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Hughley, Villanueva And Stepter Earn Week Two Honors

April 7, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - Tulsa wide receiver/defensive back JEFF HUGHLEY, Iowa quarterback BRIAN VILLANUEVA and Milwaukee defensive back LAVAR STEPTER have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 2 of 2009, the af2's 10th anniversary season. In addition to these three awards, the af2 is also highlighting the player who makes the best catch and the best hit of the week. The Big Game Catch of the Week Award for Week 2 goes to Bossier-Shreveport wide receiver BUCHIE IBEH and the NiFTy Hit of the Week is awarded to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton linebacker CORY LACEK.

JLS IRONMAN OF THE WEEK

Hughley (5-8, 165, Averett), in his third af2 season, had an impressive all-around effort for Tulsa in the team's Week 2 road game against Iowa. Despite the result (73-68 loss), the veteran playmaker was a blur against the Barnstormers, amassing six total touchdowns and 398 all-purpose yards (3rd highest single-game total in af2 history). On offense, the Averett alum caught 12 passes for 168 yards and five touchdowns, all game-highs. He also stood out on special teams with 230 kick return yards (172 KO, 58 MFG), including a 58-yard missed field goal return touchdown. This is the third Ironman of the Week Award of Hughley's career, his fifth league honor overall and his first since the 2007 ArenaCup playoffs.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Villanueva (6-4, 245, Fort Valley State), in his fourth af2 season, led the Barnstormers to a 73-68 Week 2 upset victory at home against No. 3-ranked Tulsa. In his first start for Iowa, the Fort Valley State alum completed 24-of-39 passes (61.5 percent) in the contest for 244 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. He also added two rushing touchdowns as the Barnstormers have raced out to a 2-0 start, their best beginning to a season in team history. This is the first af2 weekly award of Villanueva's career.

AARON'S DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Stepter (5-10, 200, Harper Junior College) was a major player on defense in Milwaukee's Week 2 road win at Mahoning Valley, 59-39. The four-year veteran defensive back from Harper Junior College recorded a team-high 8.0 total tackles and two interceptions to help the Iron, a first-year af2 franchise, record their first league victory. Stepter returned his first interception 30 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter while his second interception halted Mahoning Valley's final drive of the night. This is the first af2 weekly award of Stepter's career.

THE BIG GAME CATCH OF THE WEEK

Bossier-Shreveport wide receiver Buchie Ibeh (6-3, 215, Temple) is the Week 2 recipient of the Cutters Catch of the Week Award. Ibeh's catch was a 3-yard jump ball touchdown grab to cap the BattleWings' final scoring drive of the game. The former Temple standout had to leap high to snare QB Andrico Hines' pass away from a Corpus Christi defender in the left corner of the end zone. Ibeh had two additional touchdown grabs on the night and finished with five catches for 50 yards as Bossier-Shreveport earned a 59-14 home-opening win against the Sharks.

NIFTY HIT OF THE WEEK

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fullback/linebacker Cory Lacek (6-0, 235, Slippery Rock), in his rookie af2 season, is the first recipient of the NiFTy Hit of the Week Award, a new weekly honor that highlights the player who makes the best hit or tackle of the week. Lacek's hit came on the game's opening kickoff Friday night against Albany. Thanks to a deep kick by David Davis that ricocheted high off the rebound net and bounced on the turf, Lacek was able to sprint downfield on coverage and torpedo himself into the Firebirds' Mike Wall just after Wall turned around with the ball in his hands. The hit was a great start for Lacek, a former Slippery Rock standout who was playing in his first game with the Pioneers. He finished with 4.5 total tackles, 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery to help Wilkes-Barre/Scranton overcome Albany, 70-28.

JLS Ironman of the Week candidates included:

Spokane's Harrison Nikolao, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Cory Lacek, Oklahoma City's Al Hunt, Milwaukee's Scott Burnoski, Iowa's J.J. Payne, Bossier-Shreveport's P.J. Berry, Arkansas' Roderick Harper and Tennessee Valley's Chris Bocage.

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Spokane's Raul Vijil, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Ryan Vena, Oklahoma City's Agim Shabaj, Milwaukee's Antoine Burns, Tulsa's Justin Allgood, Bossier-Shreveport's P.J. Berry, Arkansas' Kyle Rowley and Tennessee Valley's Kevin Eakin.

Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Spokane's Kevin McCullough, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Larry Kendrick, Oklahoma City's Travis Seaton, Iowa's Tanner Varner, Bossier-Shreveport's Roland Cola, Amarillo's Myron Newberry and Tennessee Valley's Eric Crosby.

The Big Game Catch of the Week candidates included:

Spokane's Kevin McCullough, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Rich Musinski, Oklahoma City's Travis Seaton, Milwaukee's Scott Burnoski, Iowa's Dusty Kain, Arkansas' Roderick Harper and Tennessee Valley's Bradly Chavez.

NiFTy Hit of the Week candidates included:

Mahoning Valley's Clarence Curry, Oklahoma City's Al Hunt, Bossier-Shreveport's Joe Woolridge, Iowa's Jason Ripke, Amarillo's Rodney Artmore and Tennessee Valley's Tyrell Elston.

2009 WEEK-BY-WEEK AWARD WINNERS

WK OFFENSE IRONMAN DEFENSE CATCH HIT

KO Jason Murrietta (CVC) Chris McKinney (FLA) Kinny Spotwood (SGW) Kelvin Dickens (SGW) None

1 Andy Collins (STK) Jamar Ransom (TUL) Levi Madarieta (BOI) Rod Windsor (RGV) None



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