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Storm sets scoring records in win over Jacksonville

 
Published June 13, 2015

TAMPA — The Storm's offense was the star for most of the night, but its defense couldn't have picked a better time to show up.

Defensive back Al Phillips swatted away a fourth-down attempt with less than 30 seconds to play and Tampa Bay set first-half team scoring records on its way to a pivotal 63-56 South Division win against Jacksonville in front of a season-high crowd 12,602 at Amalie Arena on Friday.

"Al made a great break on the ball," Storm coach Lawrence Samuels said. "Just a (great) play."

The win halted Jacksonville's five-game winning streak and knocked the Sharks (6-6, 1-3) out of a first-place tie with Orlando in the South Division. Tampa Bay (5-6, 2-1) got its second win over the Sharks this season, which gives it the tiebreaker as the teams jockey for playoff position.

"The guys knew how big of a game this was and what it meant," Samuels said. "You could tell in their preparation this week."

With the score tied at 56, Storm wideout Julius Gregory went up high to snag an onside kick at the Sharks' 9-yard line. Two plays later, Jason Boltus threaded a pass between two defenders to T.T. Toliver for a 6-yard touchdown and a 63-56 lead with 56 seconds left.

"That was an amazing throw and catch," Samuels said. "There was so little space."

Phillips broke up a fourth-down pass on Jacksonville's final possession to seal the win.

The 56 points scored by the Storm in the first two quarters was a franchise record for either half, breaking the mark of 50 set against Grand Rapids in 2005. The first-half record was 47 at Grand Rapids in 2000.

The Storm also scored the third-most points in a half in AFL history. The teams' 98 combined points at halftime was the second-highest total for a half in league history.

The Storm's total at the break was more points than it had scored in eight of its 10 games.

Gregory was Boltus' favorite target in the half, hauling in seven catches for 80 yards and three touchdowns. Boltus finished the half 13-of-16 for 160 yards and five touchdowns. He also snuck in for a score from the 1 with 21 seconds left to give the Storm a 56-42 lead at the break.

"I've got a Hall of Famer (Samuels) coaching my position," Gregory said. "He's just teaching me the small things and I'm adding it to my game."

The Storm's Kendrick Ings, who missed last week with a rib injury, returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown and added a net recovery touchdown.

Neither team scored in the third quarter.

Former Storm defensive back Chris Smith picked off Boltus late in the third. That led to former Tampa Bay All-Arena wideout Joe Hills catching a 4-yard touchdown pass with 12:22 left in the game to make it 56-48. Boltus was intercepted again on the next possession — his league-high 16th interception of the season — and Orlando tied it at 56 with 1:55 to play.