Arena

Storm plays keepaway, wins 41-20

Tampa Bay intercepts four passes and holds Indiana to 194 yards in posting its fourth straight victory.

By DARRYL MELLEMA
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 24, 2003

INDIANAPOLIS -- Even in Arena football, where teams score in bunches, it's difficult to score if you don't have the ball. Tampa Bay's defense kept the ball out of Indiana's hands in a 41-20 victory Sunday, the Storm's fourth in a row.

"Man, it's so much fun out here," Storm receiver-linebacker David Saunders said. "It's a simple game once you get in the groove."

And is the Storm grooving?

"Not yet," Saunders said. "With the talent we've got, the only team that can stop us is ourselves. Four wins in a row and we've got a lot of work to go."

Indiana (3-5) is heading the other way. The Firebirds have lost five straight as injuries mount.

Tampa Bay (6-2) intercepted four passes, recorded two sacks and limited the Firebirds to 194 yards.

"It all boils down to the fact that our front seven guys are playing really well," said coach Tim Marcum, whose team moved into a tie for first in the Southern Division. "That's the way you win or lose in this league."

Jim Ballard, substituting for injured Raymond Philyaw, was sacked once as Tampa Bay held the opposition under 35 points for the third straight week and the fourth time this season.

Omarr Smith and Corey Sawyer shared the interceptions with two each.

"When you've got an inexperienced quarterback, you want to get some pressure on him and change the coverages so you make him think on his throws," Smith said."We changed our coverages and showed them some things they probably hadn't seen on film."

Tampa Bay's offense took full advantage, gaining 260 yards. Quarterback John Kaleo was 20-for-34 for 218 yards and four touchdowns.

"It's nice for whoever's quarterbacking this team," Kaleo said."Luckily it's me. I have Freddie Solomon, Lawrence Samuels, David Saunders, Cliff Dell and Alvin Ashley that I can go to. It's nice to have those options."

Saunders caught three touchdown passes, part of a six-catch, 60-yard day. He missed the first four games with an ankle injury and Sunday marked his best effort of the season.

Two of Saunders' touchdowns came in the first half as Tampa Bay built a 24-7 lead.

Tampa Bay scored first on a 3-yard pass from Kaleo to Samuels. Indiana tied the score for the only time when Ballard hit Jeremy McDaniel for a 20-yard touchdown.

Tampa Bay took control at that point. Saunders caught Kaleo passes from 2 and 21 yards for touchdowns and Ian Howfield hit a 19-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. The one-sidedness continued in the third quarter as the Storm moved to a 38-14 lead and forced Indiana to bench Ballard in favor of Jose Davis.

Indiana mounted a late comeback and cut the lead to 38-20 on a Leroy Thompson 3-yard run with 7:08 left. A 16-yard Howfield field goal with 2:40 left ended the scoring.

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