Georgia Force calm Tampa Bay Storm 61-47
March 17, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release
TAMPA BAY, FL - The Georgia Force (3-0) defeated the Tampa Bay Storm (0-3), 61-47, to earn head coach Doug Plank his first career victory in the state of Florida as a head coach. Force QB Chris Greisen continued to demonstrate his accuracy as he completed 22 of 26 passes for 242 with seven touchdowns in the win. Georgia FB/LB Matt Huebner carried the ball a career-high six times for a career-high 13 yards with one touchdown on offense and added 4.5 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on defense.
Georgia opened the first quarter by out scoring the Storm 14-13. Force WR/DB Jarrick Hillery returned the opening kickoff of the game 49 yards to the Tampa Bay four-yard line. The play resulted in a four-yard touchdown strike from Greisen to WR Derek Lee for the first points of the contest. The Storm answered with an 11-yard touchdown pass from QB John Kaleo to WR T.T. Toliver. Georgia covered 30 yards on three plays on their following drive, which was capped off by WR Chris Jackson's four-yard touchdown catch from Greisen. Tampa Bay held the ball for the next 6:06 as they put together a nine-play drive that covered 45 yards. The drive was finished off with a seven-yard touchdown run by FB Rodney Filer.
At the end of the first half, Georgia led Tampa Bay 26-19. WR Troy Bergeron produced Georgia's first points of the quarter when he raced 27 yards after catching a short pass from Greisen. The score stretched the Force lead to seven points, 20-13. The Force defense responded with a stop of the Storm offense after facing first and goal from the Tampa Bay 10-yard line. On the ensuing drive, Bergeron scored his second touchdown of the quarter from seven-yards out, as he hauled in a pass from Greisen. Kaleo led the Storm back down the field and connected with Toliver for a 17-yard touchdown. Greisen was intercepted by Storm DB Jeroid Johnson in the endzone to end the first half. Greisen finished the first half by completing 11 of 13 passes for 119 yards with four touchdowns.
The two teams were locked in a 40-40 tie after the third quarter. Tampa Bay outscored Georgia 21-14 in the quarter with the help of Filer's three touchdown runs (four, four, and 12). Greisen tossed two touchdown passes in the quarter; one to Bergeron from seven yards out and the second to Jackson from six yards.
Huebner carried the ball into the endzone from one-yard out to give Georgia a 47-40 advantage with 11:58 remaining in the game. Huebner then forced and recovered a fumble on the Storm's next possession. On the next play, Greisen lofted a 22-yard touchdown pass to Lee. The score extended the Force lead to 54-40 midway through the final quarter. The ensuing kickoff bounced off the net and was recovered by Force DB Willie Gary for a touchdown. With 7:43 left in the game, Georgia led Tampa Bay 61-40. Tampa Bay was able to muster one more touchdown on a six-yard pass from Kaleo to WR Karl Williams as the Force held on for the 61-47 victory.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 17, 2007
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