KANSAS CITY, MO – In a match up between two playoff teams from last season the Tampa Bay Storm (1-0) came away with a thrilling victory, 51-49, over the Kansas City Brigade (0-1) in front of 13,356 fans at the Sprint Center.  The Brigade had a chance to steal away the victory with 0:05 left on the clock however Peter Martinez’s field goal sailed wide left as the clock wound down.

Tampa Bay was led by the efforts of fullback/linebackers Torrance Marshall and Marvin Brown.  Marshall paved the way on the ground with four touchdowns as he earned Offensive Player and Ironman of the Game.  Meanwhile Brown came up with a huge interception in the endzone at the start of the fourth quarter to take away the Brigades momentum.

Brigade quarterback John Fitzgerald returned to the field after spending the 2007 season on the sideline as a head coach in af2.  Fitzgerald finished the game with 296 yards and five touchdowns as he completed 25-of-40 passes and threw two interceptions, he added two touchdowns on the ground.

The Tampa Bay Storm got off to a quick start as fullback Torrance Marshall scored on a sweep from three yards out to take a 7-0 lead.  The Brigade responded as quarterback John Fitzgerald scored on a four-yard quarterback keeper to even the score.  The Brigade notched the first defensive stop on the next series as the Storm offense stalled in the redzone to end the first quarter tied 7-7.

The paced of the game increased in the second quarter as the Storm entered halftime down 23-28.  Kansas City opened the scoring in the second stanza with a six-yard gang screen from Fitzgerald to Charles Fredrick.  The signing of return man Sedrick Robinson paid dividends as he took the ensuing kickoff to the Brigade 19 yard-line, Robinson averaged 23.8 yards a return.  2007 AFL Rookie of the Year and former Brigade practice squad member, Brett Dietz, took advantage of the field position as he scored on a one-yard quarterback keep to even the score 14-14. 

The Brigade responded quickly as Fitzgerald connected with a wide-open Mike Horacek for a 40-yard touchdown.  The teams then traded turnovers as Monty Montgomery recovered a Robinson fumble on Storm 15-yard line and then defensive back Traco Rachal picked off Fitzgerald and returned it 39 yards to the Brigade four-yard line.  The teams then traded touchdowns before Seth Marler nailed 34-yard field at the expiration of second quarter.

Khalid Nazirrudin forced and recovered a fumble on the kickoff at the start of the third quarter.  Tampa took advantage of the good field position with a three-yard Marshall touchdown on the ground.  Fellow 2007 AFL Rookie of the Year, Fredrick, scored a two yard touchdown to put Kansas City up 35-30.  After another stellar return by Robinson, Marshall scored his fourth touchdown of the game to put Tampa bay ahead 37-35 entering the fourth quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter Brown picked off Fitzgerald in the endzone as the Storm took momentum in the game.  Tampa marched the ball down the field as Dietz found lineman Tom Kaleita wide open in the endzone for his second career touchdown.  Up 44-35 the Brigade and Storm traded scores as Horacek scored with 2:59 left on the clock to make it 51-49 Storm.  After a stalled Storm drive, the Brigade had one final hope as Martinez lined up to take the game winning field goal with0:05 left on the clock.  However the kick sailed left and the Storm came away with the victory.

The victory gives the Storm a 13-9 record on opening day and a 6-2 record on the road.  Tampa Bay hosts the defending Southern Division Champion Georgia Force Friday, March 7 at the St. Pete Times Forum – 7:30 p.m.  Georgia is coming off a 51-41 defeat to the Dallas Desperados.  The Brigade travel to New York to take on the Dragons Sunday, March 9 – 2:00 p.m.  The Dragons take on the Gladiators this Monday in New York.

ESPN Russell Athletic Monday Night Football kicks off with the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats against the Central Division champion Chicago Rush, Monday 3 at 9:00 p.m on ESPN2.

SCORE       1       2       3       4       TOTAL

TAM           7       16      14      14      51

KC              7       21      7       14      49

PASSING

TAM – Brett Dietz                      25-18-193-2-0

KC – John Fitzgerald      40-25-296-5-2

RECEIVING

TAM – Terrill Shaw         6-87-0

KC – Mike Horacek        7-149-3

RUSHING

TAM – Torrance Marshall            7-10-4

KC – John Fitzgerald      4-8-2

All-Purpose Yards

TAM – Sedrick Robinson            164 yards

KC – Mike Horacek        149 yards

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: FB/LB Torrance Marshall, TAM

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: DB Monty Montgomery, KC

IRONMAN OF THE GAME: FB/LB Torrance Marshall, TAM