TAMPA-Orval Stanley threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in leading the Tampa Bay Storm to a 35-22 victory over the New York Dragons in a Week 2 AFL game.
An inclination of how the game was going to go for the Dragons came on the first offensive play of the game. HB Freddy Ashercraft fumbled, and DE Orlan Watson recovered at the Dragons 23-yard line. Three plays later, Jefferson Taylor scored on a 12-yard touchdown run to give the Storm a 7-0 lead with 13:17 left in the first quarter. The Dragons appeared to get a first down on their next drive when Faron Emerson hit Barry Starr for a 38-yard gain only to have it called back by an offensive pass interference penalty. After New York punted, Stanley uncorked a 65-yard bomb to Greg Ponder with 11:10 left in the first quarter to put Tampa Bay up 14-0. New York's offense would finally get on track, driving 53 yards on 12 plays. Burt Hamrick would put the Dragons on the board with a 51-yard field goal with 4:20 left in the first to make it 14-3 in favor of the Storm.
New York would force Tampa Bay to punt, and the Dragons would take another scoring drive, going 72 yards on 9 plays. Emerson would finish the drive with a 14-yard strike to Elvin Strait. The extra point closed the gap to 14-10 with 12:05 remaining in the second quarter. On the ensuing Storm drive, Tampa Bay would march 73 yards on 12 plays. Stanley would score on a 5-yard quarterback keeper to put the Storm ahead 21-10 with 7:38 to go in the half. The teams would trade punts, and then the Dragons would go 82 yards on 7 plays, ending with a Hamrick field goal from 20 yards out to make the score 21-13 with 1:10 to go in the first half, and that's how the half finished up.
The second half began with the Storm and Dragons exchanging punts, and then Tampa Bay rolled on a 13-play, 79-yard drive that ended with Stanley tossing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Foster Warhurst to give Tampa Bay a 28-13 lead with 6:34 to go in the third. New York responded with an 8-play, 65-yard drive, but they couldn't punch it into the end zone, and settled for a 24-yard field goal by Hamrick to make it 28-16 with 1:51 left in the third.
Tampa Bay would put it away on their next drive, moving the ball on 72 yards on 8 plays. Stanley would toss a 2-yard pass to Ponder to make it 35-16 Storm with 12:16 remaining in the game. The Dragons would not say die, however, as they drove 87 yards on 11 plays. Emerson completed the drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to George Larron. The Dragons missed the two-point conversion, and the score was 35-22 in favor of Tampa Bay with 8:05 remaining. The Dragons tried an onside kick, but failed, and from there, the Storm pretty much ran out the clock.
Tampa Bay (2-0) gained 378 yards of total offense. The Storm gained 85 yards rushing, with Taylor leading the way (14 carries, 48 yards, TD). Stanley went 20-for-31 passing for 316 yards and 3 TD, along with his 11 yards on 5 carries and rushing TD. He was sacked 4 times, losing 23 yards. Vinnie Kirksey was Tampa Bay's leading receiver with 4 catches for 37 yards. Ponder caught 3 passes for 98 yards and 2 TD. Warhurst caught 3 passes for 37 yards and a TD. The Storm are on the road next week against the Albany Firebirds.
New York (1-1) gained 433 yards of total offense. The Dragons gained 66 yards rushing, Larron being the lead runner with 37 yards on 7 carries. Emerson went 32-for-43 passing for 382 yards and 2 TD. He was sacked once, losing 15 yards. Ardell Ashmore caught 7 passes for 78 yards. Ashercraft made 6 catches for 109 yards. Larron caught 4 passes for 32 yards and a TD. Strait caught 2 passes for 31 yards and a TD. The Dragons open at home next week against the Georgia Force.
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