PIFL Names Players of the Week
June 9, 2015 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) News Release
NASHVILLE, TN (June 9, 2015) - The Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) is proud to announce the Week 12 Players of the Week.
Offensive Player of the Week: QB Mason Espinosa (Erie)
It took them much longer than expected, but none the less the Erie Explosion picked up their first PIFL win over the weekend defeating one of the league's charter members, the Alabama Hammers, 55-52. In arguably his finest performance of the season, QB Mason Espinosa (6'3 210, Ohio Wesleyan) passed for 232 yards completing 21 of 35 passes reaching the end-zone a combined seven times, six through the air with another one coming via the ground. It marked the first time all season in which an Erie QB did not through an interception. The Explosion will close out their inaugural season in the PIFL with back-to-back road games starting with a trip to Nashville this upcoming Friday.
Honorable Mentions: WR Alfonso Hoggard (Erie), WR Antonio Allen (Trenton)
Defensive Player of the Week: DL Blade Shoop (Richmond)
Arguably the hottest team in the league, the Richmond Raiders won their fifth game in a row, a PIFL team- high for the season. In 23 career franchise games, in terms of points Saturday's 53-30 loss was the worst loss in franchise history for the Venom with the Raiders holding them at one point on a scoreless streak that spanned over two quarters. DL Blade Shoop (6'4 312, Fayetteville St.) was a big part of that coming up with 6.5 tackles, a forced fumble and 3.5 sacks, in all Richmond came away with six sacks holding Nashville to just 1 of 5 on 4th down conversions. With next week off, the Raiders will spectator before closing out the regular season on June 20th against the Explosion.
Honorable Mention: LB Jerome Hayes (Trenton), DB Keiron Jones (Trenton)
Special Teams Player of the Week: KR Daron Clark (Richmond)
Didn't take quite as long as the previous one, but 163 kickoffs later into the 2015 season PIFL fans in Richmond got witness just the second kickoff return this season when KR Daron Clark (5'7 165, Stillman) erupted for a 53-yard score in Saturday's win over Nashville. With the season averaging a touchdown for every 249 kickoffs, returns for touchdowns are becoming less and less uncommon than a solar eclipse. Clark had a total of 83 return yards while also pitching in with two receptions with both of those going for touchdowns giving him the Week 13 distinction as the Special Teams Player of the Week.
With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, Week 13 of the 2015 season kicks off this Friday with the Venom looking to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Explosion. The weekend concludes with a double header on Saturday with the biggest matchup arguably taking place in Columbus with the Freedom visiting a Lions team hoping to seal up home-field advantage for the playoffs. Then the Steelhawks will try and put an end to their two game slide when they head to Huntsville to face the reeling Hammers, losers of six straight.
Professional Indoor Football League Stories from June 9, 2015
- Raiders Give Nashville a Taste of Their Own Venom - Richmond Raiders
- Two Raiders Nab Player Of The Week Honors - Richmond Raiders
- For Steelhawks, It's Hammer Time - Lehigh Valley Steelhawks
- PIFL Names Players of the Week - PIFL
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