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Storm earns victory on final play

INDIANAPOLIS -- All season, the fourth quarter had been the undoing of the Storm.

Friday, the Storm concocted a fourth-quarter rally to win 53-52 over Indiana, and perhaps save its Arena Football League season. Mike Black converted a 21-yard field goal with no time left.

Outscored 105-69 in the fourth quarter in the season's first six games, Tampa Bay came back from a 46-37 deficit in the fourth. At 2-5 with seven games left, the Storm still has a long way to go to make the playoffs. "It's always good to get a win," quarterback Scott Milanovich said. "We're in no position to start talking about the playoffs. We've got to worry about getting wins. If we fight back to where we're .500, we can start talking about the playoffs and getting some big wins down the stretch."

The Storm travels to Orlando on June9. "We're starting to be a good football team," coach Tim Marcum said. "That's the most important thing.

"These guys know they've lost games like (Indiana) just got done losing. They know they've got to find a way to win."

In his first start, Milanovich completed 31 of 47 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns and one interception.

With the clock winding down, he engineered the winning drive.

Black, who missed a 36-yard field goal, drove his winner between the uprights as the horn sounded.

"I really look at it like I'm doing my job," Black said. "I did my part and finished it. I expect to make those kicks."

The Firebirds took a 14-0 lead. The Storm turned the ball over on downs on its first possession, and Indiana scored on an 11-yard pass from Raymond Philyaw to Terrence Davis.

Milanovich then was intercepted by DeJaun Alfonzo in the end zone. Alfonzo returned the interception 52 yards to put the Firebirds up 14-0.

Tampa Bay took a 30-27 lead with two scores in the final 10 seconds.

Milanovich engineered a last-minute drive in the half, finding Calvin Schexnayder for a 9-yard touchdown with seven seconds left. Devon McDonald recovered the ball off the net on the ensuing kickoff to give Tampa Bay the ball at the Indiana 7. Black converted a 23-yard goal with two seconds left for the lead. Indiana retook the lead when Evan Hlavacek returned the second-half kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown.

Then Philyaw hit Davis for a 28-yard touchdown with 7:10 left in the quarter.

Schexnayder ran it in from 1 yard for his second touchdown of the game with 5:28 left in the third to make it 40-37 entering the fourth. But when Philyaw hit Van Johnson for a 22-yard touchdown with 13:10 left, Indiana led 46-37.

Milanovich drove the Storm downfield and hit David Sanders for a 14-yard touchdown with 10:30 left to make it 46-44.

Davis caught his fourth touchdown for Indiana, and Schexnayder caught his second to cut it to 52-50 with 3:42 left.

NEW YORK: Former Florida State and New York Giants quarterback Danny Kanell will make his first start for the Dragons tonight at home against Toronto.

Kanell, who played minor-league baseball last year, had backed up Matt Nagy since joining the Dragons two weeks into the season.

Last week, Kanell came off the bench to complete 14 of 18 passes for 80 yards and three touchdowns, leading New York to a 44-37 come-from-behind victory against Detroit.

-- Times staff writer Frank Pastor contributed to this report.

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