Game-winner Hill Awarded Again

May 20, 2003 - National Football League Europa (NFLE) News Release

Also winning Player of the Week honours following their exploits in Week 7 are Frankfurt Galaxy wide receiver ROBERT BAKER and Swedish linebacker JENS PETTERSSON, of the Scottish Claymores.

Hill - allocated by the Minnesota Vikings - won his second Offensive Player of the Week award after leading the Admirals to a 27-24 victory over the Frankfurt Galaxy by throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Matthew Hatchette with one second remaining.

Hill completed 25 of 42 attempts for 274 yards and touchdowns of 26 and 5 yards to Hatchette for a quarterback rating of 94.7. With three weeks of the season still to play, Hill leads NFL Europe in pass attempts (244), completions (148) and yards (1,470).

The Vikings passer said: "That was a huge win for us in Frankfurt because it keeps us in the World Bowl race. We have to win every week - one down, three to go."

Williams, of the Miami Dolphins, won his second Defensive Player of the Week prize in as many weeks - both coming after outstanding performances against the F.C. Barcelona Dragons.

A week after recording 5 tackles and 4 sacks against Barcelona in Spain, Williams grabbed 10 tackles, 2 sacks and forced a fumble during Berlin's 23-20 loss to the Dragons at Olympic Stadium. Williams leads the league with 7 sacks this season, 6 coming in the last two games against the Dragons.

Baker, also of the Miami Dolphins, was named Special Teams Player of the Week following a breathtaking 91-yard punt return for a touchdown late in Frankfurt's game with the Admirals.

Trailing 20-17 with two minutes remaining, Baker fielded a punt at his own 9-yard line, sped upfield but slipped to the ground while making a cut near midfield. With three Admirals players within a yard of him, Baker bounced back to his feet before being touched and raced down the right sideline for a memorable touchdown - the second longest punt return in NFLEL history.

Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS saw his team overcome Baker's heroics in the dying seconds and said: "That run just about made me sick. It was a great run, I mean a great run. When he slipped down and got back up, that was fantastic. I'm not sure I was too glad to see it but you can't take away from it being a great play."

Baker posted 107 punt return yards on the night and also scored on a 4-yard pass from Quinn Gray while catching 2 passes for 23 yards.

The Dolphins receiver said: "Every time I step on the field I try to make a play and I had a couple of opportunities last week. But I am mainly concerned about team goals and it was all for nothing as we didn't get the win. I don't look at stats or keep game balls, I'm only interested in collecting wins."

Pettersson was named National Player of the Week after recording 2 tackles, 1 special teams tackle, 1 interception and 1 pass defense during Scotland's 33-0 defeat of the Rhein Fire. His interception of quarterback Chris Greisen came in the Claymores' end zone with 12 seconds remaining, preserving just the third shut out in Scotland's history and halted the Fire's league-leading scoring streak at 86 games (every one they had played in NFLEL prior to Week 7).

NFL EUROPE LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS - WEEK 7

OFFENSIVE SHAUN HILL QB Amsterdam Admirals
DEFENSIVE LAMANZER WILLIAMS DE Berlin Thunder
SPECIAL TEAMS ROBERT BAKER WR Frankfurt Galaxy
NATIONAL JENS PETTERSSON LB Scottish Claymores

National Football League Europa Stories from May 20, 2003

• Fire return home, look to sweep Berlin - Rhein Fire
• NFLE Finishing Line in Sight - NFLE
• Game-winner Hill Awarded Again - NFLE

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