Post by pking34 on Oct 15, 2007 10:21:20 GMT -5
BUSTER BOGUSKIE STADIUM, STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL, NASHVILLE,TN- Coming off the Nashville Storm's worst performance of the 2007 season against the Port City Monarchs, many Storm followers were apprehensive about the Storm's playoff debut against a talented Arkansas Rhino team that the Storm had had to come from behind to defeat in both of their 2007 regular season games.
It would be different on this Saturday night of football, though; Storm QB Phellepe Hall (Maplewood/TSU) got hot early, finding Gary Peete (AF2 Memphis Xplorers) and Mario Merriweather (Bethel College) in the end zone for his 31st and 32nd TD passes of 2007 before turning the game over to the Storm running game and defense in a workmanlike 17-7 Storm victory.
The Storm scored on their 1st possession of the game; Hall hit Storm WR Albert Winn (TSU) on a 44-yard strike that moved the ball to the Rhino 9, and then found Gary Peete in the end zone 2 plays later. The Rhinos, on their first possession, drove to the Storm 22 behind the running of Calvin Withers (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and William Lamar, but Storm CB Cromwell Stewart (Father Ryan/UT-Martin) ended the threat by intercepting Rhino QB Lawrence Copling's (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) pass in the end zone for a touchback. The Storm drove the ball down the field quickly on Johnathan "Bama" Carter's running and a 40-yard pass from Phellepe Hall to Roger Moore (Glencliff/Missouri Western) before Hall hit Mario Merriweather for a 20-yard TD pass to put the Storm up 14-0 early in the 2nd Quarter, a lead that held up until halftime.
The 3rd Quarter was scoreless; at the beginning of the 4th Quarter, Hall drove the Storm to the Rhino 8 on 15 and 17 yard pass completions to Taris Frederick (Clarksville HS/Bethel College). When the drive stalled, Storm K Blake Coble (Centennial) increased the Storm lead to 17-0 with a 31-yard Field Goal.
The Rhinos finally mounted a 69-yard scoring drive on their next possession, aided by a pass interference penalty called on Storm CB Fred Beard (TSU/AF2 Tulsa Talons) defending Rhino WR Marcus Yarbrough (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), which gave the Rhinos the ball on the Nashville 1-yard line. 3 plays later, the Rhinos scored on Lawrwnce Copling's QB sneak, finally putting the Rhinos on the scoreboard with
4:41 to play. This ended the scoring as the Storm held the Rhinos on downs on the last Rhino possession before the Storm ran out the clock.
Johnathan "Bama" Carter led the Storm rushing attack with 16 carries for 83 yards, while Phellepe Hall hit 9 of 18 passes for 153 yards and 2 TDs. The Storm defense held Rhino RB Calvin Withers to 42 yards on 14 carries and the Rhino offense to only 140 offensive yards.
The Arkansas Rhinos finish their 2007 season with a 7-4 record; the Nashville Storm (13-2, 10-1 in NAFL play) advance to the 3rd Round of the NAFL playoffs, where they will play the Alabama Lightning (9-2), a 24-0 winner Saturday night in their playoff matchup against the Port City Monarchs. This game will be played Saturday night, October 20, at Stratford High School (1800 Stratford Avenue, Nashville, TN 37216); gate will open at 6 PM, kickoff will be at 7 PM.
GAME SUMMARY
1 2 HALF 3 4 FINAL
ARKANSAS RHINOS 0 0 0 0 7 7
NASHVILLE STORM 7 7 14 0 3 17
NASHVILLE- Gary Peete 9 pass from Phellepe Hall (Coble Kick)-11:06 1st Qtr
NASHVILLE- Mario Merriweather 20 pass from Phellepe Hall (Coble Kick)-12:39 2nd Qtr
NASHVILLE- Blake Coble 31 FG- 11:46 4th Qtr
ARKANSAS- Lawrence Copling 1 run (Morgan Kick)- 4:41 4th Qtr
NEXT HOME GAME (NAFL PLAYOFFS): NASHVILLE STORM vs. ALABAMA LIGHTNING, SATURDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 20, 7 PM, STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1800 Stratford Avenue, Nashville,TN 37216.
