NASHVILLE STORM Escapes BLUFF CITY Ambush

The Nashville Storm stayed perfect in NAFL play with a slim 37-30 win over the Memphis Panthers on July 22nd.
The Nashville Storm has a bye weekend on July 29 before playing their next game at McGavock Saturday night, August 5 at 7 PM against the Greenville Greyhounds.

NASHVILLE STORM Escapes BLUFF CITY Ambush; NASHVILLE STORM 37- MEMPHIS PANTHERS 30
HALLE PARK STADIUM, MEMPHIS, TN- In their first-ever NAFL game, the Memphis Panthers (0-2) had almost pulled off a shocking upset, taking 2005 NAFL Final Four team the Arkansas Rhinos to overtime before losing 25-22, and for about 50 minutes tonight, it looked like they might pull off a shocker against the Nashville Storm (5-1, 3-0) in the Bluff City. However, there are 60 minutes in a football game, and, paced by 3 interceptions from Fred Beard (AF2 Tulsa Talons), 3 TD passes to Roger Moore (Glencliff/Missouri Western) from Phellepe Hall (Maplewood/TSU), and 112 yards in 15 carries from Antwan Ross (Lebanon/Huron University), the Storm escaped the Panthers' upset bid, leaving Memphis with a 37-30 victory and a still-perfect record in NAFL play.

The fireworks began early, as Memphis' KeVan Wade intercepted Hall's first pass of the game and returned it 38 yards to the Storm 49, where Jeffrey Booker immediately threw a 49-yard TD pass to Eric Brent on Memphis' 1st play of the possession. The Storm answered quickly with an 8-play, 37 yard drive after Antwan Ross' 47 yard kickoff return to score on Jemmel Roberts' 1-yard run. Then, on the following kickoff, KeVan Wade, while being tackled, lateraled the football to Leneil Williams who sprinted to the endzone for an 88-yard TD, giving the Panthers a 12-7 lead. Blake Coble (Centennial), however, kicked a 27-yard field goal and Hall threw a 24-yard TD strike to Roger Moore to give the Storm an 18-12 halftime lead.

In the 3rd Quarter, Memphis recovered a fumble after sacking Phellepe Hall on the Storm 33, then scored in 6 plays on Booker's 11-yard TD pass to Orlando Walker to tie the game. However, Hall's 2nd TD pass to Moore (a 13-yarder) put the Storm back in front 25-18 going into the 4th Quarter. The Panthers recovered another Hall fumble after another sack at the Nashville 9-yard line and pulled within 1 point of the Storm 3 plays later on Booker's 3rd TD pass of the night, a 7-yarder to Ronald Nurce. The Storm, on the next possession, drove quickly inside the Panther 5 when Mario Ackers stripped the football from Hall on a QB sneak and returned the strip 97 yards for a TD to give the Panthers a 30-25 lead with 10:40 to play.

The Storm, however, never lost their composure, driving 63 yards in 6 plays on the next possession to retake the lead at 31-30 on Hall's 3rd TD pass to Moore, a 17-yarder. Then, after holding Memphis to 3-and-out on the next drive, the Storm drove 57 yards on 8 plays, all on the ground, to take a 37-30 lead on Antwan Ross' 15-yard TD run. Memphis' last possession was ended by Fred Beards' 3rd INT of the night.

Roger Moore led the Storm receivers with 7 catches for 100 yards (3 TDs) and Phellepe Hall was 15 for 27 for 242 yards as the Storm outgained the Panthers 353-191 and had 21 first downs to 11 for Memphis.

Nashville Storm Practice Schedule for this Week
Starting this Tuesday, July 25, the Nashville Storm will be changing its' location and times for team practices. The practice location is being moved from Two Rivers Park to Una Recreation Center (136 Una Recreation Center Road, off Smith Springs Road in the Edge-o-Lake area).
Practices will still be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, but they will be from 8 to 10 PM instead of from 6:30 till 8 PM. As always, the press and public are invited to all Nashville Storm practices..

GAME SUMMARY
1 2 HALF 3 4 FINAL
NASHVILLE STORM 7 11 18 7 12 37
MEMPHIS PANTHERS 12 0 12 6 12 30
MEMPHIS- Eric Brent 49 pass from Michael Booker (2-pt conv failed)- 9:13 !st Qtr
NASHVILLE- Jemmel Roberts 1 run (Coble Kick)- 4:50 1st Qtr
MEMPHIS- Leneil Williams 88 KO return (2-pt conv failed)- 4:08 1st Qtr
NASHVILLE- Blake Coble 27 FG - 12:14 2nd Qtr
NASHVILLE- Roger Moore 24 pass from Phellepe Hall (2-pt conv- Hall to Peete)- 7:55 2nd Qtr
MEMPHIS- Orlando Walker 11 pass from Michael Booker (Kick missed)- 5:55 3rd Qtr
NASHVILLE- Roger Moore 13 pass from Phellepe Hall (Coble Kick)- 3:02 3rd Qtr
MEMPHIS- Ronald Nurce 7 pass from Michael Booker (XP kick missed)-13:05 4th Qtr
MEMPHIS- Mario Ackers 97 fumble return (XP kick blocked)- 10:40 4th Qtr
NASHVILLE- Roger Moore 17 pass from Phellepe Hall (2-pt conv failed)- 7:00 4th Qtr
NASHVILLE- Antwan Ross 15 run (Coble Kick blocked)- 1:27 4th Qtr

STATISTICS
NASHVILLE MEMPHIS
First Downs 21 11
Yds Rushing 111 17
Yds Passing 242 174
Total Offense 353 191
Passes 15-27-1-3 11-22-3-3
Turnovers 4 3

Nashville Storm Season Schedule
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Photo Courtesy Nashville Storm