af2 Week 18: Quick Hitters

Published on July 23, 2009 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release

VEGAS BABY - 2009 ARENACUP HEADED TO LAS VEGAS - TICKETS ON SALE NOW: The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be the backdrop for the 2009 ArenaCup, the arenafootball2 league's 10th anniversary championship event. ArenaCup10, promoted in conjunction with the Orleans Casino and Hotel, will be held on Saturday, August 22, the League office recently announced after a unanimous vote by the af2 Board of Directors. This will be the first time the af2 title game will be held in Las Vegas. The Arena Football League (AFL) held two ArenaBowl Championship games in Las Vegas in 2005 and 2006. This is the fourth time in the last five seasons the af2 has held a neutral-site ArenaCup. A neutral-site championship game gives fans time to make plans to attend the game and allows the League to put together a unique sports and entertainment weekend. The Orleans Casino and Hotel has created a number of fan and family-friendly, affordable ArenaCup Weekend options that include tickets to the game and a two-night hotel stay. Those options are listed in detail below.

All Hotel Packages include two (2) tickets to the 2009 ArenaCup on Saturday, August 22 (at price level indicated) + two (2) hotel nights (room & tax). Fans can stay Friday & Saturday or Saturday & Sunday.

Package A: $236 - This includes the $60 tickets (P1)

Package B: $190 - This includes the $40 tickets (P2)

Package C: $175 - This includes the $32.50 tickets (P3)

Package D: $145 - This includes the $17.50 tickets (P4)

Tickets are available by visiting www.orleansarena.com, all Coast Casinos box offices, The Galleria at Sunset or by calling 800-675-3267 and mention code: ARENACUP.

AARON'S af2 DREAM TEAM ONLINE FAN VOTING DOWN TO FINAL TWO DAYS: The online fan voting process for the Aaron's af2 Dream Team is down to the final two days (voting ends Saturday, July 25 at midnight). Fans can log onto af2.com and vote for their favorite af2 dance team member. The top 12 dancers with the most fan votes will represent the 2009 Aaron's af2 Dream Team at ArenaCup10 in August. The Aaron's af2 Dream Team, an exciting new addition to this year's ArenaCup festivities, will be involved in a number of ArenaCup10 activities including performing during halftime of the championship game and appearances throughout the weekend of events.

af2TV FREE ONLINE NETWORK CONTINUES SUCCESSFUL RUN IN 2009: Thanks to a unique league partnership with Network Foundation Technologies (NFT), all the hard-hitting, fast paced action of arenafootball2 is once again available to fans worldwide. The FREE-for-View online network called "af2TV" showcases every game of the league's 10th anniversary season live over the Internet. The process to view games is easy. To obtain the free af2TV player, fans should first click on the af2TV advertisement located on the upper right corner of the league's web site, www.af2.com. Following the link will bring fans to a special landing page which includes simple directions on how to download and place the af2TV player icon on your desktop. The action continues this week (Week 18) with a 12-game slate that will be available to fans at no charge.

RACE TO 2009 ARENACUP NOW ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER: Stay updated on the race to the 2009 ArenaCup. Friend us on facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=113035060208 -- or follow us on twitter -- http://twitter.com/RacetoArenaCup.

SCHMIDT SETS MORE RECORDS: Quad City veteran WR JESSE SCHMIDT set two more single-season league records - total touchdowns and scoring - last Saturday in the team's 57-49 home loss against division rival Iowa. The Buena Vista alum, in his third af2 season, had three receiving TDs against the Barnstormers to finish the 2009 season with 58 total touchdowns and 350 points scored. Former Tulsa WR DONOVAN MORGAN owned the previous league-high standards in 2005 with 57 total touchdowns and 346 points. Schmidt set four new single-season af2 records this year - scoring, total touchdowns, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards. He is also currently tied with Rio Grande Valley rookie WR ROD WINDSOR for most receptions in a season with 172.

