Conquest's Stuart Wins af2 Weekly Award

May 14, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release


(ALBANY, NY) – Albany Conquest defensive specialist, John Stuart, was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Week by the league office of arenafootball2 yesterday afternoon. Stuart helped his team to a 69-35 victory over the Cincinnati Swarm last Saturday, their second consecutive win and fourth in five games.

Stuart came into the game against the Swarm 10th in the league in passes defended, a total due mostly to the fact that he has been matched up with some of the top receivers in af2 week in and week out. Stuart recorded his first two interceptions of the season in Cincinnati, including one that he ripped out of the hands of the Swarm's OS James Scott who came into the game as the #4 receiver in af2. Scott caught just eight passes and scored twice, while Stuart racked up six tackles (one for a loss), a fourth quarter fumble recovery and four pass breakups in the game.

Stuart is a second-year member of the Conquest from Indiana University (PA). Last season he played WR/DB, but was asked by his new Head Coach Pete Costanza, prior to the season, to be the man in the middle for his defense. Stuart relished the opportunity and won the starting spot in training camp along side another sophomore member of the Conquest, but also a first-year specialist. Elijah Beamon (Lafayette) played two-way for the Conquest in 2002, but has also excelled as a permanent fixture in the secondary for Costanza.

Beamon won this same award in week two of the season when he returned an interception three yards for the game-winning touchdown in Albany's first game at Richmond. The Conquest won the game 45-42 and Beamon won the first af2 weekly award for any player in Conquest history. Now, he and Stuart may have become the first DS combination from the same team to share the same award in a single season.

Stuart will be tested again this week as the Conquest (4-1) travel to face the Rochester Brigade (1-5). The division-rival Brigade feature the dangerous receiver duo of OS Martino Theus and WR/LB Derek Baker. Theus finished just one reception (160) behind Albany's Corey Hill last season, while Baker currently ranks seventh in af2 in scoring and fourth in all-purpose yards. The game can be heard live from Rochester, NY by visiting www.albanyconquest.com and listening to the FREE webcast, provided by TRZ Teamline. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm.



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