Shane Stafford throws for three touchdowns, and Tampa Bay's defense shuts down Georgia.
By DAN LYNN
Published March 28, 2004
ATLANTA - The Tampa Bay Storm weathered the Georgia Force's early surge, using a solid ground game and exceptional defense to win 53-24 in front of 10,322 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Saturday.
After Georgia scored twice in the first quarter, the Storm defense, led by defensive back T.T. Toliver and nose tackle Earnest Certain, shut down quarterback Leon Murray and the rest of the Force (4-4) offense. Murray was sacked three times, twice by Certain.
The Storm's David White rushed for three touchdowns, and Shane Stafford was 14-for-30 for 209 yards with three touchdown passes as the AFL champions stopped a three-game losing streak. The Storm (3-5) had not lost three in a row since opening the 2002 season 0-3.
Toliver was the spark for the Storm, with two receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown on offense, and a key interception he returned 26 yards on defense. Freddie Solomon had four catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Lawrence Samuels had four receptions for 57 yards and Clif Dell had three catches for 32 yards and one score.
Trailing 14-7, the Storm defense pressured Murray, who threw an interception to Toliver. The Storm converted with a 1-yard touchdown run by White with 13:34 left in the first half. It was White's second touchdown, his first coming on a 2-yard run midway through the opening quarter.
The Storm went ahead for good with a 4-yard pass from Stafford to Dell to make it 20-14 with 4:34 left in the half. The pass failed on the two-point conversion.
Stafford connected with Toliver on a 38-yard touchdown with 21 second left in the half but Matt George missed the extra point, and after the Force kicked a half-ending field goal Tampa Bay led 26-17.
White started the scoring in the second half with a 3-yard run at 13:10 of the third quarter, George kicked field goals of 17 and 20 yards and Stafford hit Solomon for a 16-yard touchdown with 5:55 left to make it 46-24.
Georgia's only touchdown in the second half was a 7-yard pass from Murray to Morri Anderson. Basil Proctor iced it with a 2-yard interception return with 5:04 left.
ORLANDO 60, LAS VEGAS 43: Connell Maynor was 14-of-17 for 243 yards and five touchdowns for the host Predators. Maynor also ran for two scores, and Cory Fleming had six catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Clint Dolezel was 24-of-40 for 285 yards and four touchdowns for the Gladiators.
NEW ORLEANS 48, CAROLINA 31: John Fitzgerald threw six touchdowns to lead the league-leading VooDoo at home. Fitzgerald was 15-of-22 for 211 yards for the VooDoo. Ira Gooch had five catches for 87 yards and a score, and Aaron Bailey caught four passes for 73 yards and three touchdowns.
- Information from Times wires was used in this report.
