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af2 week 12 quick hitters

June 15, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


VENA IN A RUSH FOR ALBANY: Albany Conquest QB RYAN VENA doesn't pretend to be the quickest player or the fastest player on the football field, but he's strong and smart. That combination has helped him through the years to become very good at escaping pressure and finding the end zone when his team is near the goal line. This year is no different. The veteran signal caller currently leads the af2 with 16 rushing touchdowns and needs just one more to tie his own team record for most rushing scores in a season. In Albany's most recent win against W-B/Scranton in Week 11, Vena set a Conquest single-game rushing record with 59 yards gained on just three attempts. He bested his own team mark of 51 yards rushing which he set in 2002. His performance against the Pioneers also put him over the 500-yard mark for his career. The former Colgate standout now has 550 career rushing yards, a total that places him sixth overall in league history and third best among quarterbacks.

NEW BUT FAMILIAR NO. 1: The Memphis Xplorers have reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in the Weekly Coaches Poll, the arenafootball2 (af2) league office announced today. Memphis collected 255 of a possible 264 points and 16-of-23 first place votes in securing the top position. The Xplorers, who had a bye in Week 11, are 8-2 and tied for the best record in the league. Memphis also held the top spot for the first four weeks of the season.

STRICKLAND AND RISLOV TAKE AIM AT TD RECORD: Oklahoma City QB CRAIG STRICKLAND has already made quite a name for himself over the course of his five-year af2 career. He's won an ArenaCup (Tulsa - 2003) and set numerous af2 passing records. This season he's on pace to break one of the few league marks that has eluded him - most touchdown passes in a season. The former UTEP signal caller has thrown for 65 scores through nine games, averaging 6.5 touchdown passes per game. If he continues at his current rate, he could end up with 104 touchdown passes. Central Valley rookie QB SCOTT RISLOV also has 65 touchdown passes and is on pace for 104 by season's end. That number would surpass MATT SAUK's current league record of 99 in a season. The best single season total in Arena Football (AFL and af2) history is CLINT DOLEZEL's 105 touchdown tosses for the Dallas Desperados in 2006.

UNBELIEVABLE FINISH IN OK STATE: Tulsa and Oklahoma City played the most memorable game of their Sooner state af2 rivalry on Saturday night at the Tulsa Convention Center. The Talons prevailed, 59-58, on a Hail Mary touchdown catch by DON MCGEE as time expired. McGee actually caught the ball off a rebound from teammate ZAC JONES. Jones made what looked to be the catch to win the game, but when the ball came off the net into his hands, he was immediately drilled by Oklahoma City defenders and the ball popped loose. McGee was on the spot and alert, diving to catch the ball just before it hit the ground. The sequence capped off a hectic final quarter with Oklahoma City ahead by three (49-46) The fourth quarter began with Yard Dawgz K A.J. HAGLUND connecting on a 43-yard field goal to increase the lead to six, 52-46. On the ensuing possession, Tulsa QB MARK RADLINSKI hit McGee in the end zone to put Tulsa back on top, 53-52. With just nine seconds remaining, the Yard Dawgz scored on a 4-yard pass from QB CRAIG STRICKLAND to OS JARRAIL JACKSON that seemed to clinch the game with Oklahoma City ahead, 58-53. The Talons, however, still had time to respond. Nine seconds was enough to get off two short pass plays to set up the Hail Mary with just one second left. Tulsa OS ANDRE FORDE earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors with a game-high 14 catches for 135 yards and five touchdowns. McGee earned US Army Ironman of the Game with five catches, 56 yards and three touchdowns. He also recorded 88 kick return yards, four tackles and two pass breakups. Strickland led Oklahoma City with 326 yards passing and seven touchdowns. Both teams are now 7-3 and tied for the top spot in the Midwest Division. Oklahoma City owns the tiebreaker over Tulsa.

SOUTHWEST SACK ATTACK: The Arkansas Twisters can point to a few different factors as to why they are 6-4 and in third place in the Midwest Division. One huge factor is their defense, and more specifically, their defensive front. The Twisters currently boast a league-leading team sack total of 35, averaging 3.5 per game. Arkansas is on pace to post 56 sacks this season. The current league record is 52, set by the now-defunct Carolina Rhinos in 2001. The Twisters have the top two sack artists in the league in FB/LB STEVE WATSON and DLS C.J. MCLAIN. Watson leads the af2 with 13.0 sacks and McLain ranks second overall with 11.5. Watson needs one sack to break the team record of 13.5 that is currently held by GREG TAYLOR.

