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af2 week seven quick hitters

May 10, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


GAMES ON - af2/B2 FEATURED GAMES IN WEEK 7: The arenafootball2 league (af2) has established a new, extensive online network to provide the league's passionate fan base an opportunity to view a vast number of games through the internet. Thanks to a new league partnership with industry leader B2 Networks, fans across the globe are now be able to bring all the action of af2 football right to their home computer or laptop. To tune into the action, fans can log on to www.af2.com and click on the special advertisement located at the top right-hand corner of the page. Viewers looking to enjoy the games via B2 will only need a high-speed internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 or higher. Games will be available for the normal B2 rate of just $6. This week there are six (6) af2 games available though B2. The Week 7 online broadcast schedule is detailed below. All times listed are Eastern.

Week 7

Friday, May 11, 2007

Albany at Manchester 7:05 p.m.

Tri-Cities at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Tennessee Valley at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.

Quad City at Alabama 8:00 p.m.

Bakersfield at Spokane 8:00 p.m.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Stockton at Everett 10:30 p.m.

*All times Eastern

OFF THE NET/week 7: The arenafootball2 league (af2) online radio show, "Off the Net," the only internet radio show devoted solely to af2, will air its seventh show of the season today, Thursday, May 10, on www.af2.com. This week's show features special interviews with Manchester Head Coach BEN BENNETT and Arkansas QB BRIAN VILLANEUVA. The program will also include news and notes from around the af2 as the league enters the seventh week of the 2007 season. Fans can easily access the program by clicking on a special "Off the Net" advertisement located at the lower right hand corner of af2.com. The show will be available online late this afternoon. "Off the Net," now in its second season, airs every Thursday throughout the regular season and continues all the way until an ArenaCup Champion is crowned in late August. The show is designed to bring af2 fans even closer to their favorite game with in-depth news, interesting interviews and fun feature stories. Veteran broadcaster Dean Jackson serves as host.

PIONEERS TOP COACHES POLL FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK: The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers have maintained the No. 1 ranking of the Weekly Coaches Poll for the third straight week, the arenafootball2 (af2) league office announced on Wednesday. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton collected 451 of a possible 464 points and 22-of-30 first place votes in securing the top position. The Pioneers (5-0) scored a 59-42 home win in Week 6 against Manchester to further solidify their claim to the top spot. The Tulsa Talons (5-0, 400 points, 5 first place votes) held firm at the No. 2 spot on the strength of a 64-54 road win Saturday against rival Oklahoma City. The Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings (5-0, 394 points, 2 first place votes) also maintained their position at No. 3 overall after a 62-27 road win against the Corpus Christi Sharks. Rounding out the Top 5 this week are the Boise Burn (4-1, 333 points, 1 first place vote) and Arkansas Twisters (4-1, 307 points). Boise moved up four spots from No. 8 to No. 4 after the team's 69-55 road win over Bakersfield on Saturday. The Twisters retained their No. 5 ranking after winning their fourth straight game, 59-33, at Laredo.

FULLER, BROWN, ADELEKAN, JONES EARN WEEK 6 HONORS: Texas wide receiver/defensive back JARROD FULLER, Albany wide receiver BAKARI BROWN and Tennessee Valley lineman FAROUK ADELEKAN have been named the U.S. Army Ironman, Schutt Offensive Player and ADT Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 6 of the 2007 season. In addition to these three awards, the af2 is also highlighting the player who makes the best catch of the week. The Cutters Catch of the Week Award for Week 6 goes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wide receiver JIM JONES.

