DES MOINES. IA (KELO.com) — The Sioux Falls Storm Indoor Football Team will head into the bye-week on a high note after defeating the Iowa Barnstormers 77-26 on Friday night in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Storm offense posted a season-high 232 passing yards in the win. Lorenzo Brown’s five passing touchdowns are the most by a Storm QB since May 22, 2021, when Brown racked up six TDs in the 50-46 win over the Arizona Rattlers.
Brown’s first completed pass of the night was a historic one. The seven-yard completion to wide receiver Donnie Corley Jr. gave the veteran quarterback 1,000 completions in a Storm uniform, making Brown the first player to record 1,000 completions and 1,000 carries in franchise history.
Corley put together the best game of his two-year career on Friday night, grabbing six catches for 116 yards and four touchdowns. Corley didn’t score a touchdown over the first two games of the 2023 season but now has a TD grab in seven consecutive games. His 14 receiving touchdowns are tied for the most by a player in the Indoor Football League this season.
Running back Xavier Jackson put together another strong performance, finishing the night with 12 carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson has found the end zone seven times over four games this season and is now second on the team with 220 rushing yards.
The Storm defense put together another strong performance, limiting the Iowa offense to 40 total rushing yards. Defensive back Byron Edwards had his best night in a Storm uniform, leading the team with 10 tackles (8 solo) and snagged his first interception of the season.
Eugene Ford also had an interception in the win over Iowa. Ford has picked off an opposing quarterback six times this season, tied for the most in the IFL.
Ford’s six interceptions are the most by a Storm player since 2017 when Rashard Smith had seven interceptions. The Storm’s single-season record stands at 10, set by Shane Poppinga during the 2005 season. Poppinga also posted back-to-back season with seven interceptions during the 2007 and 2008 campaigns.
Defensive linemen Jaylon Abdul-Karim and Undraez Lilly each picked up a sack in the win, giving both players a team-best 3.5 sacks on the year.
Lilly has recorded 13 sacks over his two seasons with the Storm, tying him for 10th most all-time in franchise history. Current Storm assistant coach Cory Johnsen holds the franchise record with 64.5 sacks over his 10 seasons.
The 77 points scored are the most by a Storm offense since May 31st, 2015, when Sioux Falls posted a 90-20 final score against the Bemidji Axemen.
Surprisingly, the Storm’s point total on Friday night isn’t the most points scored in a game in the series history. On April 25th, 2015, the Barnstormers put together an 87-11 win in Sioux Falls.
With the win, the Storm improve to 7-5 all-time in Des Moines, and have now won four straight games against the Barnstormers dating back to April 22nd, 2022.
The Sioux Falls Storm hit the bye-week before returning to action on Saturday, June 10th at 7:05 PM inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. The Storm will host the first-place Frisco Fighters for Military Appreciation night, presented by the South Dakota Army National Guard and Frontier Climbing & Fitness.
Active and retired Military members can claim free tickets to the June 10th home game, courtesy of our friends at Dave & CO Real Estate Team, Next Level Technologies, and other generous silent donors. If you would like to claim your free Military Night Tickets, or if you would like to help donate, please contact the Sioux Falls Storm Ticket Office at 605-838-9009 or visit the website at siouxfallsstorm.com for more information.
