erie produced the only third quarter points on a two-yard touchdown run by LunDerek Craig finishing off a 10-play, 52-yard drive.

Bevilacqua connected on his first career field goal, a 29-yard effort, early in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.

TEAM STATS

The 436 rushing yards by WSU was the third-most in program history behind the 537 against St. Mary's on Sept. 29, 1934, and the 468 at Valparaiso on Sept. 17, 1988, 28 years to the day.

Wayne State passed for 219 yards, while limiting the Storm to 107 passing yards and 173 rushing yards.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Besides Brown's 172 rushing yards, sophomore Deiontae Nicholas (Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse North) gained 84 yards on 10 carries, with freshman DeOntay Moffett (Muskegon Heights, Mich. / Mona Shores) totaling 66 yards on 13 attempts.  Stinson added 64 yards on nine attempts.

Hicks had game-high totals of five catches and 104 receiving yards as part of his two-touchdown performance.

WORTH NOTING

Thirty-five defensive players saw playing time including collegiate debuts for Andy Bielecki (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Lutheran North), Terry Sanders (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson), Donte Eubanks (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Harrison), Brady Beedon (Marysville, Mich.), Jonathan Currie (Metamora, Mich. / Lapeer) and Tiroca Battle (Auburn Hills, Mich. / Avondale).

Seventy-one different Warriors saw game action.  In addition to the six defensive players mentioned in the previous paragraph, others to make their collegiate debut were Christian Klink (Olmsted Falls, Ohio / Parma Heights Holy Name), James Hill (Livonia, Mich. / Clarenceville), Charlie Younger (Eagle, Wis. / Mukwonago), Marcus Bailey (Walled Lake, Mich. / Walled Lake Western) and Luke Ketterman (Maumee, Ohio / St. Francis de Sales).

UP NEXT

Wayne State will play game two of its three-game home stand at noon next Saturday (Sept. 24) vs. Tiffin.