Over 1,000 days had passed since Matt D'Orazio and Chris Jackson roamed what was the Wachovia Center's turf for what turned about to be the Arena Bowl XXII champion Philadelphia Soul.
Just over a year after the Soul took home the game's ultimate prize on July, 27 2008 in New Orleans, the AFL formally disbanded when none of the league's owners would commit to another season.
The AFL eventually returned for a 2010 season and the Soul, once the league's marquee franchise, earmarked 2011 for the relaunch.
But, this team is markedly different. All-AFL players like D'Orazio and Jackson along with former head coach Bret Munsey are long gone. In fact only two players from the championship Soul team, defensive back/ kick returner Mike Brown and wide receiver Larry Brackins, are back this time around and the lack of continuity has shown.
Philadelphia fell to 1-4 on the season Friday, fallling to Tampa Bay, 51-48, after Storm kicker Kyle Chilton hit a 30-yard game-winning field goal as time expired in front of 12,893 fans on Friday night.
"We just have to finish games, we put ourselves in a good position, but we just have to finish the game," Brackins said.
The pre-game activities culminated with the long-awaited unfurling of the Soul's 2008 Arena Bowl XXII Championship banner in the rafters at the Wells Fargo Center.
The last time the Soul played in Philadelphia was on July 12, 2008 when they defeated the Cleveland Gladiators 70-35 to become National Conference champions and advance to the Arena Bowl.
The first quarter was mired by 11 combined penalties, but quarterback Ryan Vena was able to rush for a nine-yard score, which gave the Soul a 7-0 lead with 10:16 remaining in the opening quarter. A series of penalties allowed the Storm to tie the game when Grant Gregory connected with Hank Edwards on a three-yard touchdown pass with 5:58 left in the first.
In an offensive minded game, special teams would prove to be the deciding factor. Following touchdowns by both teams, which would have tied the game at 14 with 2:18 left in the first quarter, Chilton's extra point attempt hit the upright giving the Soul a 14-13 lead, a lead which they would hold until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.
The second quarter mimicked the first, with both teams trading touchdowns, though the Soul entered the locker room with a 28-26 lead at the half.
The Soul defense shut down the Storm in the third quarter, allowing the visitors only one first down and 30 offensive yards in the quarter. Meanwhile, the Soul broke open their lead to 41-26 after Vena hit Syvelle Newton and Donovan Morgan with 16 and 11-yard touchdown passes, respectively.
The fourth quarter proved to be pure Arena Football. The Storm rallied to 34-41 after Eric Ortiz ran for a one-yard touchdown followed by a two-point Edwards conversion to bring the Storm within seven.
Tampa Bay's Erick McIntosh provided the pivotal play in the game when he intercepted Vena with 3:45 left in the game, putting the Storm at the Soul 24-yard line, which setup Edwards four-yard touchdown reception to give the Storm a 48-41 lead, their first lead of the game.
The Soul rallied to tie the score at 48 with 46 seconds left in the game after Vena connected with Newton for a 33-yard touchdown catch, but the tie would not last long, as Gregory drove the Storm to the Soul 20-yard line and set up Chilton's game winning 30-yard field goal with no time left on the clock.
"You look at the guys on our team with three or four All-Arena guys with other veterans coming in, everybody knows we’re great players," defensive back Tanner Varner said. "Coach Ho [Mike Hohensee] is the best coach, we have great owners, we have the pieces to the puzzle, it’s just putting that last piece together."
The Soul will now travel to San Jose next Friday to take on the SaberCats in their first meeting since ArenaBowl XXII where the Soul won 59-56.
Players of the Game:
National Guard MVP of the Game - Tanner Varner (PHI)
Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game - Hank Edwards (TB)
Riddell Defensive Player of the Game - Tim McGill (TB)
JLS Ironman of the Game - Eric Ortiz (TB)
Cutter Catch of the Game - Donovan Morgan's one-handed behind-the-back seven-yard touchdown catch
Playmaker of the Game - Tanner Varner (PHI)
Highlight of the Game - Erick McIntosh's interception with 3:45 left in the 4th quarter are going to get it done.
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