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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Blanchard, Vena and Adams Earn Week 8 Honors; Stockton's Clarence Cunningham Grabs Catch of the Week

May 20, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


CHICAGO - Tennessee Valley wide receiver/defensive back TRAVIS BLANCHARD, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton quarterback RYAN VENA and Quad City defensive back KEVIN ADAMS have been named the JLS Ironman, Schutt Offensive Player and ADT Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 8 of the 2008 season. In addition to these three awards, the Cutters Catch of the Week Award for Week 8 goes to Stockton wide receiver CLARENCE CUNNINGHAM.

JLS IRONMAN OF THE WEEK

Blanchard (5-11, 185, Mississippi), had an impressive all-around effort for Tennessee Valley in the Vipers' 50-34 home victory on Saturday against Florida, their South Division rivals. The third-year player from Mississippi was a factor all over field as Tennessee Valley won its fifth straight game and handed the Firecats their first loss of the season. On offense, Blanchard had three touchdown runs (5, 2, 3) on three rushes. On the defensive side, he recorded a team-best 8.0 tackles (7 solo, 2 asst) and three pass breakups. This is the first af2 weekly league honor of Blanchard's career. He ranks second on the team in all-purpose yards (734), rushing (59), rushing touchdowns (11) and scoring (13 TDs - 78 points). Blanchard earned All-af2 Second Team honors in 2007 after leading the league with 3,019 all-purpose yards.

SCHUTT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Vena (6-0, 220, Colgate), now in his fifth af2 season, had an outstanding individual effort on Friday night for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the team's 69-27 home win against East Division rival Albany. The former Colgate standout completed 26-of-32 passes (81.25 percent) for 300 yards and an af2-season high 10 touchdowns without an interception. Vena is certainly no stranger to this honor. The 2007 Offensive Player of the Year has earned Offensive Player of the Week honors 10 times overall in his career. In addition to his week's award, he was honored earlier this season (Week 5), five times in 2007 (Weeks 4, 12, 13, 20 - Second Round, 22 - ArenaCup), once in 2006 (Week 5) and twice in 2003 (Week 10, Week 15). The East Division-leading Pioneers are 5-0 with Vena under center and 7-1 overall. Vena leads the league in completion percentage (71.3) and ranks second in the af2 in touchdown passes (38) and passer rating (129.0).

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Adams (6-1, 193, Minnesota State) was an impact player on defense for Quad City in the team's, 54-27, Week 8 home win against Midwest Division foe Peoria. The second-year defensive back registered 8.5 tackles (7 solo, 3 asst), one tackle for loss, three pass breakups and two interceptions. His interceptions came on back-to-back Peoria possessions early in the second quarter. His first pick was returned 45 yards for a touchdown to give the Steamwheelers a 21-6 advantage. Adams' play was a big reason behind Quad City's second victory of the season. This is the first weekly af2 award of his career. In just three games of play since his return to the team from a stint with the AFL's Utah Blaze, Adams leads the team with three interceptions and ranks fourth in tackles with 25.

CUTTERS CATCH OF THE WEEK

Stockton wide receiver Clarence Cunningham (5-10, 180, San Jose State) is the Week 8 recipient of the Cutters Catch of the Week Award, a weekly honor that emerged in 2006 to highlight the player who makes the best catch of the week. Cunningham's catch was a leaping, 15-yard touchdown stab in the fourth quarter of the Lightning's, 40-31, home victory against Amarillo. The second-year player from San Jose State snatched the pass over his left shoulder before crashing into the back wall of the end zone. Cunningham, who also caught a first-quarter touchdown, finished with a team-high eight receptions for 79 yards. He began the year with the AFL's Los Angeles Avengers.

JLS Ironman of the Week candidates included:

Daytona Beach's Lamar Hughes, Florida's James McCoy, Texas' Armar Watson, Arkansas' Larue Burley, Tennessee Valley's Travis Blanchard, Rio Grande Valley's Pierre Thomas, Lubbock's Orlando Medlock, Lexington's John Cooper, Peoria's Curtis Eason, Green Bay's Gus Tyson, Boise's Levi Madarieta, Tri-Cities' LaMonte' Jones, Iowa's Tanner Varner and Central Valley's Jomo Wilson.

Schutt Offensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Prince Prempeh, Tulsa's Jeff Hughley, Green Bay's Scott Burnoski, Lexington's Eddie Eviston, Austin's Andy Hall, Louisville's Aaron Marshall, Quad City's J.J. Raterink, South Georgia's P.J. Berry, Arkansas' Chris Denney, Oklahoma City's Al Hunt, Stockton's Justin Taplin, Rio Grande Valley's Travis Cole, Spokane's Nick Davila, Tennessee Valley's Kevin Eakin and Boise's Ahmad Harris.

ADT Defensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Troy Blackwell, Manchester's Chris Eggleston, Green Bay's Quartez Vickerson, Green Bay's Edward Kwaku, Lexington's Deion Holts, Austin's Travis Pugh, Louisville's Matt Forbes, South Georgia's James Harris, Lubbock's Virgil Gray, Oklahoma City's Travis Seaton, Stockton's Manase Hopoi, Rio Grande Valley's Pierre Thomas, Spokane's Nygel Rogers, Florida's James McCoy and Boise's Terrance Sanders.

Previous 2008 Winners:

Week 7: Daytona Beach's Matt Bohnet (Offensive), Corpus Christi's Ivory McCann (Defensive), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Larry Kendrick (Ironman), Tri-Cities' J.R. Thomas (Catch)

Week 6: Boise's George Williams (Offensive), Daytona Beach's Jocques Richardson (Defensive), Texas' Armar Watson (Ironman), Rio Grande Valley's Eddie Jackson (Catch)

Week 5: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Ryan Vena (Offensive), Austin's Demetrie McCray (Defensive), Tulsa's Jermaine Hope (Ironman), Iowa's Bryan Pray (Catch)

Week 4: Amarillo's Donte Newsome (Offensive), South Georgia's Joe Woolridge (Defensive), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Larry Kendrick (Ironman), Lexington's Chad Spencer (Catch)

Week 3: Albany's Jared Jones (Offensive), Boise's Chris Bruhn (Defensive), Corpus Christi's Ivory McCann (Ironman), Tulsa's Jeff Hughley (Catch)

Week 2: Oklahoma City's Al Hunt (Offensive), Spokane's Sergio Gilliam (Defensive), Florida's Chris McKinney (Ironman), Amarillo's Wallace House (Catch)

Week 1: South Georgia's Cecil Lester (Offensive), Spokane's Sergio Gilliam (Defensive), Mahoning Valley's John Tackmann (Ironman), Corpus Christi's Jonathan Graham (Catch)

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