AVENGERS SUCCUMB TO STORM MISCUES, INEXPERIENCE SEND L.A. TO DEFEAT IN FIRST PLAYOFF GAME TAMPA BAY 66, AVENGERS 41.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

Two hours before the Avengers played their first-ever postseason game Saturday at Staples Center, someone asked coach Ed Hodgkiss how he was doing.

``So far, so good,'' Hodgkiss said, taking a sip of coffee.

It didn't stay that way for long, not after the Avengers stumbled through a sloppy first half and surrendered control to the Tampa Bay Storm, then fell apart in the second half in a 66-41 loss in front of 9,203.

What went wrong? How could the heavily favored Avengers, the fifth-seeded team in the playoffs, fall so hard to the Storm, which had to scramble late in the year just to nab the 12th and final seed?

The better question is, what didn't go wrong?

Turnovers, sloppy play, penalties, poor tackling and a general lack of poise did the Avengers in, especially in the first half, which the Storm dominated while scoring 38 points - or 14 more than it scored against the Avengers in May in a 38-24 regular-season loss to Los Angeles.

``It was one of those days, probably our worst game of the year,'' Hodgkiss said. ``We didn't have one break go our way, and when that happens in the playoffs, they send you home.''

The Avengers helped the Storm along, giving up two long touchdowns within Tampa Bay's first five offensive plays - thanks to some shady tackling - coughing up the ball twice on interceptions, including one by Lawrence Samuels in the Tampa Bay end zone to wipe out a prime scoring chance in the second quarter, and letting Storm quarterback Shane Stafford shred them on 13-of-15 passing for 203 yards and four touchdowns through the first two quarters.

The result: Tampa Bay led 38-27 at halftime. More important, it successfully robbed the Avengers of any momentum or edge they might have had playing their first playoff game at home.

``It's tough when you have bad breaks like that,'' said Tony Graziani, who finished with three interceptions and completing 16 of 29 passes for 245 yards and six touchdowns. ``Usually (this year) we had enough to get us back, but not tonight.''

It was more of the same in the second half, as the Storm opened a 52-27 lead, taking advantage of another Graziani interception and a leaky Avengers defense that showed signs of deterioration late in the regular season and simply collapsed Saturday against Stafford and the Storm.

Stafford finished 22 of 28 for 298 yards and seven touchdowns. The Storm had 329 yards on offense, 100 more than the Avengers.

This being the Avengers' first appearance in the playoffs, and the Storm's league-record 12th, there is something to be said about experience. The Avengers appeared jumpy and nervous, while the Storm was crisp and poised. And when Tampa Bay took control, it kept the pressure on and put the Avengers away, hammering them in a second-half avalanche.

The experience factor is one the Avengers hope to carry over to next year.

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Photo:

The Avengers' Chris Jackson, who had eight catches for 96 yards and three touchdowns, is tackled by the Storm's Todd Bankhead.

Edna T. Simpson/Staff Photographer