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Storm Set Playoff Point Mark, Advance to Arena Bowl XXX

The Tampa Bay Storm are Arena Bowl-bound for the first time since 2010, winning their first home playoff game since that same year, 73-59 against visiting Cleveland Monday.

Tampa Bay posted a franchise record for points in a postseason game. Randy Hippeard threw for seven touchdown passes and ran for two more, his 2-yard scramble on third-and-goal putting the game away in the final minute.

Joe Hills caught four touchdowns and Kendrick Ings added two, while tying Hills for team-high in receptions with eight, and leading hte way with 124 yards.

Still Tampa Bay needed some special teams excellence to inch away. Mark Lewis' onside kick was perfect, coming after the Storm had gone ahead 44-39 and making it so Cleveland only had the ball for one offensive play in the third quarter.

The Storm were flawless on their first four drives, needing exactly two plays on each, and with a game-starting stop by the defense it was 28-20. But after Cleveland pulled within 28-26 the Storm, trying to run the clock down and take control of the game late in the half, were stopped and Cleveland ended up taking a 32-28 lead on Quinton Sims' fourth TD of the half.

Lewis got a field goal to end the half making it 32-31, and Ings' 48-yard catch and run set up Hippeard's go-ahead score early in the third. Cleveland answered on the next play but the Storm went on a long march for an Ings score and then he recovered the big onside kick.

Tampa Bay (11-4) is in the Arena Bowl for the 10th time and will try for an AFL record sixth title Saturday, Aug. 26 at Philadelphia (14-1). The Soul went 3-0 against the Storm this year, are the defending champion and have won 17 straight at home.

Kendrick Ings photo courtesy Tampa Bay Storm


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