
af2 Alumni To Impact Upcoming AFL Matchup
June 8, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
CHICAGO - The Los Angeles Avengers (7-6) will take on the Arizona Rattlers (4-10) in this week's Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football League Monday matchup. The game, which will be broadcast live at 10:00 p.m. ET on June 11 on ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, will provide a national showcase for a number of notable arenafootball2 (af2) alumni on both sides.
Los Angeles will take the field with six players with af2 experience. OL/DL SILAS DEMARY, one of the premier defensive linemen in the AFL, is in the midst of his fourth year with the Avengers and his seventh overall in the AFL. This season Demary has recorded 19 tackles, one interception and leads the team in sacks with six. In 2005, he had one of the most amazing seasons by a lineman in AFL history. After establishing a new single-season league record with 13.5 sacks, he was selected as both the ADT Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year. Demary began his AFL career in 2001 with the Carolina Cobras, were he earned All-Rookie honors, followed by a stint with the Buffalo Destroyers in 2003 before playing for the Avengers. Demary got his first taste of Arena Football in 2000 when he played for the Norfolk Nighthawks of the af2. In his one season with the Nighthawks, Demary played in 15 of 16 games, finishing the regular season with 41.5 tackles and led the team with 12.5 sacks. In addition, he recorded five fumble recoveries, 32 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
Arizona boasts five players with experience in the af2. WR/DB JEREMIAH POPE got his Arena Football career started with the Albany Conquest in 2005 before breaking into the AFL. While with the Conquest, Pope earned All-af2 honors while ranking second in the league in receptions, proving himself as one of the league's top receivers. For the season, he recorded 131 catches for 1,454 yards and 32 touchdowns. He also returned 14 kicks for 292 yards, including one for a score. Last season, in his first year with the Rattlers, Pope grabbed 15 receptions for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also returned nine kicks for 127 yards. On defense, Pope made 11 tackles (7 solo), intercepted two passes for 33 yards and recovered a pair of fumbles. So far this season, Pope has emerged into one of the Rattlers main playmakers with 66 catches for 848 yards and 24 touchdowns.
A full list of the nine players that will make an impact on the Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football Monday game between Los Angeles and Arizona is located below:
Los Angeles
Jon Apgar - Tennessee Valley 2006
Eddie Canonico - Cincinnati 2003
Silas Demary - Norfolk 2000
Tim Hicks - Charleston 2003, W-B/Scranton 2004,
W-B/Scranton/Bossier 2005, Quad City 2006
Greg Krause - Mohegan 2003
Sean McNamara - Quad City 2000
Arizona
Asi Faoa - San Diego 2005
Steve Mascorro - Laredo 2004
Jeremiah Pope - Albany 2005
Chris Sanders - Roanoke 2002, Manchester 2004
Frank Trentadue - Quad City 2001
Los Angeles is currently ranked second in the Western Division behind the San Jose SaberCats, and has won three of its last five contests. In a 59-37 defeat of the Las Vegas Gladiators in Week 10, Los Angeles brought its division record to 2-3.
Arizona bounced back with a 41-20 win over the Las Vegas Gladiators last week after a two-game losing streak, including tough losses to Chicago and Tampa Bay. The defeat of the Gladiators improved the Rattlers division record to 3-3.
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