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Storm Beat Blaze, 56-41

April 1, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Storm are alive and well in the National Conference playoff picture following a 56-41 victory against the Utah Blaze in front of 13,404 fans at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Storm defense was the story of the night as their pass rush hurried, knocked down and sacked Blaze rookie quarterback Jason Gesser. The Storm defensive backfield capitalized on the pass rush as Tramain Jones intercepted Gesser thwarting a Blaze comeback bid and Jonathan Ordway came up with three key pass breakups.

Storm quarterback Shane Stafford completed 20 passes for 252 yards and tied a team record with eight touchdown passes. He completed touchdown passes to four different receivers. Lawrence Samuels led all Storm receivers with eight receptions for 75 yards and three touchdowns. Freddie Solomon had another strong performance coming back from his injury catching six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

The Storm opened the scoring as Stafford found Bendross for a touchdown from 10 yards out. The Storm have now scored a touchdown on their opening drive in 10 consecutive games. The teams traded touchdowns in their first two drives. The Storm took the lead 21-14 at the end of the first 15 minutes of play as Stafford found Freddie Solomon on a screen pass, Solomon leaped into the end zone from three yards out for the score.

After both teams opened the second quarter with unsuccessful drives the Blaze capitalized on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Gesser to Tom Pace. The Tampa Bay answered immediately as Solomon caught his second touchdown of the evening as he eluded a tackle for a 31-yard score. After a key fourth down stop by the Storm defense at mid-field, Stafford and the Storm offense went to work. With four seconds left in the half Stafford went over the top to Samuels from three yards out to give the Storm a two touchdown advantage at the end of the half, 35-21.

The league's leading receiver, Siaha Burley, coming into the game was held to one catch for 18 yards in the first half. He opened the scoring in the second half as Gesser found him all alone in the corner in the end zone from five yards for the score. After the Storm pass rush kept Blaze QB Gesser guessing where they were coming from, the Storm defense were successful in stopping the rookie quarterback on capitalizing on a Stafford interception. The Storm took their next drive and extended back to a 14-point lead as Stafford hit Lynarise Elpheage on a 35-yard fade route for the touchdown.

Stafford found Samuels for their third hookup of the evening as they connected from 14 yards for the score on the Storm's first drive of the fourth quarter. The Storm pass rush continued to fluster the Blaze quarterback as was intercepted in the end zone by Storm defensive specialist Tramain Jones. The interception is Jones' team-leading fourth of the season. Rookie Mickey Peters, making his Arena Football League debut, capped off the Storm scoring as Stafford found him over the middle for an eight-yard touchdown.

The Storm finish the second of this two game home stand Friday night as the San Jose SaberCats make their way to the St. Pete Times Forum. Tickets for all Storm home games can be purchased at the McDonald's Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum, by calling 813.301.6600 or by visiting www.tampabaystorm.com.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 1, 2006


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