HUGHLEY SETS ALL-PURPOSE RECORD: Tulsa veteran WR/KR JEFF HUGHLEY has been one of the league's top all-around talents since coming onto the scene with the Talons in 2007. This season, his third in the af2, the Averett alum has been at his best. With 380 total yards in Week 17, Hughley set a new league single-season record for all-purpose yards. His current total is 3,823 (1,768 receiving, 122 missed field goal, 1,936 kickoff return, -3 rush), averaging just under 255 yards per game. Former Quad City standout IRA GOOCH owned the previous af2 standard with 3,472 all-purpose yards set in 2002. Hughley has had 10 games of at least 200 all-purpose yards this season, five of which were over 300 yards.

SCHULE SETS af2 RUSHING RECORDS: Bossier-Shreveport FB JASON SCHULE is running over the af2 record books this season. The Louisiana Monroe alum, in his third season, set the league single-season rushing record in the BattleWings' 69-67 road win against Oklahoma City in Week 16. Schule, who came into the contest with 480 yards on the year, had seven rushes for 68 yards to bring his season total to 548. The old league record was 500 yards rushing set in 2004 by former Florida standout Steve Gorrie. Earlier in the year Schule set two more rushing records in Bossier-Shreveport's home win against Corpus Christi in Week 11. The Louisiana Monroe alum had 13 rushes for 112 yards with six rushing TDs against the Sharks. His rushing yards and rushing touchdowns totals both set new af2 single-game standards. Schule is currently in second place on the af2 career rushing list with 1,309 yards and needs 38 yards to pass Sherard Poteete's league record of 1,346 yards. Schule leads the af2 in rushing yards (577) and in rushing TDs (25).

SHOCK TOP FINAL COACHES POLL - RUN CONCLUDES AT 19 STRAIGHT WEEKS: The Spokane Shock have maintained the No. 1 ranking in the final Weekly Coaches Poll of the 2009 season, the arenafootball2 (af2) league office announced today. This marks the 19th consecutive week the Shock have claimed the pole position. Spokane's 19-week stay at the top is the longest run at No. 1 since the inception of the coaches poll in 2004. The Shock, who improved to 14-1 last Saturday with a 74-26 road win at Central Valley, collected 383 of a possible 384 points and 23-of-25 first place votes. Spokane concludes the regular season this Saturday at No. 6 Boise (12-3). The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (12-3, 325 points, one first place vote) jumped one place to No. 2 this week after their 49-40 home victory over Albany. Tulsa (12-3, 303 points) slipped one spot to No. 3 after the club's loss at Arkansas, 81-55. Tennessee Valley (11-4, 294 points) moved up to No. 4 after their 56-39 road win at Florida. The Twisters (11-4, 290 points, one first place vote) round out the Top-5 this week, improving three places after their victory against the Talons.

ALLGOOD AND ROWLEY HAVE SIGHTS ON PASSING RECORDS: Veteran quarterback JUSTIN ALLGOOD (Tulsa) is on pace to break the league record for most touchdown passes in one season. The current record is 106 set by former Central Valley QB SCOTT RISLOV in 2006. Allgood has 102 TD passes through 15 games. Arkansas QB KYLE ROWLEY (4,398) also has the single season passing yards record in his sights. D. Bryant set the current af2 standard with 4,680 passing yards in 2007 with South Georgia. The following is a breakdown of where Allgood and Rowley stand.

WINDSOR ABOUT TO PASS RECEIVING RECORDS: With Quad City veteran WR JESSE SCHMIDT's season finished after Week 17, Rio Grande Valley rookie WR ROD WINDSOR has one game left to surpass him on a number of his recently established receiving and scoring records. In 14 games played, Windsor currently ranks second to Schmidt in scoring (338), total touchdowns (55), receiving touchdowns (55) and receiving yards (2,207) and is tied with Schmidt in receptions (172). Schmidt set new league records in 2009 in scoring (350 points), receiving yards (2,393), total touchdowns (58), receiving touchdowns (58) and receptions (172 - tied with Windsor).