Fuller (5-6, 170, Sam Houston State), in his first full af2 season, had an impressive all-around effort for Texas in the team's 58-27 road loss at Alabama in Week 6. The former Sam Houston State star was one of the bright spots for the Copperheads, making his presence felt on offense and special teams. He had 10 catches for a game-high 123 yards and one touchdown offensively and also amassed 164 kick return yards, including a 50-yard missed field goal return for a score in the second quarter. Fuller also recorded one tackle on defense. This is the first weekly af2 award of his career and the first weekly honor awarded to a member of the Copperheads. Fuller leads Texas in a number of offensive categories, including receptions (31), receiving yards (351), receiving touchdowns (4), field goal return yards (89), kick return yards (404), all-purpose yards (842) and scoring (36 points). Brown (6-0, 180, Millersville) had a career night for Albany on Saturday in a 56-51 home loss to Florida. The playmaker from Millersville, now in his second af2 season, set a new af2 single-game record with 20 pass receptions against the Firecats. Brown finished with 217 receiving yards (af2-season high) and five touchdowns. He was also special on special teams with a 57-yard kick return TD in the third quarter and 138 total kick return yards. Brown's 355 all-purpose yards (217 receiving yards, 138 kick return yards) set another af2 single game high for 2007. His 36 points scored in the contest also tied an af2 season high. This is the first af2 weekly honor of Brown's career. He currently leads the league in receptions (50) and in all-purpose yards (1,052) and tops the Conquest in receiving yards (550) and kick return yards (487). Brown is also tied for the team lead in scoring with 78 points. Adelekan (6-2, 275, Houston), in his second af2 season, was a major force on defense in Week 6 for Tennessee Valley in the Vipers' 26-21 home win against Green Bay. The former Houston standout tormented the Blizzard with 5.0 total tackles (all solo), three tackles for loss, three sacks for 23 yards, and three forced fumbles. Adelekan also recovered two of the three fumbles he forced and had five quarterback hurries. This is the first weekly af2 award of his career. Adelekan is also the second Defensive Player of the Week Award winner for Tennessee Valley in 2007 (DB Quentin Burrell - WK1). Adelekan earned All-af2 recognition last year in his rookie campaign with the Vipers after recording 8.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks in 10 games played. Jones (6-2, 210, Widener), who is in his fourth season in the af2, earned the Cutters Catch of the Week Award for his one-handed, 17-yard touchdown that he reeled in up against the boards in the end zone in the third quarter of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 59-42 home win against Manchester. Jones finished the night with 12 catches for 156 yards and four touchdowns, all season-high marks for the former Widener standout. Jones leads the Pioneers in receptions (42) and receiving yards (476) and ranks second on the squad in touchdown catches with 10.

VENA IN THE ZONE: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton veteran signal caller RYAN VENA is off to the best start of his four-year af2 career. In five starts (all wins), the former Colgate standout has completed nearly 71 percent (70.9 - 1st in af2) of his passes and thrown 29 touchdowns without an interception. Vena also leads the league in passer rating at 133.8. He is also just eight touchdown passes shy of 250 for his career. Before this year, Vena spent his previous three af2 seasons with the Albany Conquest (2002-03, 2006).

DOWN TO THREE: Entering Week 7 of the season, there are only three teams that remain undefeated. They are the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings (5-0), Tulsa Talons (5-0) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (5-0). The Pioneers are currently ranked No. 1 in the Weekly Coaches Poll. This is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's third straight week atop the chart. The Talons are ranked No. 2 overall. The Battle Wings, who are off to their best start ever, are currently ranked No. 3. Below is a chart detailing the best starts in af2 history.

TEAM START SEASON

Quad City 16-0 2000

Tennessee Valley 14-0 2003

Augusta 7-0 2002

Richmond 7-0 2002

This Saturday night Bossier-Shreveport faces the toughest test of the three remaining unbeatens as the Battle Wings travel to Arkansas to take on the No. 5-ranked Twisters (4-1). Also on Saturday, Tulsa hosts Lubbock (2-3) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton travels to No. 11 Mahoning Valley (3-2).

ALBANY'S BROWN QUITE A CATCH: Conquest WR BAKARI BROWN had a career night for Albany on Saturday in a 56-51 home loss to Florida. The playmaker from Millersville, in his second af2 season, set a new af2 single-game record with 20 pass receptions against the Firecats. Brown eclipsed the previous af2 standard of 19 catches in a game set in 2004 by Cape Fear's ANTHONY HINES. Brown finished with 217 receiving yards (af2-season high) and five touchdowns. He was also special on special teams with a 57-yard kick return TD in the third quarter and 138 total kick return yards. Brown's 355 all-purpose yards (217 receiving yards, 138 kick return yards) set another af2 single game high for 2007. His 36 points scored in the contest also tied an af2 season high. Brown currently leads the league in receptions (50) and in all-purpose yards (1,052) and tops the Conquest in receiving yards (550) and kick return yards (487). He is also tied for the team lead in scoring with 78 points.

FORNEY IN A RUSH FOR FIRE: Through five games this season, Fire FB Demetrius Forney is just 49 rushing yards shy of breaking the Louisville's single season rushing record. Pookie Jones currently holds the record with 180 rushing yards in 2003. Forney is near the top of several rushing categories in the af2. Below is a break down of where Forney stands:

Category Stat Rank

Rushing Yards 131 3

Yards Per Rush 4.5 7

Rushing TDs 6 T-5

Rushing Attempts 29 2

Rushing Yards/G 26.2 4

TIGER OFF TO ROARING START FOR FIRE: With his 169 yard receiving performance against Mahoning Valley, Louisville WR TIGER JONES recorded his fifth straight 100-yard receiving performance. Jones is the first Fire player ever to record 100 yards receiving in each of his first five games with the team. Jones is also within sight of the team record for consecutive 100 yard receiving games. The current record is nine straight held by former Fire standout and current Chicago Rush WR ROB MAGER. Jones is currently third in the af2 in receptions per game at 8.8, second in receiving yards with 621, first in receiving yards a game with 124.2 and fourth in receptions with 44. Below is a break down of Jones' first five games with the Fire:

