The Tampa Bay Storm defensive line harassed BattleWings quarterback Jimmy Welker all evening sacking him four times, including a safety, while forcing two fumbles. (Photo: Mitchell Davis)

The Tampa Bay Storm (8-3, 2-1) extended its season-high win streak to six games in the team’s return home on Friday night, defeating the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings (3-9, 3-3) by a score of 78-39 in front of an announced crowd of 15,808 in the second and final meeting of the season between the two American Conference clubs.

The victory proved to be record setting, as the Storm not only set a season-high point total, but also broke its best previous mark of 77 points scored at home. The win also placed the Storm atop the South Division, a half game ahead of in-state rival Jacksonville who plays at Milwaukee Saturday night.

The Storm put the game away primarily in the second half, coming up with two turnovers and scoring five touchdowns, while holding the Battle Wings to just two scores.

Tampa Bay utilized a balanced approach, making big plays on both offense and defense throughout the night. Quarterback Brett Dietz led the scoring attack, completing 22 of 30 passes for 342 yards and eight touchdowns. Aside from the overall team effort, his primary receivers on the night, Hank Edwards and Tyrone Timmons, each cashed in record-setting performances as well. Edwards, who finished the night with a team-leading 10 receptions for 209 yards and three scores, became the first Storm player in franchise history to break the 200-yard receiving mark in a single game, while Timmons capped the contest with a single-game career-high five touchdowns.

Tampa Bay was countered by Bossier-Shreveport’s Jimmy Welker, who went 14 for 33 with 239 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver PJ Berry also turned in four catches and a pair of scores for the Battle Wings. Jason Schule added two additional touchdowns on the night as well.

Despite Tampa Bay falling down by a touchdown twice in the first quarter, Dietz rallied the offense both times to counter Bossier-Shreveport score for score. Following a 26-yard touchdown from Welker to Berry that made the score 6-0, the Storm passer found Edwards in the back of the endzone to  bring his team to a one-point lead after a successful extra point by Kicker Garret Rivas. Dietz then struck again to counter a second Battle Wings score, hooking up with DeAndrew Rubin to take a 14-13 lead into the second frame.

The Storm took a commanding lead in the second quarter, increasing the tempo of the game’s opening stanza, while receiving significant contributions on both sides of the ball.  Schule scored to open the quarter, but Tampa Bay took over from there, scoring on five separate occasions. Dietz found Tyrone Timmons twice, once to go up 21-20, and once more from 17 yards out to give Tampa Bay a 10-point advantage. Tampa Bay’s defense was equally as impressive, as Jermaine Smith forced a fumble that resulted in a safety and two additional points for the Storm on the scoreboard. Following a rushing touchdown by Terrence Royal from the goal line to counter Bossier-Shreveport’s second score of the stanza, defensive back Brandon Hefflin intercepted a Welker pass, which allowed Dietz to find Hank Edwards and cap the half’s scoring with a 44-27 Storm lead going into the intermission.

Both the third and fourth quarters proved to be all Tampa Bay, as the Storm scored five times, while holding Bossier-Shreveport to just 12 points.  In the third quarter Smith forced another fumble that Michael Hawthorne recovered in the endzone to push the Storm ahead 51-21.  Daryon Brutley corralled his second interception of the season two plays late and Timmons recorded his third and fourth touchdowns of the night. 

 Timmons and Edwards each found the paint in the fourth stanza, but much like recent games, Tampa Bay’s defense and special teams stole the show to seal the win. Hefflin recorded his second interception of the night, while Kelvin Kinney registered a blocked kick for the third consecutive game in earning the team’s sixth straight victory.

Game Notes

* Storm WR Hank Edwards became the first WR in franchise history to reach 200 yards receiving in a single game. He finished the evning with 10 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

* Storm DE Kelvin Kinney blocked a PAT with just under a minute remaining in the game. Kinney has blocked a kick in three consecutive games.

* Storm QB Brett Dietz surpassed Peter Tom Willis on the franchise’s all-time passing attempts list with his first passing attempt of the game. Willis was ranked fourth in franchise history with 1,255 passing attempts.

* Storm WR Tyrone Timmons reached the 100-career reception mark in the first quarter on a two-yard reception from Dietz. He finished the evening with 9 catches for 106 yards and five touchdowns.

* Storm rookie WR Jacob Willis recorded his first career reception with just under 13:00 left in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with three receptions for 30 yards. 

* Storm rookie QB Drew Weatherford threw his first passing touchdown of his career to Hank Edwards in the fourth quarter.

* BattleWing FB Jason Schule, in his first game back after a fight with testicular cancer, rushed four times for 30 yards and two touchdowns.

* WRs Hank Edwards and Tyrone Timmons each surpassed 1,000 yards receiving on the year.

* WR DeAndrew Rubin was injured in the first half and did not return to the game.