Force Steal One From Storm, 56-53

Published on June 1, 2008 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


Duluth, GA - With less than a minute left on the clock and down by six, Georgia (8-5) turned an interception into seven points to take the victory out of the grasp of Tampa Bay (6-7). Carlos Martinez nailed the extra point attempt on the final play of the game to seal the, 56-55, victory in front of 10,400 fans.

Lawrence Samuels became the Arena Football League's all-time reception leader midway through the third quarter to surpass Barry Wagner at 991. Samuels finished the game with eight receptions for 74 yards to give him 994 career receptions and the opportunity to become only the sixth player in all of professional football to record 1,000 receptions next week against Orlando.

Tony Tiller intercepted Brett Dietz in the endzone and returned it to the Storm 14 with 46 seconds on the clock to give the Force a shot at the victory. Chris Greisen ran a naked bootleg as time expired to tie the game before Martinez sealed the victory. It was the fourth rushing touchdown of the game by the Force as Matt Huebner ran for three touchdowns.

Storm fullback Torrance Marshall scored four touchdowns for the second time this season as he set an AFL record with his sixth consecutive multi-rushing touchdown game. He led all rushers with 32 yards on nine rushes.

Tampa Bay scored quickly to start the game, capitalizing on a Jeroid Johnson interception one the first play of the game, as Marshall punched one in from one-yard out. After a Greisen-to-Carl Morris 31-yard touchdown reception, Marshall scored his second touchdown on the ground to set the AFL record. Morris scored his second of three touchdowns to close out the first quarter with a 14-13 Force lead. Morris finished with a game-high 15 receptions for 157 yards.

Each team scored two touchdowns in the second quarter as the Force recorded its first turnover of the game. Georgia opened with a sack/forced fumble at the Storm six only to recover the ball at the Storm 23 as Dietz was hit from the behind. The Force capitalized with a Huebner touchdown as the teams traded one each on the ground. Bergeron followed up with his lone score of the game. Rookie Tyrone Timmons caught a touchdown with one second left in the half to bring the game within one.

The Storm owned the third quarter as the Force failed to get into the get into the endzone. Tampa Bay opened yet another half with a quick score as Dietz hit Terrill Shaw on a 37-yard post-corner. The defense then stepped up with big plays on the next series as Tom Briggs recorded an 11-yard sack on second and goal. Two plays later Traco Rachal unloaded on Bergeron, the hit of the game, to break up a reception on fourth and goal. On the very next play Lawrence Samuels caught an 11-yard pass from Dietz for his 992nd career reception, becoming the AFL all-time reception leader. The Storm capped the drive with Timmons second touchdown reception of the game.

The tide turned in the fourth as the Force outscored the Storm 28-14 in the quarter to steal away the victory from the Storm. Timmons caught his third touchdown of the game and Marshall scored his fourth. However Huebner showed his worth scoring twice in the fourth as he finished with four tackles to earn Ironman of the Game.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 1, 2008


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