It would be different on this Saturday night of football, though; Storm QB Phellepe Hall (Maplewood/TSU) got hot early, finding Gary Peete (AF2 Memphis Xplorers) and Mario Merriweather (Bethel College) in the end zone for his 31st and 32nd TD passes of 2007 before turning the game over to the Storm running game and defense in a workmanlike 17-7 Storm victory.
The Storm scored on their 1st possession of the game; Hall hit Storm WR Albert Winn (TSU) on a 44-yard strike that moved the ball to the Rhino 9, and then found Gary Peete in the end zone 2 plays later. The Rhinos, on their first possession, drove to the Storm 22 behind the running of Calvin Withers (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and William Lamar, but Storm CB Cromwell Stewart (Father Ryan/UT-Martin) ended the threat by intercepting Rhino QB Lawrence Copling's (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) pass in the end zone for a touchback. The Storm drove the ball down the field quickly on Johnathan "Bama" Carter's running and a 40-yard pass from Phellepe Hall to Roger Moore (Glencliff/Missouri Western) before Hall hit Mario Merriweather for a 20-yard TD pass to put the Storm up 14-0 early in the 2nd Quarter, a lead that held up until halftime.
The 3rd Quarter was scoreless; at the beginning of the 4th Quarter, Hall drove the Storm to the Rhino 8 on 15 and 17 yard pass completions to Taris Frederick (Clarksville HS/Bethel College). When the drive stalled, Storm K Blake Coble (Centennial) increased the Storm lead to 17-0 with a 31-yard Field Goal.
The Rhinos finally mounted a 69-yard scoring drive on their next possession, aided by a pass interference penalty called on Storm CB Fred Beard (TSU/AF2 Tulsa Talons) defending Rhino WR Marcus Yarbrough (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), which gave the Rhinos the ball on the Nashville 1-yard line. 3 plays later, the Rhinos scored on Lawrwnce Copling's QB sneak, finally putting the Rhinos on the scoreboard with
4:41 to play. This ended the scoring as the Storm held the Rhinos on downs on the last Rhino possession before the Storm ran out the clock.
Johnathan "Bama" Carter led the Storm rushing attack with 16 carries for 83 yards, while Phellepe Hall hit 9 of 18 passes for 153 yards and 2 TDs. The Storm defense held Rhino RB Calvin Withers to 42 yards on 14 carries and the Rhino offense to only 140 offensive yards.
The Arkansas Rhinos finish their 2007 season with a 7-4 record; the Nashville Storm (13-2, 10-1 in NAFL play) advance to the 3rd Round of the NAFL playoffs, where they will play the Alabama Lightning (9-2), a 24-0 winner Saturday night in their playoff matchup against the Port City Monarchs. This game will be played Saturday night, October 20, at Stratford High School (1800 Stratford Avenue, Nashville, TN 37216); gate will open at 6 PM, kickoff will be at 7 PM.
GAME SUMMARY
1 2 HALF 3 4 FINAL
ARKANSAS RHINOS 0 0 0 0 7 7
NASHVILLE STORM 7 7 14 0 3 17
NASHVILLE- Gary Peete 9 pass from Phellepe Hall (Coble Kick)-11:06 1st Qtr
NASHVILLE- Mario Merriweather 20 pass from Phellepe Hall (Coble Kick)-12:39 2nd Qtr
NASHVILLE- Blake Coble 31 FG- 11:46 4th Qtr
ARKANSAS- Lawrence Copling 1 run (Morgan Kick)- 4:41 4th Qtr
NEXT HOME GAME (NAFL PLAYOFFS): NASHVILLE STORM vs. ALABAMA LIGHTNING, SATURDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 20, 7 PM, STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1800 Stratford Avenue, Nashville,TN 37216.