Avengers Silas Demary and Remy Hamilton break AFL records
May 24, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES -- Avenger offensive/defensive lineman Silas Demary and kicker Remy Hamilton established new Arena Football League all-time single-season records with their performances in the regular-season finale at Grand Rapids on Saturday, May 21.
Demary, a leading candidate for the AFL's "ADT Defensive Player of the Year" and "Lineman of the Year" awards, sacked Grand Rapids quarterback Michael Bishop on the Rampage's first offensive play of the game to bring his season total to 13.5, breaking the mark of 13 set by Craig Walls of the Pittsburgh Gladiators in 1987. Demary, who also forced his fifth fumble of the season on that play, participated in 15 games (he missed the game versus Dallas on March 18, while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee), but really exploded in the second half of the season. He registered 12.5 sacks in the last eight regular-season games to break what was the oldest record in the AFL.
Demary set an Avenger team record with four sacks in a single-game on April 10, versus the New York Dragons (three in the first quarter alone). In addition to his 13.5 sacks and five forced fumbles, he also was credited with 26 tackles (14.5 for losses of 62 yards), nine quarterback hurries, two batted down passes and two fumble recoveries. In his four previous seasons in the league, including last year's campaign with the Avengers, Demary recorded a total of 10 sacks.
Hamilton kicked a 43-yard field goal at Grand Rapids to boost his season percentage to .744, breaking the mark of .720 established last season by Jay Taylor of the Orlando Predators, before he moved on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hamilton, the leading candidate for the AFL's "Kicker of the Year" award, made 29-of-39 field goals this season. Taylor was 18-of-25 in 2004. They are the only two players in the 19-year history of the AFL to have a field-goal percentage better than .639.
Hamilton's 29 field goals this season is the second highest total in league history, falling three short of the all-time mark of 32 by Daron Alcorn of the Portland Forest Dragons in 1999. He opened the year by connecting on his first 11 field goal attempts to set another league record. Hamilton, who led the Avengers in scoring this season (185 points), was 6-of-12 from beyond 40 yards in 2005, kicking toward a goal that is only nine-feet wide and 15-feet above the turf (NFL uprights are 18.5-feet apart and the crossbar is 10-feet high). Five of his 10 misses were from 47 or more yards out.
The Western Division champion Avengers (10-6, No. 2 seed in the American Conference) will open the AFL Playoffs on Sunday, May 29, when they host the Chicago Rush (9-7, No. 3) at STAPLES Center. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on KNBC Channel 4.
Tickets are still available and may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, at the STAPLES Center box office and by calling 1-888-AVENGERS.
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