by Christian Lemus

After most of the team came back from the cancelled 2009 season, Coach Tim Marcum earns his 200^th coaching victory, and players Brett Dietz and Hank Edwards earn spots in the team’s record book, The Storm couldn’t have asked for a better way to earn revenge for two weeks ago during this playoff installment of the War on I-4.

The big question mark going into this game was Bobby Sippio, playmaking wide receiver for Orlando.  After getting in an altercation with a Storm fan only two weeks ago in Tampa, he padded up again with only one game spared for his suspension.  He would end up having several touchdown passes for the night.  Hank Edwards of Tampa Bay was also not out of the picture either with a potentially sidelining knee injury.  He too earned several touchdowns.

The main focuses for the Storm to advance to the ArenaBowl, though, were thoroughly exercised.  Constant pressure on the offense, along with early momentum, helped the team avoid mistakes made during the last regular season home game.

The game started out with deep visions for both play callers.  Brett Dietz tried to get deep looks to his wide receivers but they came up short.  The Predators capitalized on there mistakes first on there second drive to get a west coast drive touchdown.

“It was adrenaline, I guess”, Brett explained to me.

After seeing Orlando grasp onto one of the only leads in the game, the Storm gathered to make a big play and allow DeAndrew Rubin to grasp a touchdown pass while going over the wall.  After finding the ignition for momentum, they turned to pressuring the offensive with two fumbles for changes in possession.  With the scene set for highlight reels to roll, it became a back and fourth scoring battle until 4 minutes left in the first half.  It wouldn’t be a War on I-4 without a plethora of penalties.  A total of four were called on the away team in two minutes, which lead to lost momentum and a missed field goal.  Tampa Bay took advantage of this final opportunity to go into the locker rooms with an extra score by having Hank Edwards close out the half.

The second half reset the end zone drives for both sides of I-4.  Orlando was finding T.T Toliver going long three consecutive times while Tampa was able to be dynamic with they way they can attack.  Brett found Tyrone Timmons on a long end zone pass, Robert Powell found teammate Tom Kaleita’s fumble for a touchdown, and Terrance Royal pounded the line to run it in.  The stakes couldn’t have been any higher in the final minutes before declaring an American Conference Champion.

It started with Dion Byrum intercepting the Storm play caller’s rushed pass after both linebackers made for the quarterback.  This key defensive stop turned into the second lead that Orlando could gather on the night.  The stakes were raised and each team found the paint before Michael Hawthorne allowed the team to kill time after he caught the onside kick.  Time didn’t run down until Predator kicker Carlos Martinez missed the potentially game winning kick.  At the post game press conference, Hall of Fame coach Tim Marcum commented on the potentially championship stealing kick.

“When we played him (Carlos Martinez) in the other two games, he has not missed a kick.  I thought it was dead on, it was just short.  I think he is the best kicker in the league.  I voted him for all-league. He’s got the talent.”

Added history between not only the rivalry, but the Storm organization, was recorded tonight.  I talked to play caller Brett Dietz about the statement that they are making winning this game while continuing the winning tradition of the Storm and ACC even after a cancelled year.

“This is huge.  This is all what we came back for.  Some of the arena football two teams are just as good as the arena one teams now.  Spokane has proved that.  This defiantly puts us back on the map.  This is what we dream for.  Some people never play for a championship ever in there lives, and we have the chance to do it this week.  This is defiantly special and I’m going to cherish every second of it.”