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Storm withstands Orlando comeback attempt, win 63-58

May 2, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


ORLANDO, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Storm withstood a furious fourth quarter rally by the Orlando Predators to claim a 63-58 win Sunday afternoon at the TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando.

The Storm led 51-28 after three quarters, but 23 straight points scored by Orlando tied the game at 51-51 before the Storm added a pair of late touchdowns to close out the contest.

The win was the Storm's third straight and improved Tampa Bay's record to 6-7. It was also Tampa Bay's fourth straight win against Orlando.

The Predators saw their three-game winning streak snapped. They fell to 6-6 on the season.

With the score tied at 51-51, the Storm finally scored their first points of the fourth quarter and ended a stretch in which they were outscored 23-0 by Orlando when Shane Stafford hit TT Toliver on a four-yard touchdown pass. Storm kicker Ignacio Brache's extra point, however, was no good, and the Storm led 57-51 with 2:19 left in the game.

The Predators the had a chance to take their first lead since the second quarter, but after picking up eight yards on first down, Joe Hamilton threw three consecutive incomplete passes, turning the ball back over to the Storm.

Tampa Bay sealed the win with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Lawrence Samuels, putting the Storm on top 63-51 with 43 seconds left in the game.

The Predators added a meaningless touchdown with four seconds left in the game, but it was too little, too late.

Stafford was named Offensive Player of the Game after completing 18-of-30 passes for 243 yards and seven touchdowns.

TT Toliver earned Ironman of the Game honors. He scored three touchdowns in the contest, including the Storm's go-ahead score. Toliver also returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the third straight game. He finished with 153 all-purpose yards, including 116 kickoff return yards and 27 receiving yards.

Nyle Wiren, who picked up his career-high fifth sack of the season and stripped Hamilton of the ball, leading to a Storm score, was named the Defensive Player of the Game. He finished with four tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble..

After Travis McGriff returned the opening kickoff to the Orlando 18-yard line, the Predators mustered just nine yards of offense before turning the ball over on downs to the Storm. Tampa Bay took over at its own 23-yard line and got down to the Orlando two-yard line following a 25-yard reception by Samuels. But the Storm couldn't punch it in on three tries and settled for a 18-yard Brache field goal that put the Storm ahead 3-0 with 9:05 left in the first quarter.

Orlando took their first lead of the game when Hamilton found Bret Cooper in the endzone for a 12-yard touchdown. Jay Taylor added the extra point, and the Orlando led the storm 7-3 with 6:01 left in the first quarter.

But that lead was short-lived, as Toliver returned the ensuing kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown. The score gave the Storm a 10-7 advantage with 4:03 left in the first quarter. The return also marked the third consecutive game in which Toliver returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

McGriff quickly answered that return with a dazzling kickoff return of his own, returning Brache's kickoff 55 yards for a score. Taylor's extra point gave the Predators a 14-10 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter.

The Storm offense then took over at their own five-yard line and, following a five-yard offsides penalty by Orlando, marched 40 yards in three plays. The scoring drive was capped off by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to David Saunders. Brache's extra point gave the Storm a 17-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

McGriff added his second touchdown of the game when Jonathan Ordway fell down while trying to cover him. McGriff was left wide open running down the middle of the field, and Hamilton connected with him on a 28-yard touchdown pass. Taylor's kick put the Predators back on top, 21-17, with 10:34 left in the first quarter.

The quick strike scores continued, this time with the Storm taking advantage of the Orlando defense. After Toliver returned the kickoff to the Tampa Bay 13-yrd line, Stafford hit Samuels with a 37-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage and the Storm went on top 24-21 with 8:59 left in the second quarter.

The Storm defense hald Orlando to a 36-yrd field goal attempt, but Taylor's kick was wide left and Freddie Solomon returned the miss out to the Orlando 15-yard line. The Storm added to their lead when Shafford hit Toliver on a one-yard touchdown pass. Brache's extra point put the Storm ahead 31-21 with 57 seconds left in the first half.

Orlando added a 12-yard touchdown pass from Hamilton to Cory Fleming with 15 seconds left in the first half to cut the Storm lead to 31-28 at halftime.

The Storm outscored Orlando 20-0 in the third quarter and needed just three plays to get their first touchdown of the second half. Stafford hit Solomon on a 17-yard touchdown pass and Brache connected on an extra point attempt as the Storm pushed their lead to 38-28 with 13:11 left in the third quarter.

Wiren picked up his fifth sack of the season on the Predators' first offensive possession of the second half. In the process he stripped Hamilton of the ball, allowing Ernest Certain to recover for Tampa Bay at the Predators' 22-yard line.

The Storm avoided disaster after Bret Cooper intercepted Stafford and raced toward the endzone. But he was met by Storm resistance near the Tampa Bay 15-yard line. Cooper attempted to lateral to a teammate, but Samuels snatched the ball out of the air, giving it back to the Storm at their own 11-yard line. Three plays later Stafford hit former Predator Clif Dell on a 28-yard touchdown pass, putting the Storm on top 45-28 with 5:08 left in the third quarter.

Storm defensive specialist Tramain Jones got into the act next, intercepting Hamilton and returning it to the seven-yard line. Three plays later Umar Muhammad scored on a one-yard touchdown run to increase the Storm's lead to 51-28 with 1:50 left in the third quarter.

The Predators finally got back on the scoreboard on the first play of the fourth quarter when Hamilton tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Fleming. Taylor's extra point pulled the Predators to within 51-35 with 14:23 left in the game.

The Orlando defense made a stand of its own, forcing three straight incomplete passes by Tampa Bay. Brache's 60-yard field goal attempt hit the scoreboard, and the Orlando offense took over at its own 20-yard line. Two plays later Hamilton hit McGrff on a 30-yard touchdown pass to cut the Storm lead to 51-43 with 9:32 left in the game.

The Storm appeared on the verge of scoring again before Kenny McEntyre, the AFL's career leader in interceptions, picked off Stafford on the goal line and returned it to the Orlando 20-yard line. Two plays later Hamilton hit McGriff on a 16-yard touchdown play. The Predators' two-point conversion attempt was good, tying the score at 51-51 with 5:21 left in the game.

Orlando quarterback Joe Hamilton was 25-of-43 for 318 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception. His favorite target was Travis McGriff, who caught 10 passes for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the game.

Cory Fleming also had three touchdown receptions, catching 12 passes for 131 yards.

The Storm had five different receivers with touchdown catches in the game.

Tampa Bay continues its playoff push next Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Avengers at 3:00 pm in the St. Pete Times Forum. Tickets for that game are on sale now at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office or at any TicketMaster location. Tickets can also be purchased by calling (813) 301-6600 or online at www.tampabaystorm.com.

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