ArenaBowl X
Encyclopedia
ArenaBowl X was the Arena Football League's tenth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....

 of the National Conference against the #1 Iowa Barnstormers
New York Dragons
The New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...

 of the American Conference. Both teams ended their regular seasons at 12-2, yet Iowa had a better conference record (7-2 to 6-2). For the Storm, they were hoping to get their fourth championship title in six overall appearances, while the Barnstormers (in only their second season) were trying to win their very first league championship game.

Game summary

In the first quarter, Tampa Bay struck first with Quarterback Jay Gruden
Jay Gruden
Jay Gruden is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and was formerly the head coach of the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He is also a decorated player and coach in Arena Football League history,...

 completing a 12-yard touchdown pass to OL/DL Lynn Rowland, yet the Barnstormers took the lead with Quarterback Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...

 completing a 16-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Chris Spencer and a 30-yard touchdown pass to OS Lamont Cooper. The Storm would wrap up the period with Gruden completing a 30-yard touchdown pass to OS George LaFrance
George LaFrance
George Herbert LaFrance III is a former Arena Football League Offensive Specialist. In a playing career lasting twelve years, he played for the Detroit Drive , the Tampa Bay Storm , and the New Jersey Red Dogs...

 (with a failed PAT).

In the second quarter, Iowa increased its lead with Warner completing a nine-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Willis Jacox
Willis Jacox
Willis Jacox is a former professional American football player.Jacox attended the University of North Dakota in the mid 1980's, where he played both wide receiver and kick returner. Following his collegiate career, Jacox was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League...

, yet Tampa Bay took control with Gruden completing a 35-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Stevie Thomas. Afterwards, Thomas would return an interception nine yards for a touchdown. The Barnstormers would wrap up the half with FB/LB Ron Moran getting a one-yard touchdown run.

In the third quarter, the Storm increased its lead with Gruden completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to FB/LB Ivan Caesar
Ivan Caesar
Ivan Orsen Caesar Jr. was an American football linebacker who played one season with the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL as well as four seasons in the Arena Football League...

, yet Iowa responded with kicker Mike Black getting a 32-yard field goal.

In the fourth quarter, the Barnstormers reclaimed its lead with Warner and Spencer hooking up with each other again on a four-yard touchdown pass, yet Tampa Bay retook the lead with Gruden and Thomas hooking up with each other again on a seven-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, Warner would lead Iowa on a late game drive to the Storm's one-yard, yet on four-straight downs, Tampa Bay kept the Barnstormers out of the end zone.

With the win, the Storm claimed its fourth title in six seasons.

Scoring summary

1st Quarter
  • TB - 12 yard touchdown pass from Gruden to Rowland (Cimadevilla kick)
  • IOW - 16 yard touchdown pass from Warner to Spencer (Black kick)
  • IOW - 30 yard touchdown pass from Warner to Cooper (Black kick)
  • TB - 30 yard touchdown pass from Gruden to LaFrance (Cimadevilla kick failed)

2nd Quarter
  • IOW - 9 touchdown yard pass from Warner to Jacox (Black kick)
  • TB - 35 yard touchdown pass from Gruden to Thomas (Cimadevilla kick)
  • TB - 9 yard interception return by Thomas (Gruden pass)
  • IOW - 1 yard touchdown run by Moran (Black)

3rd Quarter
  • TB - 21 yard touchdown pass from Gruden to Ceasar (Cimadevilla kick)
  • IOW - 32 yard field goal by Black

4th Quarter
  • IOW - 4 yard touchdown pass from Warner to Spencer (Black kick)
  • TB - 7 yard touchdown pass from Gruden to Thomas (Cimadevilla kick)

Trivia

  • On the Arena Football League's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown, this game was ranked #3.

External links

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