The Sioux Falls Storm Indoor Football Team hits the road this weekend for a divisional showdown against the Tulsa Oilers inside the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK.
 
The Tulsa Oilers are an expansion team in the Indoor Football League this season. The Storm won the only other meeting between the two teams (52-35) on May 6^th inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, SD. Saturday night's road contest will be the Storm's first trip to Tulsa in franchise history.
 
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
ALL-TIME: The Sioux Falls Storm lead the all-time series 1-0.
IN SIOUX FALLS: The Sioux Falls Storm won the only meeting (52-35) on May 6^th, 2023.
IN TULSA: Saturday night will be the first ever meeting inside the BOK Center.
 
 
LAST MEETING - STORM WIN THIRD STRAIGHT IN 52-35 WIN OVER TULSA
(5/6/2023)
 
SIOUX FALLS, SD - The Sioux Falls Storm Indoor Football team picked up their third straight win on Saturday night, defeating the Tulsa Oilers 52-35 inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
 
The Storm offense scored a season-high 40 points in the first half, including three passing touchdowns to build the early first half advantage.
 
Wide Receiver Donnie Corley Jr. was electric in the first quarter, scoring on pair of passing touchdowns and should have had a third in the games opening quarter, but fumbled a 46-yard catch at the one yard line that was eventually recovered by teammate Cole Thurness for the score.
 
Corley Jr. hauled in six catches for 147 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
 
Quarterback Lorenzo Brown Jr. was 11-of-19 in the pass attack, throwing for 160 passing yards and three TD's. The dual-threat QB also added 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to his stat line.
 
Running Back Xavier Jackson had another two-touchdown game for the Storm, finishing the night with seven carries for 57 yards.  Jackson averaged 8.1 yards per carry in the win and now has four touchdowns in two games with Sioux Falls.
 
Linebacker James Brown led all Storm defenders with nine tackles (five solo) while defensive linemen Daryl Banfield and Jaylon Abdul-Karim each recorded a sack.
 
Defensive back Eugene Ford scored a touchdown on a 36-yard fumble recovery and Clifton Duck secured his first interception of the season in the 4th quarter to close out the win in front of the home crowd.
 
 
 
 
LAST TIME OUT – FRISCO'S LAST SECOND FIELD GOAL SPOILS STORM'S COMEBACK ATTEMPT
(6/10/2023)
 
SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Sioux Falls Storm returned to the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center on Saturday night to host the Frisco Fighters in their first home game in five weeks.  Both teams exchanged leads throughout the contest, but Frisco's kicker Bryce Crawford nailed a 21-yard field goal as time expired to hand the Storm a 54-51 loss inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
 
The Storm trailed Frisco 51-47 with 7:50 remaining in the 4th Quarter before mounting one final comeback attempt. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown Jr pulled out a 22-yard run on the first play of the drive before finding wide receiver Draysean Hudson in the back of the endzone with a 23-yard touchdown pass to make it a one score game.
 
Defensive back Byron Edwards got the Storm back in the game again with 3:04 remaining after picking off Frisco quarterback TJ Edwards in the back of the endzone. It was the first interception of the season for Edwards, who previously played for the Frisco Fighters during the 2021 season.
 
The Storm used the shift in momentum and marched downfield on a five-play drive to cap off the comeback attempt with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Blakey before kicker Nick Gauna tied the game with the Extra point.
 
Frisco got the ball back with 0:35 seconds left in regulation and drove 20 yards down field to set up Crawford's game winning kick.
 
Frisco quarterback TJ Edwards finished the night going 18-for-27 in the passing game, while throwing for 213 yards and three touchdowns. Edwards also led his team with 7 carries for 46 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
 
Wide receiver Jordan Jolly lead all receivers with seven catches for 82 yards and a touchdown in the Fighters' win.
 
Lorenzo Brown Jr ended his night 10-for-22 with 167 yards and five passing touchdowns. Brown also added two rushing touchdowns in the loss.
 
