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Storm See Positives in Scrimmage Loss

January 18, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY - Tampa Bay Storm Head Coach and General Manager was extremely impressed with newcomers Greg Taplin and Aaron Hunt during Wednesday's 38-30 scrimmage loss to the Orlando Predators at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Greg Taplin recorded two safeties, a pass break-up and bothered Predator quarterbacks all evening long. Following the game Marcum said Taplin was "exactly what he expected" with regards to his pass rush abilities.

The head ball coach was also impressed with something that he did not expect, that being the play of Aaron Hunt at FB/LB who also recovered a fumble in the game. Hunt, who opened training camp at OL/DL saw time in the scrimmage at FB/LB due to Umar Muhammad sitting out the game with a sore knee and Nyle Wiren seeing limited action. Wiren played OL/DL in 2005 and is expected to move to FB/LB this season due to the size of Storm's other players on the line.

Also joining the ranks of players to gain praise following the game was second-year man Demitris Bendross who finished the game with seven catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

"[Bendross] is a great player," Marcum said. "We have all the confidence in the world in him."

Quarterback Shane Stafford finished the game completing 13 of 22 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown with one interception in just over three possessions. He was originally expected to play just one. Pat O'Hara went 11-for-15 for 110 yards and two touchdowns and newly signed Brett Dietz also responded well to throwing an interception by engineering a touchdown drive to end the game.

The game started well for the Storm when Bill Gramatica bounced the opening kickoff off the iron and it was recovered by Huey Whittaker to pin the Predators dead in their own side of the field. Orlando converted the long field though as Joey Hamilton connected with Jimmy Fryzel for a score. That would be the last pass of the game he would throw as Jay Gruden elected to put Jake Eaton into the game.

On Eaton's first possession he got his first welcome to the War on I-4 when Jonathan Ordway picked off his pass and returned to the Predator's side of the field.

Catching touchdown passes for the Storm were Lawrence Samuels, Bendross and Jeff Sanchez.

On special teams the Storm appeared to be taking a look at Ordway and Alphonso Roundtree returning kicks this season, while Gramatica went 2-for-3 on extra points and missed a field goal over 50 yards.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 18, 2006


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