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Gladiators, Rattlers Fight for National Lead

June 1, 2016 - Arena Football League (AFL) News Release


LAS VEGAS - The National Conference race is starting to heat up as the red-hot Cleveland Gladiators (5-4) host the Conference-leading Arizona Rattlers (6-3) this Friday, June 3 at 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena on WatchESPN. Winners of their last four games, Cleveland and QB Arvell Nelson have given head coach Steve Thonn's offense a lift by connecting on 108-of-192 (56.2%) for 1,457 yards, 28 passing TDs, six rushing scores and is 5-1 as a starter. Arizona QB Nick Davila, who is a two-time AFL MVP, currently leads the League in TD passes (59) while completing 198-of-294 passes (67.3%) for 2,420 yards.

Elsewhere, the National Broadcast Game of the Week is an American Conference Championship re-match with the Conference-leading Philadelphia Soul (7-2) and 2015 AFL MVP QB Dan Raudabaugh heading to Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena to play the defending Conference Champion, Jacksonville Sharks (4-4) on Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. Under Armour Offensive Player of the Week, WR Joe Hills (83 receptions, 1,071 yards and 30 TDs) will look to team up with QB Tommy Grady (68.0 completion percentage, 48 TDs and only 3 INTs) for some of the same magic this week, while WR Tiger Jones looks for career reception No. 1,000 (current at 995) against his former team.

Also, WR T.T. Toliver (53 receptions, 777 yards and 12 TDs) and the Tampa Bay Storm are coming off a huge victory over Arizona and will travel cross-country to play QB Shane Austin (14 passing TDs in three games) and the Portland Steel at Moda Center on Friday, June 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET on WatchESPN. Storm QB Jason Boltus gave an impressive performance with completing 24-of-39 passes for 358 yards, six TDs and no INTs in last week's win against Arizona. While on the Portland side, Austin will look to continue to connect with WR Tyrone Goard who put up nine catches for 103 yards and four TDs in a losing effort last week.

The final game of the weekend, WR Donovan Morgan (48 receptions and 21 TDs) and the Los Angeles KISS (4-4) host QB Randy Hippeard (AFL-leading 2,471 passing yards and 57 TDs) and the Orlando Predators (7-2) at Honda Center on Sunday, June 5 at 6 p.m. ET on WatchESPN. Orlando WR Brandon Thompkins continues his record-setting pace as he tallied 11 receptions for 131 receiving yards, three TDs (2 receiving, 1 KO return), 205 kickoff return yards for a total of 336 all-purpose yards in last week's game against Jacksonville. Los Angeles QB Pete Thomas debut was a solid one as he completed 16-of-26 passes for 223 yards, six TDs and no INTs on his way to earning Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game in the victory against Portland.

For complete official statistics, game notes and media guides, go to: www.afldigital.com.

WEEK 10 MATCHUPS

ARIZONA RATTLERS (6-3) AT CLEVELAND GLADIATORS (5-4)

Friday, June 3 at 7 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: WHAT TO LOOK FOR: RATTLERS: Two-time ArenaBowl MVP QB Nick Davila completed 22-of-36 passes for 341 yards, and seven TDs in Sunday's 63-56 loss to the Storm... Davila is No. 2 in the League in total offense yards (2,414) and total offense TDs (60)... WR Rod Windsor continues to be a key target for Davila, hauling in nine receptions for 127 yards and three TDs in his last outing... The 2010 AFL Rookie of the Year currently leads the AFL in reception yards (1,095) and receptions (90)... WR Chase Deadder has become another target for Davila catching nine passes for 127 yards and 3 TDs against the Storm... Deadder on offense has hauled in 27 receptions for 329 yards and nine TDs, on defense he has tacked on 18.5 total tackles and one INT this season... The Rattlers are led on defense by the strong duo of DB Arkeith Brown and DB Allen Chapman... Brown has 28.5 total tackles and three INTs through six games this season... Chapman has recorded 32.0 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and three INTs in six games... GLADIATORS: QB Arvell Nelson completed 22 of his 36 passes for 307 yards, seven TDs, and no INTs in last Saturday's 63-49 win over the arch-rival Philadelphia Soul... Since taking over as the starting QB, Nelson has completed 108-of-192 passes for 1,457 yards, 28 TDs, and seven INTs, while also rushing for 106 yards and six more scores... WR Collin Taylor continually adds to his stat line hauling in five catches for 78 yards and 2 TDs... 'CT' extended his TD streak to 24 regular season games and on the season has caught 64 passes for 788 yards and 20 TDs... WR Quentin Sims has been another target for Nelson since becoming active in Week 4... Sims reeled in ten catches for 114 yards and three TDs, including a one-handed catch that earned him Cutters Catch of the Week and a No. 2 spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays... Since becoming a starter, Sims has made 37 receptions for 449 yards and 11 TDs... DB Marvin Ross is making a name for himself on defense... The rookie has had three INT in each of the last three games to seal the Gladiators' victory in each of those contests... Ross has four INTs, two returned for TDs, 47.5 total tackles, 15 break-ups, and two forced fumbles on the season... DB Joe Powell also has a tendency of picking-off quarterbacks... The second-year veteran has four INTs for 153 yards and three TDs on the season.