QUAD CITY'S IMPRESSIVE TRIO: Quad City receivers KRIS PETERS, JACK WALKER and TIM DODGE and have been a big reason why the Steamwheelers offense is among the most dangerous in the af2. The group is on pace to become just the third threesome of receivers on the same team to each record 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Peters leads the group with 997 yards, Walker is close behind at 875, and Dodge has 828. In 2004, Peters was also part of the second group to hit the milestone as a member of the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. That season he led the Yard Dawgz with 1,304 receiving yards. AL HUNT and TIMON MARSHALL also recorded over 1,000 yards for Oklahoma City that season. The first group to do it had a familiar face as well. In 2003, the Steamwheelers 1,000-yard trio consisted of Tim Dodge, JEFF HEWITT and IRA GOOCH.

"SPEEDY" GONZALEZ ON RAPID RECEIVING PACE: Manchester OS STEVE "SPEEDY" GONZALEZ has quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous offensive players in the af2 in just his second season. He currently leads the league in scoring (210 points), total touchdowns (34) and receiving touchdowns (33). He also leads the af2 in all-purpose yards (1,916) and receptions (96). If he continues at his current pace, Gonzalez has a shot at a number of league records in 2006. The following is a breakdown of where Gonzalez stands.

SPEEDY'S PROJECTIONS
CATEGORY CURRENT PROJ RECORD PLAYER, TEAM YEAR
SCORING 210 336 346 Donovan Morgan, Tulsa 2005
TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS 34 54 57 Donovan Morgan, Tulsa 2005
RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS 33 53 54 Donovan Morgan, Tulsa 2005
RECEPTIONS 96 154 161 Corey Hill, Albany 2002, 2003

VENA AND HICKS SETTING PASSING YARDS PACE: Veteran quarterbacks RYAN VENA (Albany) and TIM HICKS (Quad City) are both on pace to break MATT SAUK's league record for most passing yards in one season. Sauk set the all-time mark of 4,489 yards last season with the Louisville Fire. The following is a breakdown of where Vena and Hicks stand.

PROJECTED PASSING YARDS
PLAYER, TEAM CURRENT PROJ RECORD PLAYER, TEAM YEAR
Ryan Vena, Albany 2,965 4,744 4,489 Matt Sauk, Louisville 2005
Tim Hicks, Quad City 2,923 4,677


700 CLUB: Arkansas WR/DB KEVIN WILLIAMS entered the 2006 season as the only active player in the af2 with over 700 career points scored. Williams leads the scoring list of active players with 778 career points. He currently stands alone in second place on the all-time list, just two points behind former Tulsa star MITCH ALLNER, who owns the all-time top mark with 780 points. This year he was joined in this exclusive club by Florida OS MAGIC BENTON. Benton is closing fast on Williams and Allner. Benton's career point total of 760 ranks him third on the all-time list. Other active af2 players looking to join Williams and Benton in the 700 club are Mempis' KEVIN PRENTISS (660), Williams' teammate LENNIE JOHNSON (624), Quad City's JACK WALKER (612) and Bakersfield's NIAN TAYLOR (606).

MOST POINTS SCORED, NON-KICKING, CAREER
PTS PLAYER YEARS PLAYED
780 Mitch Allner 2000-04
778 Kevin Williams 2001-present
760 Magic Benton 2001-present
756 Cainon Lamb 2002-05
660 Kevin Prentiss 2003-present
656 George Williams 2001, 2003-present

WILLIAMS SETS CAREER TOUCHDOWN MARK: Arkansas WR/DB KEVIN WILLIAMS passed MITCH ALLNER for the af2 career touchdown record this past Saturday with a 9-yard, first quarter touchdown catch in a loss at Macon. Williams now has 127 career touchdowns, one ahead of Allner. Florida's MAGIC BENTON is right behind the leaders on the all-time list with 125 total touchdowns.

