MacPherson, Kicker Gowins Named AFL Players of the Month

June 25, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release

GRAND RAPIDS - After helping their team post a perfect 3-0 record en route to a playoff berth, a pair of Grand Rapids Rampage players earned monthly honors from the Arena Football League today. Quarterback James MacPherson (Tucson, Ariz.) was named the AFL's Offensive Player of the Month and Brian Gowins (Birmingham, Ala.) was named the AFL's Kicker of the Month, becoming the first pair of Rampage players to earn such recognition from the league in the same month.

MacPherson completed 73.8 percent of his passes (79-of-107) and averaged 311 passing yards per game in his final three regular-season outings to become the first member of the Rampage ever to earn the moniker of Offensive Player of the Month since the award's inception in 2004. With 933 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions, he compiled an impressive 131.7 passer rating during his team's final push to the postseason. Additionally, MacPherson rushed for 24 yards and four scores, helping account for 26 total touchdowns.

Earlier this month, MacPherson earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after tossing a team-record 10 touchdowns in Grand Rapids' 84-65 Week 15 win over the Colorado Crush. The first-year starter has been named the AFL's Offensive Player of the Week twice this season (Week 4).

Gowins captured his second Kicker of the Month award with the Rampage, as he earned the honor during his first stint with Grand Rapids in February 2003. Already one of the most accurate extra-point kickers in the AFL having missed only seven of 126 attempts, Gowins connected on 30 of 31 tries from Weeks 15-17. He also proved accurate from longer range, hitting all five of his field goal attempts this month.

Finally, Gowins continued to be an important key to Grand Rapids' special teams success, collecting touchbacks on over 25% of his kickoffs (10-of-37) and creating one fumble recovery with a kickoff off of the iron in the Rampage's 86-70 win over the New Orleans VooDoo in Week 17.

Grand Rapids will make its return to the AFL playoffs this Monday when they travel to Phoenix to take on the Arizona Rattlers at 9:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2.

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