TAMPA BAY STORM (1-7) AT PORTLAND STEEL (0-8)

Friday, June 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: STORM: T.T. Toliver needs just 31 receiving yards to surpass AFL Hall of Famer, George LaFrance (5,392), for No. 3 all-time in team history. On May 9, versus the Orlando Predators, Toliver surpassed LaFrance for third all-time in Storm history with 400 receptions... Toliver has started in one game versus Portland... He had nine receptions for 149 yards and three TDs... QB Jason Boltus has played in one game versus Portland... He's completed 23-of-40 passes for 294 yards and six TDs...He's rushed eight times for 13 yards and two TDs... WR Julius Gregory enters his second season in the AFL... An early AFL Rookie of the Year candidate in 2015, he started in 12-of-17 games, catching 112 passes for 1,070 yards and 28 TDs... After missing over four games this season due to injury, Gregory has posted 14 receptions for 189 yards and three TDs in his last two games... DB Cortez Stubbs is leading the team with 43.0 total tackles and three INTs, while adding four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble... LB Jimmy Gordon and DL James McClinton are tied for the team lead with 2.0 sacks... STEEL: Portland's offense will be led by QB Shane Austin. Austin has started in the past three games for the Steel, completing 82-of-141 passes for 819 yards, 14 TDs and nine INTs... His top target has been wide receiver Tom Gilson, who has caught 41 passes over the past three games... Gilson has an AFL-leading streak of four straight games with at least 10 receptions... He has also had double-digit receptions in six of eight games played this season... Gilson leads the team in every receiving category; receptions (83), receiving yards (786) and receiving TDs (10). All are career season highs... WR Tyrone Goard has also proven to be a force, averaging 11.0 points per game, scoring seven TDs in the past three weeks... Second-year kicker Ernesto Lacayo has converted 33-of-40 (82.5%) extra point attempts in the 2016 season. The Hastings College product is now 81-of-93 (87.1%) on point after attempts in his AFL career. In Week 2 against the Orlando Predators, he nailed a 29-yard field goal before the end of the half. For his career he is 75% (3-of-4) in field goals attempted between 20-39 yards.

PHILADELPHIA SOUL (7-2) AT JACKSONVILLE SHARKS (4-4)

Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)

