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Local Receiver Newson Returns, Lineman Added

July 10, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Stockton Lightning News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Lightning of the arenafootball2 league announced WR/DB James Newson and OL/DL Lance Brown have been assigned by the af2 league office.

The Lightning also announced the following roster transactions: œ Mike Eddy (OL/DL) placed on recallable re-assignment œ Domingo Holmes (WR/DB) placed on re-assignment

Newson, a local Stockton product of Edison High, is slated to return for his third af2 season after starting the 2006 season on the inaugural Lightning roster. The 27-year old Stockton native has appeared in 21 career games for Stockton in two seasons (2006-07), registering 19 catches for 171 receiving yards and 8 touchdown catches. Newson has also added 54.5 career tackles and 4 interceptions on the defensive side.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has been signed to two National Football League contracts by the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, and was allocated to NFL Europe for the Cologne Centurions in 2005. Newson enjoyed a decorated four-year college career at Oregon State University (NCAA), finishing as the programfs all-time leader in career pass receptions (213), receiving yards (3,572), single-season receiving yards (1,306), single-season touchdown receptions (12), and career touchdown receptions (20) at the time of his exit.

Newson was a member of the Central Valley Coyotes roster this season and has not appeared in game action.

Newson was a 2003 All-Pac-10 first-team honoree, following his highlight game as a 2002 junior where he posted 11 catches for 168 yards and one touchdown in a 45-24 Oregon State win over Oregon and helped guide the Beavers to a 41-9 Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame as a 2000 freshman.

Before establishing his list of accomplishments at Oregon State, Newson starred at Stockton Edison High (Calif.), where he garnered first-team All-San Joaquin Athletic Association honors and an MVP award of the SJAA league, adding first-team San Joaquin All-Area honors while being named the MVP of the Stockton Hall of Fame Lineman award.

Newson earned three letters in football at Edison and was a two-year starter, highlighted by a 1997 senior campaign with 52 catches for 952 yards (18.3 average), with 12 touchdowns, guiding the Vikings to its first winning season since 1983. As a junior, Newson also garnered All-Area and All-League honors in basketball and was a two-year starter, leading to first-team All-American Grid-Hoop player honors by Student Sports Magazine as a combo football and basketball player.

Brown, 27, is slated to make his af2 debut with the Lightning after spending time on the Bakersfield Blitz roster and in the National Indoor Football League with Pomona in 2007. The 6-foot-4, 350-pound lineman attended college at Ashworth University.

The Lightning return to play for a Week 16 home matchup against the newly-crowned West Division champion Spokane Shock, beginning at 7:00 p.m. from Stockton Arena on Saturday, July 12. The game be heard on radio at 1420-AM KSTN and viewed online, free-of-charge, through www.stocktonlightning.com (courtesy of NifTy Online TV).

Group tickets and individual tickets for the 2008 Lightning regular season are on sale now. For more information on season tickets, merchandise, or other information, please call the Lightning at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonlightning.com.

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