Tampa Bay Storm moves into Arena Bowl final with help from QB
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAMPA, Fla. -- John Kaleo threw five touchdown passes and also ran for a score as the Tampa Bay Storm advanced to the ArenaBowl with a 60-50 playoff victory over the Orlando Predators on Saturday.
The Storm (14-4) advanced to the league's championship game for the sixth time. Tampa Bay has won in four of its last five ArenaBowl appearances, but hasn't won the title since 1996.
Tampa Bay's opponent will be determined Sunday night, when San Jose plays Arizona. The Storm will host the ArenaBowl if Arizona beat San Jose.
T.T. Toliver's fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown sealed the win, staking the Storm to a 60-44 lead with 40 seconds to play. Toliver also caught two passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns.
Jay Gruden threw for 341 yards and six touchdowns, and Travis McGriff caught 11 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown for the Predators (13-5).
NFL Europe
DUSSELDORF, Germany -- Chris Greisen threw two touchdown passes and the Dusseldorf Rhein Fire clinched a berth in NFL Europe's World Bowl by beating the Barcelona Dragons 33-7.
The Fire (6-4) eliminated Barcelona (5-5), and the Scottish Claymores (5-4) were also knocked out of contention -- based on a tiebreaker formula, even if it wins Sunday in the league's final game.
The Fire, making it to the league's championship game for a record fifth time, face German rival Frankfurt on June 14 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Greisen threw a 15-yard scoring pass to Lavell Boyd to put the Fire ahead 26-0, then found Charles Adams for a 34-yard TD for his team's final touchdown.
Kendall Newson also ran a punt back 67 yards for a score, and Nick Rolovich threw a 33-yard TD pass to Emmett Johnson -- the first touchdown thrown by the quarterback since the team's third game.
Barcelona avoided a shutout for the second straight week on Sean Morey's 22-yard TD reception with 1:56 remaining.
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