Late interception helps Storm survive, advance to semifinal
By FRANK PASTOR
Published June 1, 2003
[Times photo: Toni Sandys]
The Storm's Freddie Solomon celebrates one of his TDs with David Saunders, left.
TAMPA - One thought flashed through Freddie Solomon's mind Saturday as Omarr Smith's interception in the end zone sealed the Storm's playoff quarterfinal win over Detroit.
"We've got another week," Solomon said.
For a team that has talked about nothing but the ArenaBowl since adding several marquee players in the offseason, Tampa Bay's 52-48 victory before an announced 12,322 at the St. Pete Times Forum was greeted with a combination of exhilaration and relief.
"We fought all game," Storm defensive specialist Corey Sawyer said. "Those guys, we just couldn't put them away. They were fighting, fighting, fighting and getting close and close and close, and once we finally put them away it was just a sigh of relief."
One that will carry the Storm (13-4) into a semifinal for the first time in five seasons, one win from its fifth ArenaBowl appearance. Tampa Bay hosts Orlando, Los Angeles or Arizona at 2:45 p.m. Saturday. If Orlando beats New York today, the Storm plays the Predators. If New York wins, Tampa Bay gets the winner of today's Los Angeles-Arizona game.
If not for Smith it might have been the Fury clearing next weekend's schedule.
Marcus Nash's 6-yard touchdown reception gave Detroit a 48-45 lead with 6:47 left, but Tampa Bay regained the lead on John Kaleo's 10-yard pass to David Saunders with 3:31 remaining.
Detroit wasn't done, as Ron Carpenter returned Kenny Stucker's kickoff 26 yards to the Fury 20. After a Basil Proctor sack, Andy Kelly completed a 17-yard pass to Ty Grovesteen to the Storm 20, and an illegal defense penalty moved the ball to the 15.
Kelvin Kinney stopped Rupert Grant after a 2-yard gain, and Kelly threw incomplete on second down. Kelly found Grovesteen along the right sideline, but Sawyer tackled him by the ankle to set up fourth and 5 from the 10 with 41 seconds left.
After moving the ball with short passes and screens for much of the game, Detroit (9-9) had little choice but to challenge Smith, who intercepted Kelly's final pass for a touchback.
"They really weren't testing me like most teams do," Smith said. "I just waited and waited, and when you play this game you've got to just wait until the end."
"We had one guy try to get the first down and one guy go for the touchdown," Kelly said. "(Smith) made a good play. He overplayed and guessed right. You have to take your hat off to him."
Tampa Bay took over at its 5 with 29 seconds left. Kaleo's 8-yard pass to Saunders forced the Fury to use its final timeout, and Andre Bowden gained a yard on the final play to run out the clock.
"It was a huge win," Storm coach Tim Marcum said. "Just making plays at the end when it counts. That seems like what we've been doing here the last seven or eight games."
Kaleo completed 20 of 32 for 269 yards and six touchdowns. Three went to Solomon, who finished with eight catches for 141 yards. Saunders, Antoine Toliver and Clif Dell also caught TDs.
Al Lucas had a sack and forced a fumble to lead the defense. Toliver recovered a fumble and had an interception negated by a defensive holding penalty.
Detroit's Carpenter returned five kickoffs for 191 yards, including touchdowns of 56 and 57 yards. It's one area Tampa Bay has to improve.
"We need to tighten up on special teams," Solomon said. "It's been a problem for us all year."
