Preds fall to Tampa Bay

April 10, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release


Shane Stafford threw for four touchdowns and his Tampa Bay teammates came up with two key defensive stands in the second half as the Storm defeated the Orlando Predators, 54-42, in front of 18,794 fans at the St. Pete Times Forum on Saturday night,

The win lifted the Storm to 6-4 on the season and kept them in the thick of the AFL playoff race. The Predators lost for the first time in three weeks and fell to 7-4. Georgia continues to lead the division at 8-3.

"It was a tough game and it was even harder because we lost players early," Predators Head Coach Jay Gruden said. "But we can't use fatigue as an excuse. We had opportunities to make plays and win this game tonight and we didn't execute when we needed to."

Still, the Predators were playing short-handed. FB/LB Idris Price dressed but did not play. Lineman Buck Gurley was hurt on the opening kickoff and did not return to the game, while defensive specialist Reggie Doster pulled a groin early in the game and did not play after the first quarter. Defensive specialist Johnnie Harris was also hampered with a groin injury but gutted it out down the stretch.

"I told our guys I was proud of the way they battled. It was 20 on 17 for most of the game. Still, we can't use that as an excuse. We have back-to-back home games coming against two quality opponents. We have to find a way to get healthy and get those two games under the win column."

Quarterback Joe Hamilton, who came into the game with back-to-back games of 80% completion percentage, was cooled off by the Tampa Bay defense. He still managed to throw for 300 yards and five touchdowns on a 24 of 39 night but also was sacked twice and intercepted once.

Offensive specialist Jimmy Fryzel continued his brilliant rookie season, catching 10 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Cory Fleming added eight catches for 69 yards and two scores. For Tampa Bay, Freddie Solomon led the Storm with six catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns, But the Storm also ran for three scores and Shane Stafford had a solid night, completing 27 of 40 asses for 262 yards.

Tampa Bay jumped out early, taking advantage of a Jerrian James fumble on the opening kickoff. The Storm recovered on the 15 and three plays later Stafford scored from seven yards out on a keeper to make it 7-0. Joe Hamilton needed just two plays to tie the game up. After James returned the kickoff to the Orlando 13, Hamilton hit James on a 26-yard pass to the 11. One play later, he found Jimmy Fryzel alone in the end zone on a crossing route to knot the score at the 10:30 mark.

Tampa would up the lead to 14-7 at the 7:36 mark as Stafford hit Freddie Solomon on a 30-yard scoring pass. The play was made possible when defensive specialist Kenny McEntyre slipped on the play as Solomon made his move.

Orlando had a chance to tie it on their next possession as Hamilton hit Fryzel on a 23-yard touchdown pass but Brian Gowins missed the extra point and the Predators trailed 14-13 at the 4:46 mark. Tampa would up the lead to 21-13, scoring on the final play of the quarter. Faced with a third and goal from the eight, Stafford bought additional time by back-pedaling and then found Ronnie Daniels in the back of the end zone.

On Orlando's next possession, the Predators were faced with a third and 11 on their own 24 after a holding penalty negated a first down pass from Hamilton to Cory Fleming. Hamilton elected to go long on both plays, with James dropping a touchdown pass in the end zone and Hamilton overthrowing Fryzel on fourth down.

But Orlando held on Tampa Bay's possession and Gowins then hit a 35-yard field goal on the Predators next possession to make it a 21-16 score at the 3:26 mark of the second quarter. The Predators took a 23-21 lead at the :39 second mark. After a failed on-sides kick following the Gowins field goal, former Storm player Johnnie Harris stepped in front of a Stafford pass for an interception. Eight plays later, Hamilton found Fleming on a 7-yard slant. Gowins conversion gave the Predators a two-point lead.

Orlando's defense then held, but Matt George connected on a 31-yard field goal to give the Storm a 24-23 lead with six seconds left. George's field goal set up a bizarre finish to the first half. Following the kickoff, time expire on the clock on James' return to the nine. But the officials correctly ruled that clock operations started the clock too soon on the return and put two seconds back on the clock. Hamilton's ensuing pass was knocked down in the end zone but Tampa Bay was called for roughing the passer. That gave Gowins a chance to have the Predators take the lead on a 48-yard field goal. Gowins kick had the distance but clanged off the left upright. Solomon recovered and the Storm led at halftime.

The Storm took an eight-point lead on its first possession of the second half. David White capped off a five-play 40-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to give Tampa Bay a 31-23 lead. Tampa Bay then came up with a huge defensive stand. Faced with a second and short, the Storm defense held Orlando to a negative one yards on the next three plays to record a defensive stop.

Solomon's second touchdown of the game gave the Storm a 15-point lead at 38-23 with 4:23 remaining. Tampa's touchdown was set up by an offensive that gave Stafford plenty of time to find Solomon, who was initially blanked by Kenny McEntyre.

Hamilton needed just two plays to drive the Predators 44-yards. After completing a pass to Bret Cooper to the Orlando 21, Hamilton went up top and hit Fryzel on a post-corner route for a 29-yard touchdown. Gowins extra point made it 38-30 at the 2:27 mark.

The Storm upped the lead to 44-30 on Umar Muhammad's 2-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter. But the TD was set up when officials ruled that McEntyre and Lawrence Samuels had dual possession of a pass,

Following a Storm stop on defense, Stafford led Tampa Bay on a five-minute drive that culminated in a George field goal from 26 yards made it a 17-point game at 47-30 with 5:44 left. After Hamilton scored on a 1-yard run, Orlando recovered an on-sides kick, but the Predators were ruled off-sides. Three plays later, former Predators WR/LB Clif Dell clinched the victory with a 6-yard touchdown reception.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 10, 2005


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