Storm Edge Rampage, 58-56

Published on February 23, 2003 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - For the past two weeks, the Grand Rapids Rampage squeaked by opponents with last second field goals. Sunday's game turned out to be a total reversal as the Tampa Bay Storm defeated the Rampage, 58-56, with a 23-yard game-winning field goal from newly signed kicker Ian Howfield.

A crowd of 8,031 fans at Van Andel Arena witnessed Grand Rapids battle back from a 14-point deficit to take a one-point lead with only 49 seconds remaining in the game. The 49 seconds proved to be too much time for the Storm as they drove the ball all the away down to the Rampage 8-yard line and won the game on Howfield's field goal as the buzzer sounded.

Quarterback John Kaleo led the way for the Storm, completing 23-of-35 passes for 306 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Freddie Solomon, who was named the game's co-MVP, caught nine passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

In defeat, Clint Dolezel threw for 282 yards and seven touchdowns on 24-of-35 passing. He also was picked off two times in the game. Terrill Shaw shared game MVP honors with Solomon after catching nine passes for 103 yards and four touchdowns. Rampage fullback/linebacker Chris Avery was named the game's Ironman, running for a score on offense and recording a sack, two quarterback hurries and 3.5 tackles on defense.

Grand Rapids opened scoring in the first quarter with a Dolezel to Shaw touchdown pass and catch, but the Storm finished out the quarter with back-to-back touchdowns to take a 14-7 into the second frame. The Storm answered with a David White touchdown run and then turned a Ricky Ross fumble into a four-play drive, which was capped off with a Clif Dell eight-yard touchdown grab from Kaleo.

Three seconds into the second frame, the Rampage knotted the score at 14-14 with a two-yard Avery touchdown plunge. Tampa Bay answered back with back-to-back touchdowns for a second time to take their biggest lead of the game, 28-14. Three plays after the Avery touchdown, Kaleo hit Solomon for his first score of the night. The Storm then turned a Rampage turnover into points for a second time. After Lawrence Samuels picked off Dolezel at the Storm's 2-yard line, Tampa Bay drove the entire length of the field before White punched it in from one-yard out. The Rampage equalized with their own back-to-back scoring drives. First Dolezel capped off a four-play drive with a one-yard touchdown strike to Ross, cutting the Tampa Bay lead to 28-21. Brian Gowins then recovered his own on-side kick to give the Rampage another offensive possession. Three plays later, Dolezel hit Shaw for a 22-yard touchdown, knotting the score at 28-28. But Tampa Bay once again had the answer as Howfield nailed his first field goal of the game from 35 yards, giving the Storm a 31-28 halftime lead.

A theme seemed to be developing as the Storm once again scored and turned a Rampage turnover into additional points to begin the third quarter. Just as the quarter begin, White fumbled the ball right into the hands of his teammate Samuels, who ran it in from 15 yards out to give the Storm a 38-28 lead. On the ensuing Rampage possession, Dolezel threw one pass which was picked off by Corey Sawyer, giving the ball right back to Tampa Bay. The Storm drove down to the Rampage 3-yard line, but was forced to settle for another Howfield field goal, making the score 41-28. Two Willis Marshall touchdowns catches and Solomon's second touchdown catch of the night narrowed the Tampa Bay lead to 49-42 at the end of three.

The two teams then traded scores to end the game. Grand Rapids' scores came from two Shaw touchdown catches, including the 11-yard score that put the Rampage up, 56-55, late in the game. In between the two scores, Tampa Bay got a three-yard touchdown run from former Rampage fullback/linebacker Basil Proctor. The Storm then answered Shaw's fourth touchdown catch of the night with Howfield's game-winning kick.

Grand Rapids finishes out its three-game home stand this Friday against the Carolina Cobras. The game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m., is sold out.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 23, 2003


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