GAME REC YDS YPR TDs

Boise 8 114 14.2 1

South Georgia 11 106 9.6 2

Cincinnati 9 120 13.3 1

Alabama 5 112 22.4 3

Mah. Valley 11 169 15.4 3

Totals 44 621 14.1 10

BENTON SCORES 900: Florida WR MAGIC BENTON became the first player in af2 history to score 900 points in the Firecats 56-51 win last Saturday at Albany. The veteran, who entered the contest with 898 points, scored three touchdowns against the Conquest to increase his career total to 916 points. Benton, in his seventh season, is currently the league's all-time scoring leader. His next closest competitor is Arkansas veteran WR/LB KEVIN WILLIAMS (868). Quad City receiver Jack Walker is closing in on the 700-career point plateau. Walker, in his fifth af2 season, currently has 694 points. Benton also holds a number of other af2 all-time records, including receptions (515), receiving yards (6,785) and receiving touchdowns (150). This season he leads the league in receiving yards (654) and ranks third in receptions (48) and fourth in touchdown receptions (12). Below is a breakdown of the leading scorers in af2 history:

MOST POINTS SCORED, NON-KICKING, CAREER

PTS PLAYER YEARS PLAYED

916 Magic Benton* 2001-present

868 Kevin Williams* 2001-present

780 Mitch Allner 2000-04

756 Cainon Lamb 2002-05

754 Jarrail Jackson* 2000-01, 2005-present

746 George Williams* 2001, 2003-present

738 Kevin Prentiss 2003-2006

* denotes active players

BENNETT AND INGOLD GOING FOR 50: Manchester Head Coach BEN BENNETT and W-B/Scranton Head Coach RICH INGOLD are approaching the exclusive 50-win club for coaching wins in the af2. To date, only three coaches in league history have hit the 50-win plateau. The league's all-time leader is CHRIS SIEGFRIED with 57 career wins. Siegfried, now the offensive coordinator of the AFL's Kansas City Brigade, helped guide the expansion Spokane Shock to the 2006 ArenaCup title. With the Pioneers Week 6 win over Manchester, Ingold and Bennett are now both tied for fifth all-time in af2 career wins with 48. They are the two winningest active coaches in the league. Louisville's TOMMY JOHNSON also hit a milestone in Week 6 by notching his 40th career af2 win. Johnson is just the tenth coach in league history to hit the 40-win plateau.

TOP ALL-TIME COACHING VICTORIES

NAME WINS

1. Chris Siegfried 57

2. Kevin Guy 52

3. Bobby Humphrey 51

4. Danton Barto 49

5. Ben Bennett* 48

5. Rich Ingold* 48

* denotes active coaches

af2 IN THE AFL: The af2 has had hundreds of former players move up to the AFL over the years. A number of those players, such as Chicago WR BOBBY SIPPIO or Orlando QB SHANE STAFFORD, have become bonafide AFL stars. In 2007, a new group of AFL players with af2 roots are starting to shine. This week we highlight former Louisville standout signal caller BRETT DIETZ and former Manchester DB BRIAN MANCE. Dietz, the 2006 af2 Rookie of the Year, is currently in his first season with the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm. Two weeks ago in a game against Columbus, Storm starting QB JOHN KALEO injured his wrist in the second quarter to force Dietz into action. The rookie came in and directed Tampa Bay to three scores in the second half to earn a hard-fought home win, 34-32. Dietz finished 12-of-24 for 165 yards, two touchdowns (0 INT) and also had a rushing touchdown. This past week in his first AFL start, Dietz was even more impressive, completing 26-of-32 passes for 286 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions in leading the Storm to a 66-45 road win against Austin. Last season with the Fire, Dietz led the af2 in completion percentage (71.2) and quarterback rating (126.7). He also finished with 4,217 yards passing, 90 touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns. In addition to his Rookie of the Year Award, he also earned a spot on the American Conference All-af2 First Team. Dietz was signed in the off-season by Chicago, and then cut in training camp. Shortly after agreeing to an af2 contract with Spokane for 2007, he was signed by the Kansas City Brigade and placed on their practice squad. A month later, Dietz landed in Tampa Bay, where he has made the most of his opportunity. Mance is currently in his first season with the AFL's Philadelphia Soul. After beginning the year as a reserve, Mance has worked his way into the starting lineup for the Soul and has turned into a major contributor. The former Clemson standout currently ranks second on the squad with 40 total tackles and also has two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. Mance was signed by the Soul after starring in the secondary for the Manchester Wolves in 2006. In 13 games played, Mance finished second on the squad in tackles (67.5) and third in interceptions (4) and pass breakups (10).



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