Defensive lineman Kelvin Kinney applies pressure on Aaron Garcia. (Credit: Mitchell Davis/Tampa Bay Storm)

Tampa Bay - Despite a strong defensive effort, the Tampa Bay Storm (2-3, 0-1) fell to its in-state divisional rival, the Jacksonville Sharks (4-1, 3-0) 46-43 on Friday in front of a home crowd of 14, 201 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The matchup was the first-ever meeting between the two teams, who each failed to eclipse the half-century mark in points for the first time this season.

Tampa Bay held a late five-point lead in the game’s final minute, but Jacksonville’s final drive ended with a touchdown from quarterback Aaron Garcia to wideout Sale’ Key that gave the Sharks a three-point lead and the ultimate game-winning score. Storm quarterback Brett Dietz, who finished the night with 293 yards and five touchdowns, attempted to mount a comeback with 30 seconds remaining in regulation, but the effort fell short when DeAndrew Rubin lost possession of the ball inside the redzone, icing the game for Jacksonville and preventing the Storm from winning consecutive games for the first time in 2010.

Jacksonville forced five turnovers in the game, getting two from defensive player of the game Micheaux Robinson. Garcia threw for 342 yards and five touchdowns while completing 27 of 44 attempts. His primary target was Jomo Wilson, who capped the night with 148 yards and found the back of the endzone three times. Rubin added 147 yards on eight receptions for the Storm, two of which were converted for touchdowns. Tyrone Timmons also turned in a pair of scores for Tampa Bay.

Dietz opened scoring with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Hank Edwards before Jacksonville’s Kirby Griffin rushed in a score from two-yards out to draw the contest to within one after a missed extra point. Looking to extend the lead, Dietz went to the air once again on Tampa Bay’s next offensive possession, but was intercepted by the Sharks’ Dee Webb, whose takeaway set up a 28-yard score from the Jacksonville signal caller to Key. The Storm quarterback was picked off again later in the period, however defensive back Deonte Bolden came up with an interception of his own in the endzone that prevented the Sharks from taking a six-point lead into the second quarter.

Both Tampa Bay and Jacksonville traded a pair of scores in the second stanza, as Terrence Royal’s two-yard sprint into the endzone was countered by an 18-yard touchdown reception by Wilson. The Sharks receiver added an additional score, giving Jacksonville a 25-21 lead, but not before Dietz hooked up with Timmons from three yards out to bring the home team to within four. Garret Rivas nailed a 27-yard field goal as time expired to cut the deficit to one going into the half.

The Storm defense  continued to put heavy pressure on Garcia, penetrating Jacksonville’s offensive line. Tampa Bay forced the Sharks to turn the ball over on downs before Dietz capitalized by tossing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Rubin. Garcia then gave Jacksonville a one-point lead after hooking up with Wilson from 28 yards out. Despite a Storm fumble late in the quarter, Tampa Bay’s defense came up big once again, stopping Jacksonville four times in the red zone to take the one-point differential into the game’s final quarter.

Rubin reeled in a pass from Dietz to make it 37-32 as the fourth quarter opened. Jacksonville seemed to have matched Tampa Bay’s touchdown, but fortunately for the Storm, the score was negated due to a Sharks penalty. Wilson rushed in his third and final touchdown to put Jacksonville up by one after a failed two-point conversion. Jacksonville had an opportunity to pad the lead after it recovered a fumble on the Storm’s three-yard line on the ensuing kickoff, but Tampa Bay’s Eric Ortiz picked off Garcia’s pass on the very next play to return possession in favor of the home team. Dietz cashed in on the Sharks turnover, finding Timmons in the endzone to complete an 11-yard pass play in the game’s final minute. Jacksonville, however, scored with 34.7 seconds left on a pass to Key before Bernard Morris rushed the ball in for the two-point conversion. Tampa Bay drove down the field with 30 seconds remaining, and despite a last-ditch effort to punch in the game’s winning score, Rubin fumbled the ball at the 15 yard line, sealing the victory for the in-state rivals.

SCORE           1       2       3       4       TOTAL
JAX                   12   13     7      14      46
TAM               7     20     7      12      43