Storm of the Century

[Lifted Up]

"Beating Up on Peoria" Doesnt do this team justice anymore. Longest winning streak in pro sports history. And don't laugh to hard; I bet they could beat at least some of the AFL teams. See above mentioned thread to refer to the "Matt Holmlund catch".

Of course i was there...our seats are 5 yards from midfield on the front...we've gotten players dumped in our laps a few times over the years.

4th-down TD saves Storm

By: Matt Zimmer

Sioux Falls Argus Leader - Aug. 06, 2007

United Bowl III MVP Casey Veenhof and Storm Head Coach Kurtiss Riggs celebrate as the Storm won their third consecutive United Bowl 62-59 over the Lexington Horsemen. (Photo by Lloyd Cunningham Argus Leader)

It all came down to one play - one play to extend the streak to 38 consecutive wins, one play to secure a third straight UIF championship.

With 12 seconds left and Lexington clinging to a 59-54 lead, Sioux Falls faced a 4th-and-3 from the nine-yard line.

Terrance Bryant lofted it. Casey Veenhof went and got it.

It was "The Catch" - UIF style.

"I look up," said Storm safety Shannon Poppinga, "and see Casey Veenhof, the slowest white guy you'll ever see, do a stutter route and the guy bites on it. Then it was Matt Holmlund all over again."

Veenhof went up and over the wall - just like Holmlund did for the key score in last year's United Bowl - and came down with the ball, giving Sioux Falls a 60-59 lead with seven seconds left. It became 62-59 after a two-point conversion, and the Storm escaped in a game where phrases such as "heart-stopping" and "nerve-wracking" didn't go far enough toward describing the action.

Lexington had one last chance for a game-tying field-goal - two, actually, thanks to a penalty for a fan being on the field of all things - but both were no good, and the Storm secured their second straight perfect season.

"I didn't think we'd ever be able to top last year's championship game," said Storm coach Kurtiss Riggs. "But I said that the year before that, too. We seem to be able to go above and beyond every year and top each game. I think if it had been a blowout a lot of people might've taken it for granted. But winning a game like this reminds the players and the fans just how fun it is to be a part of a game like this and a season like this."

Trailing from the opening play of the game until late in the fourth quarter, Sioux Falls took its first lead with 3:23 to go on a four-yard run by Leon Hall that put the Storm up 54-53.

The Horsemen answered in two plays and missed a two-point conversion, giving them a 59-54 lead with 1:39 to play.

At that point, it was down to one last series, and whether the Horsemen defense could hold. They could not.

The Storm had had chances to tie or take the lead earlier, but a pair of Bryant interceptions ensured the Storm were playing from behind until the very end.

But when it mattered most, Bryant made the big throw.

"I pressed the whole game," admitted Bryant, who threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns while running for another. "After that second interception, I told myself, 'You're better than that. Go out and execute like you have for 17 weeks.' "

He did just that, which came as a surprise to no one.

"Terrance doesn't get down," said receiver James Terry, who had six catches on the night. "He's clutch, and he always handles the pressure."

Added Riggs: "He made a perfect throw. They blitzed and he was under serious pressure right away. He held on just long enough for Casey to make a move."

Collin Barber, who previously hit field goals of 47, 42, 47 and 32 yards, was wide right as the clock expired on the second of the two last-second field goals, and the 4,907 fans, who had been as loud as any crowd the Sioux Falls Arena has ever seen, flooded the field in a mixture of relief and jubilation.

"The game itself was a memorable experience," said Storm defensive end Leif Murphy, who earned his first ring with the Storm. "When you add on the fact that it was a championship game, the streak was on the line, against one of the best teams and best quarterbacks in the league, that just makes it unbelievable. I'll have an ulcer tomorrow."

The Horsemen came out strong, as quarterback Eddie Eviston gave the Storm the same problems he did in last year's title game.

William Mulder returned the game's opening kickoff 50 yards for a touchdown, and the Storm couldn't get the ensuing kick out of their end zone, giving the Horsemen a one-point rouge to make it 8-0.

While Sioux Falls settled for field goals on their first two series, the Horsemen paired two touchdowns with a 47-yard Barber field-goal to take an 18-6 lead after one quarter.

The teams traded scores through much of the second until, with Lexington leading 31-27, Eviston was picked off by Justin Landis, who returned to the Horsemen nine-yard line. That gave the Storm a shot at their first lead, but Bryant was intercepted on an ill-advised toss into the end zone. Lexington quickly pushed their lead back to 10 on a pass to Chad Spencer, and the teams went into the half with the score at 37-27.

"It was frustrating that we couldn't make a stop," said Poppinga. "It seemed like something was always there for them. It made you want to go outside your own job to make a play. We just tried to wear them down."

Veenhof, who caught seven passes for 74 yards after catching only four balls during the regular year, was MVP.

"It's a great group of guys," Veenhof said. "You can't ask for a better team."

Marques Smith rushed for 53 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns for the Storm, who outgained Lexington 293-213.

Eviston threw for 183 yards and five touchdowns.

Storm players and staff hung around on the field long after the game, seemingly aware not only of the magnitude of their accomplishment in winning a third straight title and completing a second straight perfect season, but also of how difficult the final step proved to be.

"It's a mixture of thankfulness, elation and sadness," Murphy said. "Sadness that I have to wait six more months to play again."