GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Tampa Bay Storm have evened their record at 1-1 for the season with a 51-43 victory in Grand Rapids over the Rampage in front of 7,714 fans at Centennial Wireless Field at Van Andel Arena. Shane Stafford led the Storm offense to seven scores as he completed 26 of 37 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns. He also added two touchdown runs, both from one yard out. Lawrence Samuels led all Storm receivers as he made 10 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns, all season-highs, for Samuels.

Ronney Daniels, in his first start at offensive specialist, also caught two touchdown passes, hauling in eight passes for 72 yards. Lynarise Elpheage made four and half stops to lead all Storm defenders. Defensive specialist Jonathan Ordway held Rampage offensive specialist Aaron Bailey, who led the AFL receivers with 144 receptions a season ago, to only six receptions as he finished with four passes defended. Ordway also handled all of the return duties for the Storm as he returned six kickoffs for 132 yards.

Rampage kick return man Timon Marshall took the opening kickoff 50 yards to the Storm 3-yard line. The Storm defense led by huge stops made by Umar Muhammad and Greg Taplin held fullback Chris Avery and the Rampage offense to only one yard on three plays. Rampage kicker Peter Martinez converted on a field goal from 18 yards to give the Rampage a 3-0 advantage.

For the second consecutive week Storm quarterback Shane Stafford answered with a opening scoring drive of his own, completing a drive where he completed four of five passes for 41 yards culminating with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Daniels.

After a Martinez missed field goal the Storm took their second possession and just like the one before it was orchestrated beautifully by Stafford.  During the drive he completed two passes and ran for a first down before connecting with Daniels on a 21-yard scoring strike, his second touchdown grab of the night, the Storm led 14-3 after one quarter.

The Rampage took their first possession of the second quarter close enough for a  Martinez 31-yard field goal through the uprights to cut into the Storm lead to, 14-6. On the ensuing Storm drive they faced a fourth down and three from the Grand Rapids 22-yardline and Stafford missed Bobby Sippio to convert the first down. The Rampage quarterback immediately answered on the next play with a 28 yard bomb to Bailey to cut the Storm lead to one point at, 14-13.

The Storm answered back with a Stafford touchdown run from one yard out. The scoring drive was fueled by an 18-yard reception by Lawrence Samuels. On the following drive Peter Martinez made good on a 24-yard field goal attempt with 21 seconds left in the half to make the score 21-16.

On the ensuing kickoff the football took an abnormal hop off the goal post and Jonathan Ordway couldn’t corral the ball.  The Rampage’s Josh Bush recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown. Martinez failed on the point after attempt and the Rampage took their first lead of the game, 21-22, to end the half.

After starting the third quarter with two straight completions, Stafford threw an errant pass into the end-zone which was picked off by Rampage defensive specialist Marvin Taylor. Rampage quarterback Jose Davis wasted no time as he completed all four passes en route to a 23-yard touchdown reception by Josh Bush to give the Rampage an eight point advantage.

Stafford led a Storm 45-yard drive capped off by a 23-yard scoring strike to Samuels to cut into the Rampage lead, 29-28. After Marshall took a kickoff return to the Tampa Bay 21-yard line, Jose Davis threw a 6-yard touchdown to Anthony Hines to give the Rampage an eight point lead.

On the next Storm possession Stafford finished off a four play drive with a 30-yard strike to Samuels on his 10th  catch of the ball game. Storm cut the Rampage lead by one, 36-35, at the end of the third quarter.

To start the fourth quarter Storm defensive lineman Ernest Certain sacked Rampage quarterback Davis in the end-zone for a safety to give the Storm the lead. On the following return Jonathan Ordway returned the kickoff all the way to the Grand Rapids 14-yard line. Shane Stafford scored his second one-yard touchdown run of the night to extend the Storm lead, 44-36.

After the Storm defense stopped the Rampage at mid-field, Stafford completed six consecutive passes to set up a Jarrod Penright 3-yard touchdown run to give the Storm a 15-point advantage with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Rampage answered back with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Hines from Davis that made the score, 51-43. The Storm recovered an onside kick that went out of bounds and ran out the remaining 50 seconds to give them their first victory of the season

Next week the Storm open the season at home with their first of three consecutive home games versus the defending National Conference Champion Georgia Force. For tickets visit the McDonald’s Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum or call 813.301.6600.