Wide receiver Donnie Corley Jr. led all Storm players with three catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Dwight Blakey also scored two touchdowns, including one that helped tie the game late in the 4th quarter.
 
 
 
 
SCOUTING THE TULSA OILERS


The Tulsa Oilers are in the midst of their first season in the Indoor Football League, holding a 1-10 record entering week 14 of the 2023 season.
 
The Oilers offense ranks 12^th in the league in points per game (39.5) and rank 13^th in the IFL in overall touchdowns scored (58). The Tulsa defense has allowed 50.4 points per game, 2^nd most in the league this season.

Quarterback Vincent Espinosa has appeared in 6 games for the Oilers this season, throwing for 953 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 158.8 passing yards per game rank 6^th in the IFL overall.
 
Wide Receiver Joshua Crocket is the top scoring threat for the Oilers with his 13 receiving touchdowns. Alexis Rosario leads all Tulsa wideouts with 38 catches and 426 yards receiving.

Running back Jo-El Shaw leads Tulsa's ground attack, netting 103 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns in six games this season.

Defensively the Tulsa Oilers are led by linebacker Jordan Jones, who enters the weekend with a league-leading 75.5 tackles. His 59 solo tackles are also most in the IFL this season.

Tulsa's lone win in franchise history came April 22^nd in a road contest against the Iowa Barnstormers (54-48). The Oilers are searching for their first home win in franchise history.
 
 

SCOUTING THE SIOUX FALLS STORM
 
The Sioux Falls Storm find themselves on the outside looking in as they prepare for Saturday night's road contest in Tulsa. Last weekend's home loss (54-51) against the Frisco Fighters dropped the Storm to 5-5 on the season and now trail the Green Bay Blizzard by a half-game for the final playoff spot in the IFL's Eastern Conference.
 
The Storm offense is averaging 49.4 points per game this season, ranking 6^th in the league overall. The Storm have scored 72 total touchdowns in 2023, ranking 7^th in the IFL this season. The Sioux Falls defense enters the weekend ranking 3^rd in the IFL in points allowed per game (41.7). Only the Tucson Sugar Skulls (39.8) and Northern Arizona Wranglers (38.9) have allowed fewer points this season.

Veteran quarterback Lorenzo Brown Jr. leads the Storm offensive attack, ranking 7^th in the IFL in passing touchdowns (28), and 8^th in the league in rushing touchdowns (17).

Wide receiver Donnie Corley Jr. is having a breakout season with the Storm, ranking 5^th in the IFL with 16 touchdowns. Corley and teammate Cole Thurness are both averaging 15.4 yards per catch this season, ranking 5^th in the league overall. Corley has recorded at least one receiving touchdown in eight straight games, and has posted a multi-touchdown game five times this season. The second year Storm receiver post a season high 127 yards and three touchdowns against Tulsa earlier this season.

Defensive back Eugene Ford leads a trio of Storm defenders who rank near the top of the Indoor football league this season. Ford's 6 interceptions rank 2^nd in the IFL this season and are the 2^nd 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 back's Laronji Vason-McCoy and Clifton Duck are also having breakout seasons with the Storm. Vason McCoy ranks 5^th in the IFL with 55.5 total tackles. His 49 solo tackles are 2^nd in the league this season. Clifton Duck ranks 6^th in the Indoor Football league with 54.5 total tackles. His 46 solo tackles are tied for 4^th in the league overall.

The Storm posted a 4-2 record over their first six games this season but have gone 1-3 over their last four games.

The Sioux Falls Storm return home on Friday, June 23^rd to face the Green Bay Blizzard for Faith & Family Night inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. There will be a pre-game tailgate party starting at 4:00 PM, presented by Amy Stockberger Real Estate with kickoff scheduled for 7:05 PM.

ABOUT THE SIOUX FALLS STORM
 
The Sioux Falls Storm are a professional indoor football team based in Sioux Falls, SD. The Storm have won 11 indoor football championships over 23 seasons and are participants in the Indoor Football league. The Denny Sanford PREMIER Center has been the home of Storm Indoor Football since construction of the site was completed prior to the 2015 season.