July 9, 2010

By Alex Collins

DALLAS, TX -- The Dallas Vigilantes (1-12) were handed their 10th straight loss Friday night as they fell 56-34 to the Tampa Bay Storm. Dallas played well in the first half but managed only ten second half points in what became a physical and penalty-filled game. Tampa (10-3) scored 28 in the second half en route to their eighth straight victory.

Late in the first quarter with Dallas down 7-0, the Vigilantes’ Delenall Reid picked off a Brett Dietz pass which caromed off the left crossbar. Six plays later, Vigilantes quarterback Collin Drafts would find Matt Fields over the middle for an 18-yard touchdown which knotted the score at 7-7.

The 7-7 score would carry over to the second quarter, but Dietz found Hank Edwards in the corner of the end zone four minutes into the frame to give Tampa a seven point advantage. Dallas struck back three minutes later on a 14-yard Derek Lee touchdown reception.

Lee amassed eight catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vigilantes receivers. Fields added 75 yards and two touchdowns. Drafts went 25-of-42 for 256 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

With four minutes remaining in the first half, Dietz tossed his third touchdown of the game, to give him 87 on the season and a Tampa Bay franchise record. Drafts would answer in the last minute with a beautiful 20-yard touchdown pass to Lee.

Tampa returned the favor with 12 seconds remaining on a 36-yarder from Dietz to Sedrick Robinson and put the Storm up seven, but Lewis nailed a 37-yarder as time expired to make the score 28-24 at halftime.

Dallas would open the second half with a gutsy scoring drive highlighted by a Drafts first-down run on fourth-and-long. Drafts capped the drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Fields and the Vigilantes took the lead for the first and only time at 31-28.

After a Tampa touchdown, the Vigilantes would make their first mistake of the game when Drafts and center Adrian Gonzalez mishandled an exchange and the Storm’s Cliff Dukes ran it in for a score and a 42-31 Tampa lead. Dallas quickly answered with a short Lewis field goal and the score would remain 42-34 heading into the fourth quarter.

Tampa Bay’s next drive ended when Derek Lee picked off his second pass of the season on first-and-goal for the Storm. The ensuing Dallas drive included a spectacular one-handed catch by Fields on third-and-long, but the drive would not result in a Dallas score. The Vigilantes would turn the ball over on downs and on the next play Dietz hooked up with Edwards for a 28-yard touchdown and a 15 point Storm advantage.

Dietz ended the night 20-of-31 for 329 yards, six touchdowns and the two interceptions. Both Edwards and Robinson eclipsed 100 yards receiving and hauled in two touchdowns for the Storm.

With just under three minutes left in the game and Dallas driving, Dukes sacked and stripped the ball from Drafts. The turnover ended any hope of a Dallas comeback.

Dallas will travel to Chicago next Saturday night to take on the Rush at 7:00 CST. The Vigilantes final home season game is in two weeks when they will take on the Utah Blaze.