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Storm Victorious In War on I-4

April 9, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Storm improved their overall record to 6-4 and their record at home to 6-0 this season with a 54-42 victory over the Orlando Predators at the St. Pete Times Forum. The win moves the Storm to within a half game of the Predators in the AFL's Southern Division standings.

A season-high 18,794 fans were on hand to watch the Storm split the season series with Orlando with the victory. With the win, Tampa Bay now leads the all-time series, 19-18. Storm quarterback Shane Stafford completed 27 passes for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Freddie Solomon led all Storm receivers with six catches for 75 yards and two scores. It is just the second time this season Tampa Bay has not had a 100-yard receiver.

Defensive specialist Jonathan Ordway intercepted one pass and recorded five pass breakups. Five breakups ties his season high. Jimmy Fryzel caught 10 passes for 159 yards for Orlando.

On the opening kickoff Nyle Wiren recovered a fumble after Lawrence Samuels forced the ball free from Orlando's Jerrian James. Thanks to the turnover the Storm offense took over at the Predator 15-yard line. It took Tampa Bay three plays to find the end zone as Shane Stafford ran the ball in from the 7-yard line to give the Storm an early lead.

It didn't take long for the Predators to even the score. Two plays into their next drive quarterback Joe Hamilton connected with Jimmy Fryzel for an 11-yard touchdown strike. The Orlando kickoff was returned to the five by Freddie Solomon and the Tampa Bay offense took over.

A 30-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Solomon gave the Storm a 14-7 lead with 7:36 remaining in the first quarter. Solomon got behind defensive back Johnny Harris and dragged Harris into the end zone.

Hamilton connected with Fryzel for his second touchdown grab of the game, this one from 23 yards out to put up six points for Orlando. Kicker Brian Gowins missed the extra point and the Storm held a one-point lead with just under five minutes left in the first.

The Storm offense kept rolling on it's next drive as Stafford connected with Ronney Daniels for his first touchdown reception of the season to close out the first quarter. Both defenses stiffened, and the ball was turned over on downs on consecutive possessions. Orlando closed the gap to 21-16 on its next possession when Gowins hit a 35-yard field goal with 3:26 remaining in the half.

On the following drive Stafford threw his eighth interception of the season when Harris stepped in front of the Storm receiver and took the ball away from the Storm offense. The Predators drove down the field and capped the drive with an eight-yard pass from Hamilton to Cory Fleming to give Orlando their first lead of the game, 23-21.

With 10 ticks left on the clock the Storm drove down to the Orlando 16 where Matt George came in and split the uprights to give the lead back to Tampa Bay, 24-23.

The Storm got the ball to start the second half and drove down the field with a drive capped by a David White three-yard touchdown run to give Tampa Bay a 31-23 lead. On fourth and one from the 17-yard line the Storm defense shut down a Hamilton quarterback draw to give the ball back to the offense with a chance to extend their lead.

The Storm did just that on a nine-yard strike from Stafford to Solomon. Stafford was hit hard on the play by William Carr but was able to get the pass off before Carr got to him. With 4:23 remaining in the third quarter the Storm held a 38-23 lead.

The Predators did their best to keep pace on the ensuing drive when Hamilton connected with Fryzel for his third touchdown catch of the game. The scored pulled Orlando to within eight. The Storm kept putting up points though as Umar Muhammad found the end zone with a two-yard run.

On the next drive defensive lineman Ernest Certain pulled Hamilton down behind the line for a sack and forced a fourth and 20 from the Storm 20. On the play defensive specialist Jonathan Ordway intercepted a Hamilton pass for this fourth pick of the season. His previous career high for interceptions in a season was one last year. On the resulting drive the Storm settled for a 21-yard field goal off the foot of George. Tampa Bay now held a 17-point lead with 5:44 left in the game.

Hamilton ran the ball in for six points from the one on Orlando's next drive. The Predators went for two but fumbled the ball at the one, and it was recovered by Muhammad for the Storm. Tampa Bay recovered an on-side kick on the following play and turned the good field position into a seven-yard touchdown pitch and catch from Stafford to Clif Dell. The George extra point made it 54-36.

The Predators added another touchdown with 24 seconds remaining on the clock with a three-yard touchdown pass from Hamilton to Fleming. They again went for two, but failed to find the end zone.

The Storm will take their show on the road for the next two weeks and try and improve on their meager 0-4 record away from the St. Pete Times Forum. First up will be the Austin Wranglers on April 17, followed by the Nashville Kats and former Storm player T.T. Toliver the next weekend.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 9, 2005


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