Play-by-play: Dave Ryan; Color: Sherdrick Bonner; Sideline: Tina Cervasio

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The Sharks hold a 5-4 edge in the all-time regular-season series against Philadelphia. Jacksonville has won each of the last three meetings with the Soul in the regular season, dating back to 2015... SOUL: QB Dan Raudabaugh was awarded the 2015 AFL MVP, First Team All-Arena, and Russell Offensive Player of the Year award. So far this season, he has completed 189-of-281 passes for 2,256 yards and 53 TDs and was awarded Under Armour Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Weeks 4 and 7... Second-year DL Jake Metz is making his impact this season. So far this season, Metz has recorded 13.5 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and is tied for No. 2 in the League with 4.0 sacks (with teammate Teddy Jennings and Arizona's Luis Vasquez) ... WR Darius "Money" Reynolds is continuing his successful season in Philadelphia, with 68 catches for 824 yards, 21 receiving TDs and one rushing TD in eight games. Reynolds has caught three TDs in seven of the eight games he has played this season... So far this season, Reynolds has been awarded Cutter's Catch of the Week in Weeks 4 and 7, he was also awarded the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Week in Week 5... Soul head coach Clint Dolezel has put together a 5-5 overall record against the Sharks. Dolezel's Soul teams have gone 3-4 against the Sharks in the regular season and have split two postseason meetings, while he also led the Dallas Vigilantes to a victory over Jacksonville in 2011... WR Shaun Kauleinamoku has at least two TDs in six of his nine games played this season... SHARKS: WR Joe Hills leads the Sharks with 83 receptions for 1,079 yards, and an AFL-leading 30 receiving TDs and 180 points... Hills has caught at least one TD pass in 60 consecutive regular-season games played... DB Greg Reid earned First Team All-Arena and AFL Rookie of the Year honors a season ago despite not joining the team until the seventh game of the regular season. Reid has picked off 16 passes in 20 career regular-season appearances... DB LaRoche Jackson has intercepted five passes this season and is one pick shy of tying his career high... QB Tommy Grady (2012 AFL MVP honors with the Utah Blaze) has completed 68 percent of his passes, throwing 48 TDs against only three picks. Grady has thrown 21 TDs without an INT in the last three games... WR Tiger Jones currently sits at 995 career receptions (5 shy of 1,000)... All-Arena FB Derrick Ross has rushed for at least one TD in each of the Sharks' last seven games and has also rushed for 40 or more yards in two of the last three games... Newly-acquired Reggie Gray earned Cutters Wide Receiver of the Year and First Team All-Arena honors following a phenomenal 2015 season with San Jose. Gray led all AFL players with 162 receptions and tied for the League lead with 44 TDs, totaling 1,698 receiving yards in the process.

ORLANDO PREDATORS (7-2) AT LOS ANGELES KISS (4-4)

Sunday, June 5 at 6 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: PREDATORS: Through nine games this season, WR Brandon Thompkins is on pace to break the single-season record for all-purpose yards, held by P.J. Berry (3,708 yards). He has recorded 2,105 all-purpose yards this season and is currently on pace to finish with 3,742 yards. Thompkins would have to achieve the feat in 16 games, whereas Berry set his record in 18 contests... Brandon Thompkins also has a streak of 21 straight games with at least one TD... Last Wednesday, the Predators acquired defensive end Logan Harrell and fullback John Martinez in exchange for DL Mike Lewis... QB Randy Hippeard has an impressive season going by completing 195-of-296 passes (65.9%) for an AFL-leading 2,471 yards, 57 TDs and just seven INTs... Hippeard has thrown at least five TDs in every game except one (April 18 at Jacksonville) and has added five rushing TDs on the season... DB Varmah Sonie currently leads the Predators with 58.5 total tackles, five INTs and 13 pass breakups... Last time the Predators played the KISS, Sonie recorded 4.5 total tackles, two INTs and a forced fumble on his way to earning Riddell Defensive Player of the Game on April 23, 2016... KISS: DL Mike Lewis gets to face his former team for the first time since being traded from the Predators on May 24th. The seventh-year player is No. 2 on the all-time AFL sacks leaderboard behind AFL Hall of Fame DL Sam Hernandez (57.5)... Donovan "Captain" Morgan currently has a TD reception in 17 straight games and a streak of at least two TDs in each of his last five games... Morgan, who earned AFL Playmaker of the Week honors in Week 9, needs five receptions to get into the Top-10 all-time AFL receptions leaderboard. Morgan currently stands at 842 receptions and trails No. 11 Siaha Burley (843) and No. 10 Cory Fleming (846)... QB Pete Thomas, who earned Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game honors, performed exceptionally well in his first career AFL start. The Rookie completed 16-of-26 passes for 223 yards and six TDs and no INTs in the victory over Portland last week... FB Rory Nixon added 40 yards receiving yards, 11 rushing yards and two TDs in the victory over Portland last week. Nixon leads the KISS with 36 rushing yards and five rushing TDs in 2016...

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