Alfonzo, Gispert to stay in Chicago
May 18, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
The Chicago Rush announced today it has signed WR/LB DeJuan Alfonzo and kicker Keith Gispert to contract extensions that will keep the pair in Chicago through the 2007 AFL season.
"Both DeJuan and Keith are important parts of the Rush â especially on special teams," said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. "It is good to know they will be back with us for two more seasons."
Alfonzo is Chicago's "Mr. Everything," playing WR/DB, WR/LB and DS during his three seasons with the Rush. He also is the team's best cover man on kickoff coverage and the holder for Gispert on extra points and field goals. This year, Alfonzo is the team's third-leading tackler, recording 47 tackles, one interception and two forced fumbles. He ranks second on the team's all-time tackles list with 135, trailing former Rush DS Cedric Walker by 31.5 tackles. Offensively, Alfonzo has caught 19 passes for 159 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Since joining the Rush in 2003, Gispert has been one of the AFL's most-consistent kickers. This season Gispert has connected on 84 of 97 extra-point attempts (86.5%), including his last 13 in a row, and 10 of 16 field goal attempts (62.5%), ranking second in the AFL in field goal percentage. In his 44-game Rush career, Gispert has converted 243 of 284 PAT attempts (85.6%) and 31 of 59 field goal attempts (52.5).
The Rush (8-7) concludes its regular season this week when it travels to Tennessee to take on the Nashville Kats (6-8-1) Sunday, May 22, at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast in Chicago on NBC 5 and heard on WCKG, 105.9 FM. A win Sunday would give Chicago its fifth-consecutive playoff berth and earn the team a trip to either Colorado or Los Angeles for an AFL quarterfinal game on Sunday, May 29.
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