HUGHLEY, ROWLEY, HILL, CAMPBELL, LEWIS earn Week 17 honors: Tulsa wide receiver/kick returner JEFF HUGHLEY, Arkansas quarterback KYLE ROWLEY, and Tennessee Valley defensive back VINCE HILL have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 17 of 2009, the af2's 10th anniversary season. In addition to these three awards, the af2 is also highlighting the player who makes the best catch and the best hit of the week. The Big Game Catch of the Week Award for Week 17 goes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wide receiver IRVING CAMPBELL and the NiFTy Hit of the Week is awarded to Florida linebacker GEORGE LEWIS.

Hughley (5-8, 165, Averett), in his third af2 season, was one of the bright spots in Week 17 for Tulsa in the team's 81-55 road loss to Arkansas. The Averett alum was kept busy on kickoff return detail throughout. He fielded 10 balls, returning two for touchdowns and totaled 316 return yards. His 316 return yards is the second-highest, single-game total in league history. Along with his performance on special teams, Hughley also caught five passes for 64 yards and two TDs. His 380 all-purpose yards against the Twisters pushed him past former Quad City standout Ira Gooch for the af2 single-season record. Hughley's record all-purpose yard total now stands at 3,823. Gooch set the previous league standard of 3,472 all-purpose yards in 2002. Hughley also leads the Talons (12-3) in receiving with 126 catches for 1,768 yards and 46 TDs. Rowley (6-0, 205, Brown), a six-year af2 veteran, takes home his second Offensive Player of the Week Award of the season. The 2008 af2 Offensive Player of the Year gets the nod this week for his outstanding effort in Arkansas' 81-55 home victory in Week 17 against Tulsa. Rowley completed 24-of-36 passes for 275 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception to help hand the Talons just their third loss of the season. Rowley also had one rushing touchdown on the night. The former Brown standout commands one of the af2's most productive offenses, averaging 60.5 points a game and with a league-high 132 TDs. Rowley leads the league with 4,398 passing yards in 15 games. Rowley needs 283 yards in the team's Week 18 game at Bossier-Shreveport to break the league's single season record of 4,680 set in 2007 by South Georgia's D. Bryant. The Twisters currently sit atop the Southwest Division standings at 11-4. Hill (6-0, 185, Miles), in his first af2 season, grabbed two interceptions, including one in the end zone, in his award-winning performance against the Florida Firecats last week. The rookie defensive back also recorded 7.5 total tackles (7 solo, 1 assist) and two pass breakups in the Vipers' 56-39 road win. Both his picks came toward the end of the first half and would set the Vipers up to hold a slim lead heading into the break. Hill has had a productive first stint in the af2, recording 40 tackles and four interceptions in seven games for the Vipers. Tennessee Valley leads the South Division at 11-4. Campbell (6-0, 188, Georgia Southern), in his first af2 season, is the Week 17 recipient of The Big Game Catch of the Week Award. Campbell's dazzling grab came with about a minute to play in the third quarter of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 49-40 home victory against East Division rival Albany. The rookie receiver laid out to snare a 31-yard bomb from Ryan Vena. Campbell's momentum carried him head first into the end zone boards. Despite the impact, he still managed to hang onto the ball for the score. Campbell, however, was shaken up on the play and didn't play the rest of the game. Despite his early exit, he finished the game with five catches for 115 yards and two TDs. Campbell leads the Pioneers with 99 receptions for 1,329 yards and 18 TDs. This week the Pioneers (12-3) wrap up regular season play on the road at Manchester. Lewis (6-2, 240, Iowa), in his third af2 season, has been awarded the NiFTy Hit of the Week, a new weekly honor that highlights the player who makes the best hit or tackle of the week. With Florida trailing the Vipers by eight in the middle of the second quarter, Lewis executed a textbook open-field block on Tennessee Valley's Demetrius Derico on a kickoff return by teammate James McCoy. Lewis' devastating block opened up a big running lane for McCoy which allowed him to scamper 54 yards for a touchdown. The touchdown would bring the Firecats within one point of the Vipers. Despite the final result (56-39 loss), Lewis' hit was one of the best of the season. He currently ranks third on the team in tackles with 36. Lewis also leads the Firecats in fumble recoveries with two. Florida (6-9) hosts Kentucky (10-5) this Saturday at Germain Arena.

