Storm open season in style with win over Orlando

Published on February 8, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA – The Tampa Bay Storm raised their fifth ArenaBowl championship banner and then picked up where they left of last season, as the defending Arena Football champions routed the Orlando Predators, 52-41, Sunday at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Storm won their third straight game against their arch rivals in the 2004 season opener, evening the all-time series between the teams to 17-17.

While the Storm featured a different look from last year's squad following the loss of seven key players off of the 2003 championship team, new quarterback Shane Stafford and the Storm's full cast of returning wide outs were more than enough to set the tone in the season opener.

Stafford, who was named Offensive Player of the Game, completed 15-of-29 passes for 158 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for 23 yards, including a one-yard score.

Freddie Solomon led the Storm with seven catches for 66 yards and three touchdowns. TT Toliver had a pair of receptions for 34 yards, while former Predator Clif Dell added two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown.

AFL rookie Joe Hamilton was 23-of-40 for Orlando. He had 270 yards passing and four touchdowns, three of which went to Cory Fleming. Fleming finished with 13 catches for 151 yards.

The Storm defense held Orlando to 3-of-6 on third down plays and 0-2 on fourth down tries. Those fourth down plays both came in the first half, when the Storm took control of the contest in jumping out to an early 24-10 lead.

Shea Showers led the Storm in tackles with 6.5. He also broke up a pass and was named Defensive Player of the Game. TT Toliver finished second in tackles with 4.0 and two pass breakups. He was named Ironman of the Game.

Orlando received the game's opening kickoff and advanced to the nine-yard line before the Storm held on 4th-and-6, turning the ball over to the Storm at the Orlando nine-yard line. Following a pair of offsides penalties by Orlando and a two-yard run by Basil Proctor, Stafford hit Solomon in the back of the endzone for a one-yard touchdown. Ian Howfield's kick was good, and with 8:53 left in the first quarter, the Storm led Orlando 7-0.

Orlando answered with a six-yard touchdown pass from Hamilton to Fleming. Jay Taylor's extra point capped off a six-play, 39-yard drive and tied the game at 7-7 with 3:45 left in the first quarter.

A one-yard touchdown run by Stafford gave Tampa Bay a 14-7 lead with 13:15 left in the second quarter before Stafford connected with Solomon on a 17-yard touchdown pass to push the Storm lead to 21-7 with 9:07 left in the first half.

The two kickers then got into the act, as Orlando's Jay Taylor cut the Storm lead to 21-10 on a 34-yard field goal with 2:28 left in the first half before Howfield drilled a 31-yarder with 0:22 left before halftime to put Tampa Bay on top 24-10.

Taylor then connected on a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, sending the teams into the locker room with Tampa Bay ahead 24-13.

The Storm appeared primed to break the game open, advancing to the Orlando 3-yard line on the first possession of the third quarter, but a Storm fumble gave Orlando the ball back at its own 4-yard line. The Predators quickly marched down the field and scored on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Hamilton to James Bowden. Taylor's extra point pulled the Predators to within 24-20 with 7:20 left in the third quarter.

Tampa Bay answered with a long scoring drive of its own, marching 45 yards in five plays. The drive was capped off by a 22-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Dell. Howfield's extra point gave Tampa Bay a 31-20 lead with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

Orlando answered on the next play from scrimmage, as Fleming broke several Storm tackles on a 33-yard touchdown scoring play. Taylor's extra point pulled the Predators to within four points, 31-27, with 1:24 left in the third quarter.

Toliver scored his first touchdown of the season on a 19-yard pass from Stafford and Howfield connected on the extra point attempt to move the Storm lead back to two possessions, 38-27.

A Del Lee fumble recovery at the Tampa Bay 24-yard line gave the Storm the ball back. Back-to-back penalties by the Orlando defense pushed the ball up to the Orlando 11-yard line before David White hauled in an eight yard pass and punched it into the endzone from a yard out on third down. Howfield's extra point gave the Storm a 45-27 lead with 7:46 left in the game.

A one-yard touchdown run by Marlon Moye-Moore pulled to Predators to within 45-33, but Hamilton's two-point conversion attempt was no good. The Predators attempted an onside kick, but the Storm's David Saunders recovered and Stafford followed with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Solomon for his third touchdown reception of the game. Howfield's extra point gave the Storm a 52-33 lead with 1:28 left in the game.

Orlando added a final touchdown on a 16-yard pass to Fleming. Rupert Grant added the two-point conversion, cutting the Tampa Bay lead to 52-41 with 0:16 left in the game.

The Storm return to action on Friday, February 13, when they host Southern Division rival Georgia at 7:30 pm in the St. Pete Times Forum. Tickets for the game are on sale at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office or can be purchased by calling (813) 301-6600. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.tampabaystorm.com.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 8, 2004


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