From the signs inside the Tampa Bay Storm locker room, Saturday night was the night. The night when a team close to victory time and again would finally wrap its hands around it and refuse to let go.

Throughout the Storm locker room were reminders, mental notes prodding the team to lurch forward for a win.

“Know You Can.”

“Live Strong.”

And finally, pasted to the inside of the locker room door, “Beat ‘Em.”

The Storm (1-5) snatched up a 66-43 victory against the New Orleans VooDoo (3-3). At one point Tampa Bay held a 30-point advantage. There was even a span between the first and second quarters in which the Storm outscored New Orleans 35-7.

It snaps an overall seven game losing streak, which dated back to May 6, 2006. The last victory came April 29, 2006 – a 58-42 victory against the Kansas City Brigade.

“This team, we fight, we practice hard. It’s just the ball didn’t bounce our way at times,” Storm FB/LB Torrance Marshall said. “We didn’t get the right calls, but these guys, we’re all a bunch of fighters.
“So we all believed in each other and we all stuck with the plan. We ain’t out of the dance yet. So we’re still fighting. That’s what I love about this team. We believe in ourselves and we just go out and work.”

The Storm, still dwellers on the bottom rung in the Southern Division with a 1-2 record, avoids an 0-3 start in division play.

As bright as the Storm offense shined – producing the most points it has all season, QB Stoney Case completing his first six attempts and converting on seven of eight red zone attempts – the team’s defense hassled New Orleans the entire contest.

Starting VooDoo QB Andy Kelly was knocked form the game with an injured right shoulder on the sixth play of the team’s opening drive. New Orleans backup Steve Bellisari was sacked once and hurried eight times. The unit also collected two fumbles and four interceptions, one of which was returned for a score by Jeroid Johnson and a pair were snatched by Nyle Wiren

“Everybody’s been playing well, we just haven’t gotten the breaks,” Wiren said. “That’s really what it was. We turn the ball over or whatever. We just haven’t gotten the breaks. Tonight, we got the breaks.”

Two of Tampa Bay’s offensive possessions were halted by fumbles, but each time Tampa Bay’s defense got the ball back on interceptions.

In victory – and as the Tampa Bay Storm’s 2007 season has gone – there was an interesting development. While contesting an illegal formation call that wiped away a Case TD pass to lineman Marcus Owen, Case dislocated his right shoulder - his throwing shoulder – and had to leave the game.

The shoulder was put back in place, but Case was replaced by John Kaleo for the final 6:19 of the contest.

If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.

But for now, the team is finally in the win column, making everyone’s Easter just that much better.