MOST TOUCHDOWNS SCORED, CAREER
TDS PLAYER YEARS PLAYED
127 Kevin Williams 2001-present
126 Mitch Allner 2000-04
125 Magic Benton 2001-present
118 Cainon Lamb 2002-05
110 Kevin Prentiss 2003-present
108 George Williams 2001, 2003-present

SIEGFRIED APPROACHING THE BIG 5-0: Spokane Head Coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED has led the Shock to the league's best record at 8-2, a mark they share with Memphis. In the process, he has steadily climbed up the career coaching victories ladder. He's currently third overall with 48 wins. If his team continues at its current pace, Siegfried could surpass former Rio Grande Valley and Tennessee Valley Head Coach KEVIN GUY as the af2 career leader in overall coaching victories. Guy is currently No. 1 in all-time wins with 52 (52-19). Below is a list of the top coaches in league history.

TOP ALL-TIME COACHING VICTORIES
NAME WINS
1. Kevin Guy 52
2. Bobby Humphrey 51
3. Chris Siegfried* 48
4. Kevin Porter 45
Danton Barto* 45
Richard Davis* 45
5. Skip Foster 44
* denotes active coaches

TURNIN' 40 ISN'T SO BAD: Manchester Head Coach BEN BENNETT became the newest member of the 40-career win club (includes playoffs) in Week 9 when his Wolves scored a 48-28 road win against W-B/Scranton. His career record now stands at 40-24 (.625). Bennett is just the ninth coach in league history to reach 40 career wins. The only active members of the club are Spokane's CHRIS SIEGFRIED (48), Memphis' DANTON BARTO (45), Stockton's RICHARD DAVIS (45) and W-B/Scranton's RICH INGOLD (41). Former Rio Grande Valley and Tennessee Valley Head Coach KEVIN GUY is the af2 career leader in overall coaching victories with 52 (52-19). Louisville's TOMMY JOHNSON (34) is the only other current coach within reach of the 40-win club.

SMITH BECOMES BACK-TO-BACK CHAMP OF A UNIQUE SORT: When the Chicago Rush captured ArenaBowl XX with a 69-61 victory over the Orlando Predators this past Sunday, Rush lineman and former Memphis Xplorer KHREEM SMITH became a champion for the second year in a row and, in the process, the answer to a trivia question. Smith is the first player to win an af2 title one season and an AFL crown the next. Smith was the 2005 af2 Lineman of the Year after he led the league with 17 sacks in helping the Xplorers to the ArenaCup Championship. Following that dominating season, the former Oklahoma State star signed with Chicago in the AFL. Smith finished second in the AFL with eight sacks in the 2006 regular season. He was named to the AFL All-Rookie Team and was named Second Team All-Arena. In the Rush's four playoff games, Smith had three sacks, including one in the ArenaBowl on Sunday.

CHICAGO RUSH CLAIM ARENABOWL XX: Congratulations go out to the Chicago Rush for winning their first-ever ArenaBowl. The Rush defeated the Orlando Predators, 69-61, in ArenaBowl XX, held this past Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Rush won the AFL's ultimate prize thanks to the efforts of a number of af2 alumni on their roster and coaching staff. Chicago had eight players (seven active) on its roster and two coaches with af2 experience. The Predators boasted 10 players with prior af2 experience and one coach. Chicago QB MATT D'ORAZIO completed 26-of-36 passes for 250 yards and six touchdowns to lead his team to victory. Former af2 signal caller also rushed for two scores and culminated his improbable season by being named Offensive Player of the Game. DENNISON ROBINSON, another af2 alum, earned ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors with 3.0 tackles, one forced fumble, two pass breakups and a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown. D'Orazio and Robinson weren't the only former af2 players who stood out in the AFL's showcase game. Below is a detailed list of how each team's former af2 players performed in ArenaBowl XX:

CHICAGO
FB/LB CHARLIE COOK - 2.0 tackles
Mohegan Wolves - 2003, New Haven Ninjas - 2002
QB MATT D'ORAZIO - 26-of-36 passing, 250 yards, six touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns
Mohegan Wolves - 2003, Rochester Brigade - 2002, Roanoke Steam - 2001
OL/DL NICK MYERS - 1.0 tackle, 1 QB hurry
Manchester Wolves - 2005, Louisville Fire - 2005, 2004
OL/DL JOE PETERS - 1.0 tackle
Green Bay Blizzard - 2005, Peoria Pirates - 2004
DS DENNISON ROBINSON - 3.0 tackles, 1 FF, 1 INT - 44-yard return touchdown, two pass breakups
Quad City Steamwheelers - 2001
OS BOBBY SIPPIO - 10 catches, 110 yards, three touchdowns
Greensboro Prowlers - 2003
OL/DL KHREEM SMITH - 1.5 tackles, 1.0 sack
Memphis Xplorers - 2005

