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Storm fall to Predators in overtime thriller, 67-64

February 19, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY - The War on I-4 is alive and well as the Tampa Bay Storm (2-2 overall, 1-1 division) lost an overtime affair to their rival from 85 miles east the Orlando Predators (3-1 overall, 1-1 division), 67-64, in front of 14,692 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Predator win snaps the 12-game home winning streak the Storm had coming into the game. The all-time series between the two teams is now knotted at 19 games a piece. This is the first win for Orlando in Tampa Bay since July 7, 2002.

Storm quarterback Shane Stafford completed 36 of 52 passes and 8 touchdown's. WR/LB Lawrence Samuels made a season-high 15 catches and had three touchdowns. WR/DB Bobby Sippio also had a double-digit reception game with 10, two for touchdowns.

Predator quarterback Joe Hamilton opened the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Fryzel. On the ensuing Storm drive, Stafford completed 3 of 4 passes culminating with an 11-yard touchdown strike to Bobby Sippio. The Storm have scored on their first possession in all four games this season.

Clif Dell made his return to Tampa with a 16-yard touchdown reception. After a failed fourth down attempt by the Storm, the Predators made it a 20-7 game after Hamilton found Fryzel for a seven yard score to end the first quarter.

Dell recovered a fumbled kickoff and returned it four yards into the end zone to start the second quarter. On the next Storm drive, Kenny McEntyre returned a Lawrence Samuels fumble 35 yards for another touchdown.

Offensive specialist Demetris Bendross, making his season debut, caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to cut the Predator lead to 19. WR/DB DeAndrew Rubin scored on a seven yard end-around to give the Predators a 40-14 advantage.

After a Bendross 14-yard touchdown reception, his second of the afternoon, the Predators Jerrian James fumbled a kickoff which was quickly recovered by Jarrod Penright at the Tampa Bay 10-yard line. Lawrence Samuels caught his sixth pass for a touchdown. The Storm trailed 40-28 at the half.

The Storm capped off a six play drive as Samuels caught a 21-yard pass from Stafford for a touchdown to start the second half. After Hamilton connected with James for a 39-yard score, Stafford found Ernest Certain wide open from four yards out to cut the Predators' lead to five points with 4:22 left in the third quarter. The touchdown was Certain's third of his career and first this season.

The Predators struck right back with a 14-yard touchdown reception by Fryzel to end the third quarter 54-42.

With Orlando leading 64-49 in the fourth quarter and 6:34 remaining, Stafford threw two touchdown passes to Sippio and Samuels to make the score 62-64. Stafford tacked on a two yard run for the two-point conversion with no time left on the clock to send the game into overtime.

The Storm failed to score on their first and only possession of overtime on a missed field goal by Bill Gramatica from 39 yards. With the ball placed on the Orlando 10-yard line Hamilton led the Predators down the field completing two crucial third downs to Fryzel and James. On fourth and goal from the three yard line Orlando kicker Jay Taylor kicked a game-winning 18-yard field goal to give the Predators the victory.

The Storm finish the last of their three game home stand versus the Southern Division leading Austin Wranglers on Saturday, February 25 at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the McDonald's Office at the St. Pete Times Forum or by calling 813.301.6600.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 19, 2006


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