Arena

Storm survives by surging in overtime

Tampa Bay wins its eighth straight after tying it late and scoring on first possession of extra period.

By CRAIG DISTL
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 12, 2003

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A little more than two months after blowing out Carolina at home by 40, the Storm squeezed out a victory over the Cobras on the road.

Tampa Bay needed a clutch drive in overtime for a 45-38 victory on Friday at Charlotte Coliseum. The win was the eighth straight for Tampa Bay and kept the Storm (9-2) firmly atop the Southern Division.

Carolina fell to 0-11.

"We found a way to win," said Tampa Bay coach Tim Marcum, whose team routed Carolina 60-20 on Jan.31. "It wasn't very pretty, but we'll take it."

For most of the game, Carolina looked like the team on a long winning streak, while the Storm looked out of synch.

Two early fumbles by receiver Freddie Solomon gave Carolina life and put Tampa Bay in a big hole. After Solomon's second fumble, Carolina took a 17-0 lead on fourth and goal when Storm defender David White tipped a loose ball into the hands of Carolina receiver Bernard Holmes.

"The turnovers were a big concern, and so was the fact that they scored on fourth down," Marcum said.

Though they never led in regulation, the Storm eventually fought back to force overtime.

In the extra period, Tampa Bay won the toss and Solomon made up for his miscues by returning the kick to the Cobras 22-yard line. Solomon also caught a 2-yard pass on third and 2 from the 3 to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Andre Bowden. It was Bowden's fourth rushing touchdown of the game.

Tampa Bay's defense then seemed to find the fire it had been missing. The line pressured Cobras quarterback Stewart Patridge into three incomplete passes, and defensive back Jonathan Ordway broke up the fourth-down pass to end it.

Tampa Bay looked to be in trouble in the fourth when kicker Mike Black missed an extra point to allow Carolina to keep a 31-30 lead. The Cobras quickly pushed the advantage to 38-30 on an 11-yard pass from Patridge to Bernard Holmes.

But a six-play, 35-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Bowden, brought the Storm within 38-36. Needing a two-point conversion, quarterback John Kaleo dropped back, looked frantically for an open receiver, and at the last moment found Alvin Ashley in the back of the end zone to tie it.

After a first-quarter interception, Kaleo rebounded to have a solid game. He completed 25 of 38 passes for 332 yards and a touchdown. Solomon had nine catches for 131 yards, and Bowden had seven carries for 20 yards and those four TDs.

Patridge kept the Cobras ahead most of the night by completing 20 of 41 passes for 207 yards. Nick Ward caught seven for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

Next up for the Storm is a home game April 20 against the Colorado Clash.

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