First half The Tampa Bay Storm received the opening kickoff, driving 45 yards in 11 plays to take a 7–0 lead on a three-yard run by Eric Ortiz. But this would be the only time in the game the Storm would lead by more than one point. Spokane scored the next three touchdowns to take a 20–7 lead. Huey Whittaker caught the first one from
Kyle Rowley, and
Markee White grabbed the next two, both from four yards out. Tampa Bay finally answered with 5:49 left in the first half, another rushing score by Ortiz to make the score 20–14. After Markee White's third receiving touchdown gave the Shock a 27–14 lead, Tampa Bay scored consecutive touchdowns to take a 28–27 lead. But Spokane got the last points of the half. White's fourth touchdown from Rowley made it 34–28. Tampa had a chance to add three points as the first half expired, but
Garrett Rivas's field goal was blocked.
Second half The Storm took its final lead of the game 35–34 to open the third quarter on Ortiz's third rushing touchdown. But Spokane would score the next three touchdowns. The Shock led 48–35 at the end of the third quarter and expanded it to 55–35 at the beginning of the final quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Shock just wanted to keep the clock running and force the Storm to play catch up. Both teams traded touchdowns through the entire quarter, and Tampa Bay could not make up the deficit. The Storm got the game's last score with 44 seconds left, making it 69–57, the closest it got all quarter.
Game notes Spokane Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley was named the game's MVP. He went 24 for 32 with 237 yards. He threw nine touchdown passes without an interception and added another touchdown on the run. The nine touchdowns he threw for set an ArenaBowl record. Spokane did not have a 100-yard receiver but Markee White caught nine passes for 99 yards and four scores. Huey Whittaker had four touchdown receptions as well to go along with eight catches for 82 yards. The Shocks' Mervin Brookins and
Travis Williams each recorded an interception. For Tampa Bay, quarterback
Brett Dietz threw for 306 yards on 29 of 40 passing. He had four touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Storm's
Hank Edwards led the game with 11 catches for 132 yards. He caught two of Dietz's scoring passes. Tyrone Timmons also had eight receptions for 107 yards and a score.
Attendance The announced attendance for ArenaBowl XXIII was 11,017. The game was a sellout, at 102% capacity given
Spokane Arena's 10,771 capacity. However, it was the second lowest attended ArenaBowl in league history, second only to
ArenaBowl XIX in 2005. That game between the
Georgia Force and
Colorado Crush was the AFL's first neutral site ArenaBowl with 10,822 fans at the
Thomas & Mack Center in
Las Vegas,
Nevada. ==References==