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: Fifteen (15) of the 16 spots available for the 2009 af2 playoffs have been clinched. Leading the way among the group are the Spokane Shock, Tennessee Valley Vipers, Tulsa Talons and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. The Talons have earned their 10th straight postseason appearance, the most of any active team. Tulsa, one of three original af2 member teams, has qualified for the playoffs every season of the team's existence. The Vipers have earned a spot in the postseason in seven of the team's nine years of af2 play. The Pioneers rank tied for third in all-time playoff appearances with six in eight af2 seasons. The Shock have booked their fourth trip to the postseason in as many seasons.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON'S HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Wachovia Arena, the home of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, has become a visiting team's worst nightmare in recent years. The Pioneers have won 25 straight regular season home games, a streak that dates back to 2006. Counting the playoffs, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has won 29 of its last 30 home games. The last time the Pioneers lost a regular season home game was on July 8, 2006 when the Florida Firecats edged Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 56-51. While Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's current streak has been impressive, it is still one victory shy of the all-time best home win streak set by the Tulsa Talons at their previous home, the Tulsa Convention Center. The Talons won 26 consecutive regular-season home games from 2000-03. Tulsa won its final two home games of the 2000 season and 24 straight over the next three years.

SANDERS EARNS NFL TRYOUT WITH ST. LOUIS RAMS: Boise Burn DB/KR Terrance Sanders has translated his phenomenal on-field success into a tryout with the NFL's St. Louis Rams. He left Boise on Wednesday for the tryout. If the Rams offer him a spot in training camp, he will not return to the Burn. If he is not offered a spot, he is expected back in time for Boise's regular-season finale against Spokane on Saturday. The Eastern Illinois product leads the af2 in kickoff return average (29.7). He is tied for the league lead in kickoffs returned for touchdowns (7) and is among the league leaders in interceptions (7) and missed-field goal return average (31.7). Sanders leads the Burn in tackles (80.5) and his seven kickoff returns for touchdowns is more than the entire team had in 2007 and 2008 combined.

MCCOMBS SACKS LEAGUE ALL-TIME MARK: League veteran and current Spokane Shock DL BEN MCCOMBS became the af2's all-time leader in career sacks in the team's Week 5 road win at Stockton. McCombs, in his sixth af2 season, currently has a league-high 15.5 sacks in 2009 and 56.5 for his career. C.J. MCLAIN owned the previous all-time, league-high sack total with 44.5. McCombs entered the year with 41 career sacks. Below is a breakdown of the leading sack artists in af2 history:

