June 15, 2008
NASHVILLE STORM OPENS 2008 SEASON
WITH A 19-0 VICTORY OVER THE
TENNESSEE RATTLERS
MAPLEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, NASHVILLE, TN- New Nashville
Storm QB Tye Forte (Bacone College) threw TD passes to
Storm WRs Albert Winn (TSU) and Mario Merriweather
(Bethel College) and ran 18 yards for a 3rd TD, while a Storm
defense featuring a host of new starters held the Rattlers to
(-15) yards of total offense and caused 5 Rattler turnovers as
the Nashville Storm defeated the Tennessee Rattlers 19-0
last night in the Storm’s 2008 opener.
Forte, who has been a professional Indoor/Arena football
QB for the AIFA Mississippi Mudcats, was 11 for 23 passing
for 127 yards in his Nashville Storm debut, but the real story
was the revamped Storm defensive unit’s complete
throttling of the Tennessee Rattler offense. Some
highlights:



The Storm defense, led by outstanding performances
by DTs Danny Roberson (TSU) and Eldred Howard (TSU),
WR Gary Peete (who played the whole game at
Defensive End) and LBs Will Stilley (Eastern Kentucky)
and Derrick Johnson (Bethel College), sacked Rattler
QBs 9 times in the game and had 14 total tackles for
losses.
The Rattler QBs did not complete a single pass in the
game (out of 13 attempts), and Storm DBs Michael
Curtis (Campbellsville University) and Rod Higgins
(MTSU), both playing in their first game for the Storm,
intercepted passes from Rattler QB Gordon Keene.
The Rattlers didn’t record a First Down until the 4th
Quarter of the game, and only recorded 2 first downs
that did not involve penalties against the Storm.
The Storm was ineffective on offense in their first 2
possessions of the game, but late in the 1st Quarter, Storm
DT Eldred Howard (TSU) stripped and recovered the
football on a sack of Rattler QB Gordon Keene, giving the
Storm the ball at the Rattler 32-yard line. Forte hit Mario
Merriweather with an 18-yard pass to the Rattler 10 for
the Storm’s first first down of the game; then, after
penalties pushed the Storm back to the Rattler 18, Forte
scrambled from the pocket and ran 18 yards to score the
Storm’s first TD of the game.
In the 2nd Quarter, the Storm culminated a 12-play, 65
yard drive with Forte’s 8-yard TD pass to Albert Winn,
increasing the Storm lead to 12-0. Then, late in the
quarter, Michael Curtis’ interception of Rattler QB
Gordon Keene’s pass gave the ball to the Storm at the
Storm 45 less than 2 minutes before the halftime break.
Forte, on the Storm’s first play, connected with Storm WR
Kevin Carter (Austin Peay) for a 31-yard gain to the
Rattler 24. Then, 2 plays later, Forte hit Mario
Merriweather with a short pass on which Merriweather
used his 4.28 40-yard dash speed to jet down the left
sideline for a 24-yard score, giving the Storm a 19-0
halftime lead.
Merriweather’s dash would be the last score of the game
as neither the Storm nor the Rattlers mounted a serious
scoring threat in a defense-dominated 2nd half.
The Nashville Storm (1-0) have now won their first
season-opening game since their 2005 season opener;
the Storm have now won 12 consecutive road games (a
streak dating back to early in the 2006 season), and the
Storm defense recorded their first shutout since June
2006.
The Nashville Storm will open their home season
Saturday night, June 21, as the Storm host the Tri-City
Knights out of Clarksville, TN at Stratford High School
(1800 Stratford Avenue, Nashville, TN 37216).
The Nashville Storm have still not lost a game to another
team from the State of Tennessee since the Storm’s first
season in 2002.
GAME SUMMARY
SCORING
NASHVILLE STORM- Tye Forte 18 run (Peete XP pass
failed)- 3:35 1st Qtr
NASHVILLE STORM- Albert Winn 8 pass from Tye Forte
(Richardson kick missed)- 5:01 2nd Qtr
NASHVILLE STORM- Mario Merriweather 24 pass form Tye
Forte (Richardson kick)- 1:06 2nd Qtr
1 2
NASHVILLE STORM
6 13
TENNESSEE RATTLERS 0 0
HALF
19
0
3
0
0
4
0
0
FINAL
19
0
NASHVILLE’S TEAM VS. CLARKSVILLE’S
TEAM; NASHVILLE STORM (1-0) OPENS 2008
HOME SEASON AGAINST CLARKSVILLE’S TRICITY KNIGHTS AT STRATFORD HS, SATURDAY
NIGHT, JULY 21
THE TEAMS- The Nashville Storm (1-0) host the Tri-City
Knights ( http://www.tricityknights.com ), a first-year
team representing the “Tri-Cities” of Clarksville, TN,
Hopkinsville, KY, and Oak Grove, KY. This game is the
Nashville Storm’s 2008 home opener and the first-ever
game for the Tri-City Knights.
THE PLACE- STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1800 Stratford
Avenue, Nashville, TN 37216.
THE TIME- Saturday night, June 21, 2008; Gate opens at 6
PM, kickoff is at 7 PM.
THE ENTERTAINMENT- Entertainment will be provided by
the lovely ladies of the award-winning Nashville Storm
Dance Team (
http://www.myspace.com/nashvillestormdanceteam ).
THE COST- Adult admission is $8.00; Children ages 0-14
GET IN FREE.
THE STAKES- This game has obvious importance as the
Nashville Storm’s first 2008 home game, but there are
recruiting ramifications on the line as well. Some of the
Storm’s best players have ties to either Clarksville or Ft.
Campbell such as WRs Mario Merriweather (Clarksville
HS/Bethel College) and Kevin Carter (Clarksville HS/Austin
Peay), and LB Will Stilley (Eastern Kentucky) and FB
James Nickerson (both members of the US Army stationed
at Ft Campbell).
However, the first-year Knights are coached by former
Austin Peay Assistant Coach Dr. Ken Jones, who has
proven to be a highly effective recruiter both at Fort
Campbell and in talent-rich Clarksville, and he’s already
won several recruiting battles for area players against
the Storm. A Knights victory could accelerate this trend.
On the other hand, a Storm victory could reverse this
trend to the delight of Nashville Storm Head Coach
Charles Hunter (TSU).
THE JUNE 28 NASHVILLE STORM-NASHVILLE
KINGS GAME LOCATION HAS BEEN
SWITCHED TO STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL
FROM GLENCLIFF HIGH SCHOOL
At the request of Nashville Kings Owner Gene Crowley, the
Nashville Storm will host the scheduled June 28 game
between the Nashville Storm and the Nashville Kings
which had originally been scheduled to be played at
Glencliff High School in Nashville.
The Nashville Storm will now be the home team in the
June 28 contest, and the game will be played at the
Storm’s home field at Stratford High School (1800
Stratford Avenue, Nashville, TN 37216). Kickoff on June 28
at Stratford will be at 7 PM.
BRING ALL THE KIDS TO NASHVILLE STORM
HOME GAMES AT STRATFORD; IT’S FREE!!!!!!
The Nashville Storm has made a small change for the
2008 football season in our admission policies; all kids
aged 0-14 will now get in all Nashville Storm home
football games FOR FREE.
This policy applies to all home regular season and
playoff games played at Stratford High School. We want
the whole family to enjoy the excitement that is Nashville
Storm Football, so BRING EM ALL!!!!!!!!!