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Storm Blows thru Jungle, Tampa Bay Defeats Orlando 48-41

April 28, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


Orlando, FL - The War on I-4 is alive and well as the Tampa Bay Storm (3-5) defeated the Orlando Predators (6-3), 48-41 in front of 13,365 fans at Amway Arena Saturday night.

The Storm not only put an end to a five-game losing streak, but also put an end to a four-game skid against the Predators and forced the first turnover in 21 quarters. The Tampa Bay defense collected five turnovers, three fumbles and two interceptions after going five consecutive games with out a turnover.

Ironman of the Game, Lawrence Samuels, led the way for the Storm as he scored a touchdown on both sides of the ball. Fullback Torrance Marshall added two touchdowns on the ground and Brett Dietz managed the game throwing for two touchdowns and avoided turning the ball over.

Orlando receiver Chas Gessner led all receivers with 11 receptions for 110 yards while Storm defensive back Jeroid Johnson limited T.T. Toliver to five receptions for 53 yards. Toliver entered the game leading the Arena Football League in receiving yards.

Orlando opened the game with a big redzone defensive stop on the first series of the game as defensive back Ahmad Carroll knocked the ball down in the endzone on fourth down. Shane Stafford and company took advantage of the defensive stop as he found Toliver open in the enzone to put the Predators up 7-0 halfway through the first quarter. Tampa tied the game up as Dietz hit Samuels on a seven-yard slant.

The Predators maintained possession into the second quarter and scored on a two-yard Stafford naked bootleg to go up 14-7, however the Storm scored 21 unanswered points to close out the second quarter. Dietz found Hank Edwards for a three-yard touchdown and then Traco Rachal forced and recovered a Gessner fumble on the next series that led to a Seth Marler 32-yard field goal. After the ensuing kickoff, lineman Tom Briggs picked off his second pass of the season at the three-yard line and returned it for a touchdown to put the Storm up 24-14 entering the half.

However the half was not over, Stafford drove Orlando to the Storm six-yard line before he fumbled a snap, recovered by Briggs, at the nine-yard line with six seconds on the clock. Dietz hit Terrill Shaw for an additional five yards to set up a Marler 52-yard field goal. While Marler's attempt sailed wide right as time expired, the intensity of the rivalry showed with the ejection of nose guard Cleveland Pickney after he hit Marler after the whistle.

The teams traded two touchdowns each in the third quarter as Orlando opened the half with a 13-yard Gessner touchdown reception. Marshall scored on the ground on each of Tampa's possessions as he continues to prove to be a redzone scoring threat. In between the two Marshall touchdowns Stafford hit, recently activated lineman, Chris Jahnke on an 11-yard tight end release for a touchdown.

Up 38-28 headed into the fourth quarter, Samuels made the key play of the game as he picked off a Stafford pass at the Predator seven-yard line and returned it for a touchdown to open the fourth quarter scoring and to put the Storm up by 17. Two plays later Kelvin Kinney recovered yet another Stafford fumble at the Predator two-yard line. But the Predator defense held strong buoyed by the play of the Orlando secondary and forced a 29-yard Marler field goal. Stafford made up for the miscue as he connected with Gassner on three passes for 41 yards on the following drive capped by a five-yard touchdown pass. With yet another defensive stand Orlando got the ball back and capitalized with a Stafford-to-Toliver touchdown to bring the game within seven. Despite recovering an onside kick it was the Storm defense that stood tall as it forced the Predators to turn the ball over on downs inside the redzone.

The Tampa Bay victory gives the Storm a 2-1 record in conference and was the first victory in Orlando since 5/2/04.

Notes

* Lawrence Samuels scored a touchdown on offense and defense; he accomplished this feat last season against the New York Dragons.

* WR T.T. Toliver collected 200 all-purpose yards which put him over the 2,000 yard mark this season.

* DL Tom Briggs intercepted his second pass of the season. He returned each interception back for a touchdown.

* FB Torrance Marshall reached his 30th career rushing touchdown.

* K Seth Marler converted his 150th career PAT.

* The 41 points scored by the Predators is the least the Storm has given up this season.

* The Orlando fumble recovered by DB Traco Rachal snapped a stretch of 21 quarters without forcing a turnover. The 21 quarters without forcing a turnover is an AFL record.

* Tampa Bay forced five turnovers, that is the most turnovers forced in a game since Tampa Bay forced four against Grand Rapids (6/16/07) a 69-40 victory.

Next week the Storm host the Chicago Rush (7-2) on ESPN Russell Athletic Monday Night Football as Tampa Bay hosts the biggest Cinco de Mayo party in Tampa. The nationally televised game kicks off at 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, 620 AM-WDAE). The Orlando Predators host the defending ArenaBowl Champion San Jose SaberCats (5-4) Saturday, May 3 at Amway Arena.

AFL action continues Monday night on ESPN Russell Athletic Monday Night Football in a showdown of unbeatens as the Philadelphia Soul (8-0) host division rival Dallas desperados (7-0) in the Broad Street Brawl.

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