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Storm Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With Rout of Kansas City

April 29, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Storm continue to make their push towards a league record 16th consecutive playoff berth by defeating the Kansas City Brigade, 58-42, in front of a season high 17,143 fans at the St. Pete Times Forum Saturday night. The Storm close out the regular season with a 5-3 record at home. In the Storm's 16-year history they've had a .500 record or better in 15 of 16 seasons.

Shane Stafford and Freddie Solomon led the way for the Storm's potent passing attack against the league's best defense. Stafford completed 24 of 32 passes for 314 yards and six touchdowns and Solomon led all Storm receivers as he caught a season-high 11 passes for 157 yards and three touchdowns on his way to being named Offensive Player of the Game. Stafford was helped out a great deal by his offensive line as they didn't allow the Brigade front four near him all night.

The Storm defense held their own as they've suffered key losses due to injury. Announced earlier this week, DS Tramain Jones will not play the remainder of the season as he will be tending to a torn MCL and Jonathan Ordway suffered a PCL strain against the Orlando Predators last week and was inactive for tonight's game. Rookie Leroy Smith intercepted a Chris Sanders pass and made 9.5 tackles en route to being named the Defensive Player of the Game.

The Storm scored immediately on their first play from scrimmage as Stafford found Freddie Solomon deep 36 yards over the middle for the touchdown. The Storm have scored a touchdown on their first possession in 13 of 14 contests this season. After Aaron Hunt blocked a Brigade 27-yard field goal attempt, Jarrod Penright stole the show as he caught a 27-yard screen pass from Stafford and rumbled all the way to the Brigade one-yard line. Penright was rewarded on the very next play as he ran it home for the touchdown from a yard out. The Brigade closed out the first quarter as Jerel Meyers caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Chris Sanders, at the end of the first 15-minutes of play the Storm led 14-7.

Stafford took the Storm's opening possession of the second quarter and completed five of six passes which culminated with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Samuels. Sanders connected with Rob Johnson closing out an eight-play, 45-yard drive to cut the Storm lead, 21-14.

Play on special teams set up the next two Storm scoring drives. After Bill Gramatica connected on a 27-yard field goal, the Storm covered up a successful onside kick attempt with 2:42 remaining in the half. Stafford ran the ball in for his ninth touchdown of the season from a yard out to close out a six-yard drive. The Storm led at the half, 31-14.

The Brigade opened the scoring on the second half as Chris Sanders rumbled in from eight-yards out for the touchdown. The Storm struck back with a 25-yard touchdown from Stafford to Demetris Bendross, a quick strike lasting 1:37 off the clock.

Leroy Smith, filling in at the defensive specialist position for Jonathan Ordway and Tramain Jones, picked off a Sanders pass to set up Solomon's second touchdown catch of the night as Stafford found him wide open from nine yards to give the Storm a 23-point advantage with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter. Solomon continues his barrage on opposing defenses as he caught his third touchdown pass of the evening, a 17-yard catch from Stafford. At the end of the third quarter Solomon had 10 receptions for 142 yards.

Stafford continued to stay hot against the league's best defense, Kansas City yielded only 261 yards (237 passing) coming into the night's contest, as he found Samuels at the back of the end zone for a three-yard score, Samuels' second touchdown of the night.

The Storm will close out their final two games of the season on the road at Columbus (May 6) and Nashville (May 13). The Storm will continue to make their playoff push towards a league-record 16th consecutive playoff appearance. All remaining games can be heard on the radio home of the five-time world champion Tampa Bay Storm, the 620AM WDAE "the sports animal" with the voices of Storm football Jack Harris and Jason Dixon.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 29, 2006


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