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Storm Gut Out Victory 34-32 Over Destroyers

April 29, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


Tampa - In a hard fought game that saw Tampa Bay Storm quarterback John Kaleo go down with a wrist injury the Storm gutted a 34-32 victory over the Columbus Destroyers in front of 15,303 fans at the St. Pete Times Forum. New faces stepped up to help guide the Storm to victory led by rookies Khalid Naziruddin, Brett Dietz and recently acquired Traco Rachal.

Naziruddin, named ADT Defensive Player of the Game, came up with a huge interception in the endzone halfway through the fourth quarter. Rookie Quarterback Dietz came in and played a solid game in place of Kaleo as he went 12 of 24 for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Traco Rachal led the defense with six tackles and knocked down a two-point conversion by Matt Nagy with 29 seconds left on the clock to seal the victory.

While Columbus lineman and Arena Football sack leader Ken Jones did not record a sack he did record three quarterback hurries as Jones was in Dietz's face the entire second half. Receiver Damien Groce continued his torrid scoring streak with two more touchdowns on the evening. He now has 21 touchdowns on the season and nine in the past three weeks.

The first quarter ended with a tie score 7-7. It started off with a bang as Kaleo, 8 of 14 for 101 yards and one touchdown, found receiver T.T. Toliver on the first play from scrimmage for a 29-yard touchdown 35 seconds into the game. However, the offense failed to score after a seven-yard touchdown pass from Columbus quarterback Matt Nagy to receiver Josh Bush as the Destroyers defense came up with a big goal-line stand.

Columbus capitalized on the goal-line stand as it Nagy hit red-hot Damien Groce from five yards out to put the Destroyers up by six. Kicker Peter Martinez failed to convert the extra point attempt as he hit the goal posts. Tampa Bay controlled the clock for the next 10 penalty filled minutes before kicker Seth Marler converted on a 23-yard field goal. Unfortunately half way through the drive, lineman Ken Jones knocked Kaleo out of the game with an injury to his left wrist.

Coming out of the half down 13-10, the Tampa Bay defense could not hold back Groce as he scored his second touchdown on the evening, and only Destroyers score in the third quarter, off of a 39-yard pass from Nagy. Nagy finished the game 18 of 30 for 204 yards and four touchdowns. Dietz, in his first career Arena action, threw his first two career touchdown passes to Offensive Player of the Game Terrill Shaw. Shaw has caught 17 passes for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the past two games. In between Shaw touchdowns, Martinez missed a 59-yard field goal.

Columbus started the fourth quarter with the ball down 24-20 and quickly took the lead as Nagy hit receiver B.J. Barre for a 12-yard touchdown. Yet, Martinez failed to connect on the point after attempt as the ball caromed off of the goal posts for the second time. Dietz hooked up with Ironman of the Game Lawrence Samuels twice for 36 yards as the Storm scored on a seven play drive covering 48 yards that milked the clock for almost five minutes. Samuels, who finished the game with six catches for 80 yards moved into fourth place all-time on the AFL receptions leader list with his first reception of the game. He now has 838 career receptions and needs nine more to move into third.

With a 31-24 lead the Storm defense came up with a timely big play as Naziruddin intercepted Nagy in the endzone. He returned the interception 22 yards to the Storm 16. Tampa Bay once again ate time off of the clock as Marler converted 20 yard field goal almost five and half minutes later with just under a minute left on the clock. The Destroyers scored quickly to bring the game within two and needed a two-point conversion to tie the game. Nagy looked for an out pattern to his right, but an outstretched Rachal knocked the ball down to seal a Storm victory.

The Columbus Destroyers (4-4) host the New York Dragons (2-6) Friday, May 4, 7:00 EST on Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena. The Tampa Bay Storm (2-6) visits the Austin Wranglers (3-5) Sunday, May 6, 4:05 (EST) at the Erwin Center. FSN will televise the game and 620 WDAE will broadcast the game live. For Storm tickets call 813.301.6780 or visit www.tampabaystorm.com.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 29, 2007


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