Storm Beat Brigade, Extend Win Streak

The Tampa Bay Storm (6-1) did both themselves and the Philadelphia Soul a favor on Saturday night, as they beat the Baltimore Brigade (2-5) 47-35. The win means the Soul are the first team to secure a playoff spot.

While the game started on shaky ground, Randy Hippeard checked one major item off the to-do list, finding Joe Hills for the first score of the night, extending Hills’ touchdown streak to 75 games (three shy of tying the all-time record), but Mark Lewis missed the extra point wide right to keep the score at 6-0.

Tampa Bay had a good start on defense when Dexter Jackson sacked Baltimore quarterback Shane Carden on their first drive, but Carden’s scrambling ability allowed him to keep a play alive and find Milton Williams in the end zone for a one-point lead.

The Storm quickly answered with a little more history, as Hills, who nearly scored on a 44-yard catch, scored on his first career touchdown run to retake the lead.

The Storm took command after recovering a Carden fumbled snap, as LaMark Brown scored to make it 20-7. While the Brigade kept the game close after a Rory Nixon touchdown, Kendrick Ings got in the end zone to keep a two-score lead. LaRoche Jackson, in just his second game with the team, broke up a pass at the end of the half to prevent a touchdown.

Tampa Bay got an immediate boost on the kickoff, as Alvin Ray Jackson recovered the ball off the upright and ran into the end zone for a 33-14 lead. Brandon Thompkins provided a little magic, spinning away from three defenders to break open a 45-yard catch and run for a touchdown. When Qumain Black intercepted Hippeard in the end zone and ran the ball back into Storm territory, They quickly cashed in to get back within five at 33-28 thanks to a Julian Talley touchdown.

With the game close, the Storm sealed things in the fourth quarter, starting with a Hippeard to Ings touchdown, then following that with their first fourth-down stop in four games.

Joe Hills completed his hat trick to give Tampa Bay a three-score lead, and despite a late Talley touchdown, the Storm finished out the game and took one step closer to clinching their own playoff spot.

At 6-1, the Storm stay within reach of Philadelphia and hold down a spot for a home playoff game. Next week, the five-game win streak will be on the line against the Washington Valor. Kickoff is set for Saturday, June 10 at 7 p.m. ET, and the game will air live on CBS Sports Network.

Baltimore Brigade Come Back to Beat Cleveland Gladiators, 63-60

‪The Baltimore Brigade hosted the Cleveland Gladiators at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore on Saturday night. Both teams were riding long losing streaks and were looking for their second win of the season.‬

‪The Gladiators struck first when Arvell Nelson found Quentin Sims for a touchdown. Following a Shane Carden interception, Sims’ second touchdown of the game gave Cleveland a 12-0 lead (they missed both extra points.)‬

‪The Brigade would get on the board when Carden found Milton Williams for a touchdown to make the score 12-7. That would prove to be the score at the end of the first quarter.‬

‪Sims third touchdown of the first half would give Cleveland and 18-7 lead (they once again missed the extra point.) The Brigade wouldn’t go down that easy, however. After a back and forth second quarter, the Gladiators led 32-28.‬

‪Baltimore took their first lead when Williams scored his third touchdown of the night. Cleveland would respond with Sims fourth touchdown reception of the game. The Glads took the 39-34 lead into the fourth quarter.‬

‪Down 53-49 with just one minute left, Carden threw a touchdown to Williams, his fourth, to give them a 56-53 lead. After running back Jeramie Richardson scored to give the Gladiators a 60-56 lead, new Brigade Brandon Thompkins returned the ensuing kick all the way for a touchdown to give Baltimore a 63-60 lead. ‬

‪Cleveland would fail to score on the final 30 seconds, giving the Brigade the win. The win for Baltimore snaps a three-game losing streak. They will travel to take on the Tampa Bay Storm next weekend.

The loss for Cleveland has them at a four-game losing streak. They’re also tied for the worst record in the league with the Washington Valor at 1-5. The two teams will meet at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. next Saturday night. The game will be broadcasted on CBS Sports Network.