Most Sacks, Career

56.5 Ben McCombs, BAK 2004, 2006-07, RGV 2005, CVC 2008, Spokane 2009*

45.0 Jerry Turner, Birmingham 2001-02, 2004, Bakersfield 2006, Arkansas 2009*

44.5 C.J. McLain, Arkansas 2000, 2005-06, Tulsa 2007-08

37.5 Greg Taylor, Arkansas 2000-02, Tulsa 2003

32.5 Quinton Staton, Rio Grande Valley 2007-present*

30.0 Eric Scott, Alabama 2007, Tennessee Valley 2008-present*

27.5 E.J. Burt, Cape Fear 2002

* Active in 2009

WALLACE FIRST TO 500/25,000: Florida Firecats veteran CHRIS WALLACE became the first quarterback in league history to throw 500 career touchdown passes in a 68-62 home win against Kentucky in Week 4. Wallace hit the 500-mark with a 15-yard strike to WR James Panui early in the fourth quarter. He reached another milestone in Florida's Week 13 road loss at Tennessee Valley by becoming the first player to reach 25,000 career passing yards. Wallace currently holds af2 career records for touchdown passes (556), passing yards (25,332), completions (2,074) and attempts (3,466). He became the league's all-time passing yards leader in a 32-27 road win at Albany in Week 3. Wallace began his af2 career with the Carolina Rhinos in 2000. He played for the AFL's Orlando Predators in 2001 and 2003. Prior to joining the Firecats midway through the 2004 season, he played for the af2's Norfolk Nighthawks and Cape Fear Wildcats.

VENA PASSES LOFTY BENCHMARKS: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton QB RYAN VENA passed two impressive career milestones in the Pioneers' Week 2 home win against Albany - 20,000 passing yards and 400 touchdown passes. The veteran signal caller from Colgate, currently in his sixth af2 season (third with the Pioneers), joins CHRIS WALLACE and CRAIG STRICKLAND as the only quarterbacks in league history to reach those lofty totals. The af2's top three career passer totals for yards and touchdowns are shown below:

Most passing yards, career

25332...Chris Wallace, CAR 2000, NOR 2002-03, CPF 2004, FLA 2004-present

23556...Ryan Vena, Albany 2002-03, 2006, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2007-present

22688...Craig Strickland, Tulsa 2000-01, 2003, Oklahoma City 2004-06

Most touchdown passes, career

556...Chris Wallace, CAR 2000, NOR 2002-03, CPF 2004, FLA 2004-present

481...Craig Strickland, Tulsa 2000-01, 2003, Oklahoma City 2004-06

471...Ryan Vena, Albany 2002-03, 2006, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2007-present

VENA TIES RUSHING TD RECORD: Over his career, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton QB RYAN VENA has hurt many opponents with his arm (23,556 yards passing, 471 touchdowns), but he has also proven to be an adept runner as well. With his 2-yard touchdown run in a Week 13 home win against Central Valley, Vena tied SHERARD POTEETE's league record of 87 career rushing touchdowns.

TWO PLAYERS HIT GRAND RUSHING MARK: Bossier-Shreveport FB/LB JASON SCHULE became just the fourth player in league history, and second in 2009, to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a career. Schule eclipsed the mark with 79 rushing yards in the BattleWings' Week 10 road loss to South Georgia. His current total now stands at 1,309. Schule also leads the league in rushing yards this season with 577. Kentucky FB/LB DEMETRIUS FORNEY became the third player in league history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a career. Forney hit the millennium mark in a Week 9 home win against Florida. His current career total is now 1,034 yards. Below is a breakdown of the af2 leaders in career rushing yards:

Most Yards Gained, Career

1346.... Sherard Poteete, Bossier City 2001-03, CBS 2003, Bossier-Shreve. 2004

1309.... Jason Schule, Bossier-Shreveport 2006-present

1086.... Darnell Small, Arkansas 2000-05, Oklahoma City 2007

1034.... Demetrius Forney, Louisville, 2002-05, 2007-08, Manchester 2006, Kentucky 2009

965...... Ryan Vena, Albany 2002-03, 2006, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2007-present

NORRIS JOINS 40-WIN CLUB: With a Week 15 win against Amarillo, Bossier-Shreveport head coach JON NORRIS earned his 40th career win. There are now 18 af2 head coaches who own 40 or more career coaching victories. RICH INGOLD is the league's all-time leader in wins with 87 (87-33 - .725). Ingold is in his seventh season overall and fourth with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. Twisters Head Coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED currently ranks second overall in career wins with 79. Manchester's DANTON BARTO and Amarillo's BEN BENNETT are tied for third on the all-time win list with 67 wins. Below is a breakdown of the leaders in career af2 coaching victories:

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