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Storm fall to Force in thriller, 70-62

February 13, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA, FL -- In a game that was dominated by offense, it was the defense that came up with the biggest plays in the end, as the Georgia Force defeated the defending ArenaBowl champion Tampa Bay Storm, 70-62, Friday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

After each team scored 49 points in the first three quarters, the two defenses each turned in crucial late-game stops. And it was the Force who came up with the biggest stop, as Nikia Adderson stripped Shane Stafford of the ball and Stacy Evans recovered in the endzone for a Georgia touchdown that put the Force ahead, 70-62, with 15 seconds left in the game.

The Storm attempted one final drive, but Stafford's pass fell incomplete at the Georgia 10-yard line as the final seconds ticked off the clock, giving the Force (1-1) their first win of the young season.

Tampa Bay fell to 1-1, losing for the first time ever to the Force.

Georgia offensive specialist Markeith Cooper was named Ironman of the Game after catching five passes for 132 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned five kickoffs for 138 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown return at the end of the first half. Cooper's 270 all-purpose yards set a Force single-game record.

Tampa Bay offensive specialist Freddie Solomon had a career-high five receiving touchdowns, catching eight passes for 119 yards. He and Storm quarterback Shane Stafford were named Co-Offensive Players of the Game. Stafford tied a team record with eight passing touchdowns, completing 25-of-34 passes for 304 yards. He also rushed for a touchdown in the game.

The Storm lost for the first time ever when scoring 60 or more points. Tampa Bay is now 39-1 in such a scenario. The 70 points scored by the Force were the second-most points ever given up by Tampa Bay and marked just the second time the Storm have given 70 or more points in a game.

The Force wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard. After Markeith Cooper returned the opening kickoff out to the Georgia 21-yard line, the Force offense needed just three plays to march 29 yards for the first touchdown of the game. Leon Murray hit Dameon Porter on a 15-yard touchdown play and Steve McLaughlin kicked the extra point to give the Force a 7-0 lead just 2:31 into the first quarter.

The Storm answered with a six-play, 40-yard drive of their own. Shane Stafford connected with Freddie Solomon on an 11-yard touchdown pass and Ian Howfield's extra point tied the score at 7-7 with 8:02 left in the first quarter.

Murray pushed the Force lead to 14-7 on a seven-yard quarterback keeper with 5:40 left in the first quarter before the Storm scored on a one-play, 24-yard drive when Stafford again hooked up with Solomon for the touchdown to tie the score at 14-14 with 4:13 left in the first quarter.

Georgia took a 21-14 lead on a 34-yard touchdown from Murray to Cooper with 1:11 left in the first quarter. The Force defense then stood tall, turning back the Storm on fourth down at the Georgia nine-yard line and getting the ball back for the Georgia offense.

The Force appeared to push their lead to 24-14 after McLaughlin drilled a 52-yard field goal, but an illegal formation penalty by the Force nullified the score and forced the Georgia kicker to attempt a 57-yard effort. That kick was short, and TT Toliver returned it out to the Tampa Bay 14-yard line. Stafford then led the Storm on a four-play, 36-yard touchdown drive. Stafford capped off the march with a one-yard touchdown run and Howfield tied the game at 21-21 with 6:52 left in the first half.

The Storm defense again stiffened, as Del Lee broke up a fourth down pass in the endzone to turn the ball back over to the Tampa Bay offense at the Georgia 20-yard line. Following a nine-yard pass to Tramain Jones and a six-yard rush by David White, Stafford hit Solomon on a screen pass that he took up the sideline for a four-yard touchdown. Howfield's extra point was good, giving the Storm their first lead of the game, 28-21, with 1:50 left before halftime.

Georgia tied the score at 28-28 when Murray hit Cooper on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 0:41 left in the first half. The Force then tried an onside kick, which was recovered by the Storm. An offsides penalty moved the ball to the Georgia five-yard line and three plays later Lawrence Samuels caught his first touchdown pass of the season, a three-yarder from Stafford. Howfield's kick put the Storm ahead 35-28 with 0:17 left in the first half.

But the first-half fireworks weren't over yet, as Cooper returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 35-35 with 0:08 left on the first half clock.

The Storm opened the second half with a 45-yard scoring drive. Stafford hit Solomon on a 30-yard touchdown pass, but Howfield's extra point attempt bounded off the upright, leaving Tampa Bay with a 41-35 lead with 12:20 left in the third quarter.

Georgia went ahead in the see-saw battle, 42-41, when Murray connected with Cooper on a 41-yard touchdown pass. McLaughlin's extra point gave the Force the lead with 9:25 left in the third quarter.

Stafford hit Samuels on a 33-yard touchdown play to push the Storm ahead 47-42. Tampa Bay then attempted a two-point conversion, and after a defensive holding penalty by Georgia, Samuels hauled in a pass from Stafford for the conversion, putting Tampa Bay on top, 49-42, with 7:04 left in the third quarter.

Georgia, however, again tied the score, this time at 49-49 on a 10-yard pass from Murray to Cooper.

Both teams then turned to their defenses in the otherwise offensive contest, as Kevin Gaines picked off Stafford in the endzone and then Rod Williams sacked Murray at the Georgia three-yard line to set up a long field goal try for the Force. The kick was no good, but the following Storm offensive drive stalled out at the Georgia five-yard line, giving the ball back to the Force.

The Tampa Bay defense forced a third-and-nine play from the Force six-yard line, but Murray hit Dialleo Burks at the 22-yard line for a first down. The Storm defense was again tested on fourth down, this time from the Tampa Bay 21-yard line, but this time the defense held and forced Murray into an incomplete pass in the endzone.

The Storm finally got back into the endzone when Stafford hit Solomon for his fifth touchdown reception of the game, this time a 13-yarder, to put the Storm ahead 56-49 with 4:35 left in the game.

Georgia tied the score with 0:53 left on a nine-yard touchdown run by Robert Thomas, but after an onside kick that went out of bounds, the Storm went ahead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Toliver. Howfield's kick missed wide left with 0:49 left, leaving the Storm with a 62-56 lead with 0:49 left in the game.

The Force recovered a Storm onside kick at the 15-yard line and Murray punched it in from eight yards out on fourth down to tie the game at 62-62. McLaughlin's extra point with 0:24 left in the game put the Force on top 63-62.

Solomon returned the ensuing kickoff out to the Tampa Bay nine-yard line, but Stafford was sacked and stripped of the ball by Adderson, allowing Evans to recover in the endzone for a the game's final touchdown.

The Storm return to action on Sunday, February 22, when they travel to Austin to take on the expansion Wranglers, quarterbacked by former Storm quarterback John Kaleo. Tampa Bay is back in action at the St. Pete Times Forum on Sunday, February 29, when they host the Philadelphia Soul, owned by rock-and-roll legend Jon Bon Jovi. Tickets for that contest are on sale now at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office or any TicketMaster location. Tickets can also be purchased by calling (813) 301-6600 or online at www.tampabaystorm.com.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 13, 2004


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