ORLANDO
DS KAHLIL CARTER - one rush for a 36-yard touchdown, two catches for 23 yards, 4.0 tackles, 1 FF, one pass breakup
Arkansas Twisters - 2000, 2003
OL/DL JUSTIN CLEVELAND - no stats accumulated
Tennessee Valley Vipers - 2000
WR/LB JAVARUS DUDLEY - 10 catches, 117 yards, four touchdowns, 1.5 tackles
Florida Firecats - 2005
QB JAKE EATON - 4-of-4 passing, 30 yards, one touchdown
Manchester Wolves - 2005, Cape Fear Wildcats - 2004
WR/LB JERRIAN JAMES - two catches, 12 yards, 3.5 tackles
Tennessee Valley Vipers - 2003-2004, Pensacola Barracudas - 2002
OL/DL GREG KRAUSE - 0.5 tackle
Mohegan Wolves - 2003
FB/LB MARLON MOYE-MOORE - no stats accumulated
Charleston Swamp Foxes - 2003
FB/LB KEVIN NAGLE - one rush for 1 yard, 1.5 tackles
W-B/Scranton Pioneers - 2002-04
OL/DL JIM SODANO - no stats accumulated
W-B/Scranton Pioneers - 2004-05
OL/DL DELANIO TAYLOR - no stats accumulated
Memphis Xplorers - 2005, Manchester Wolves - 2004

IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY - af2 PLAYOFF PICTURE: Six teams from each the American and National Conference qualify for the playoffs. The six qualifying teams in each conference consist of the two division champions and four Wild Cards, determined by best overall record. Seeding in each conference is based on overall record, with the top two seeds in each conference reserved for the division champions, regardless of record. In the First Round (August 4-6), the two division winners in each conference receive a bye. The top-seeded Wild Card team hosts the lowest-seeded Wild Card team, while the No. 2 seeded Wild Card team hosts the No. 3 seeded Wild Card team. In the Second Round (August 11-13), the division winners who had byes in the First Round host the winners from the First Round. The top seeded division champion plays the lowest seeded team advancing from the First Round, while the second-seeded division winner plays the other winner from the First Round. The winners of the Second Round will meet for the Conference Championships on the weekend of August 18-20. For this round seeding no longer matters, meaning the team with the better overall record hosts the Conference Championship. The winners of the Conference Championships face off in the 2006 ArenaCup on August 26 or 27 at a site to be announced.

AMERICAN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1. Memphis (8-2) - Current South Division Leader
2. W-B/Scranton (7-3) - Current East Division Leader
3. Florida (7-2)
4. Louisville (5-5) - Currently holds SOS advantage over ALB, GBB and BIR
5. Birmingham (5-5) - Currently has better win % over common opponents with ALB and GBB (MAC & LOU)
6. Albany (5-5) - Currently has point differential advantage in head-to-head games with GBB
7. Green Bay (5-5) - Currently holds SOS advantage over BIR
8. Manchester (4-6) - Currently has better win % among common opponents with QCS and MAC (ALB & GBB)
9. Macon (4-6) - Currently has better win % over common opponents with QCS (ALB, ARK & GBB)
10. Quad City (4-6)
11. Tennessee Valley (2-8)
12. South Georgia (1-9)

NATIONAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1. Spokane (8-2) - Current West Division Leader
2. Oklahoma City (7-3) - Current Midwest Division Leader, currently has point differential advantage over TUL
3. Bakersfield (7-3) - Currently has better win % over common opponents with TUL (EVE & RGV)
4. Tulsa (7-3)
5. Arkansas (6-4) - Currently has better win % over common opponents with CVC (QCS, BOS, RGV)
6. Central Valley (6-4)
7. Rio Grande Valley (5-5)
8. Amarillo (4-6) - Currently holds SOS advantage over STK
9. Stockton (4-6)
10. Everett (2-8)
11. Bossier-Shreveport (1-9)

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