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Players of the Week

April 21, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - Central Valley wide receiver/defensive back LAMONTE JONES, Tennessee Valley quarterback KEVIN EAKIN and Green Bay defensive lineman CRAIG WILSON have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 4 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 4 goes to Florida wide receiver JAMES PANUI and the NiFTy Hit of the Week is awarded to Rio Grande Valley defensive back CRAIG TURNER.

JLS IRONMAN OF THE WEEK

Jones (5-10, 180, Fresno City College), in his sixth af2 season, had a impressive all-around effort for Central Valley (2-2) in the team's Week 4, come-from-behind road win at division rival Stockton, 65-58. The veteran playmaker was a factor on both sides of the ball against the Lightning. On offense, the Fresno City College alum caught 14 passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns, all game-highs. Jones' last catch of the night was a game-winning, 3-yard TD grab with 27 seconds left to play. The go-ahead score was also set up by a Jones' 38-yard reception on the previous play. He proved to be a factor on defense as well with one tackle and one interception (22-yard return). Jones also accumulated 131 kickoff return yards to finish with 338 all-purpose yards (Week 4 high). This is the second Ironman of the Week Award of Jones' career (Week 8 - 2006). He currently leads the Coyotes in receiving (44-486-11 TDs), scoring (68 points), kick return yards (362) and all-purpose yards (860 - 2nd in af2). Jones won the af2 Ironman of the Year Award in 2006.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Eakin (6-1, 225, Fordham), in his second af2 season, led Tennessee Valley to a come-from-behind, 61-60, Week 4 road win against the previously unbeaten Arkansas Twisters. The Fordham alum had his best game as a Viper, completing 29-of-41 passes (70.7 percent) for 365 yards (career high) and nine touchdowns (career high - tied team record) without an interception. Trailing 54-60 with only 13 seconds to play, Eakin completed all three of his pass attempts on Tennessee Valley's final drive. On the game's final play, Eakin eluded the Arkansas rush, stepped up in the pocket and delivered the game-tying, 9-yard touchdown strike to WR Larry Shipp as time expired. K Nick Hayes converted the extra point to propel the Vipers (2-2) to the 1-point win. This is the first Offensive Player of the Week Award of Eakin's career. He currently ranks fifth in the league in touchdown passes (22) and sixth in passing yards (1,052).

AARON'S DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Wilson (6-1, 280, West Virginia) was a major player on defense in Green Bay's, 65-52, Week 4 road win against Midwest Division rival Quad City. The rookie defensive lineman from West Virginia recorded 3.5 total tackles and 2.5 of the team's four total sacks against Steamwheelers QB J.J. Raterink. One of Wilson's sacks of Raterink came in the end zone for a safety in the closing seconds of the third quarter. This is the first af2 weekly award of Wilson's career. Green Bay is currently 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the Midwest Division.

THE BIG GAME CATCH OF THE WEEK

Panui (5-9, 190, Central Florida), a second-year international player from Great Britain, is the Week 4 recipient of The Big Game Catch of the Week Award. Panui's catch was a game-winning, leaping 28-yard touchdown grab with just 16 seconds left to play as the Firecats earned a 68-62 home victory against new South Division rival Kentucky. The Central Florida alum, starting in his first game at receiver, scorched the Horsemen with 12 catches for 131 yards and five touchdowns, all game-high and career-high totals. Panui currently leads the Firecats in all-purpose yards (524) and kick return yards (366) and ranks second in scoring (36 points).

NIFTY HIT OF THE WEEK

Turner (5-9, 195, Southern Illinois), in his rookie af2 season, is the third 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. Turner's hit came on a third quarter kickoff Saturday night in Rio Grande Valley's, 58-49, home-opening win against Southwest Division rival Bossier-Shreveport. Thanks to a deep kickoff by Tony Stevens that ricocheted high off the rebound net and bounced on the turf, Turner was able to spring downfield on coverage and torpedo himself into BattleWings' KR P.J. Berry just after Berry was able to secure the bouncing ball. The hit, which took Berry right off his feet, capped a strong night for Turner that included a team-high 4.0 tackles. He also recorded one tackle for loss and two pass breakups. Turner currently leads the Dorados with 18.0 total tackles on the season.

JLS Ironman of the Week candidates included:

Peoria's Brian Allbrooks, Florida's James Bear, Albany's Alvin Ray Jackson, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Kirby Griffin, Quad City's Jack Walker, Jr., Rio Grande Valley's Derrick Harris, Arkansas' Olan Coleman, Iowa's Tim Dodge, Spokane's Sergio Gilliam and Tri-Cities' Ray Little.

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Peoria's Dante Ridgeway, Florida's James Panui, Manchester's James Pinkney, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Rich Musinski, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Ryan Vena, Green Bay's Orlando Medlock, Rio Grande Valley's Nick Hill, Tulsa's Justin Allgood, Spokane's Patrick Bugg, Spokane's Nick Davila, Stockton's Andy Collins and South Georgia's Darnell Kennedy.

Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Peoria's Brandon Golder, Kentucky's J.T. Haskins, Manchester's Brandon Isaac, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Darius Leak, Bossier-Shreveport's Dustin Johnson, Tennessee Valley's Desmond Foster, Tulsa's Delenell Reid, Boise's Mark Weivoda, Central Valley's LaMonte Jones and South Georgia's Levance Richmond.

The Big Game Catch of the Week candidates included:

Milwaukee's Lavar Stepter, Manchester's Steven Savoy, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Rich Musinski, Quad City's Terrance Freeney, Arkansas' Rod Harper, Tulsa's Zach Edwards, Boise's Jerard Rabb, Stockton's Troy McBroom and South Georgia's Victor Mann.

NiFTy Hit of the Week candidates included:

Milwaukee's Blue Aldridge, Kentucky's James Terrell, Albany's Brian Umstead, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Micheaux Robinson, Quad City's Demarcus Robinson, Iowa's Mike Mathes and Stockton's Ruschard Dodd-Masters.

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

2 Brian Villanueva (IAB) Jeff Hughley (TUL) Lavar Stepter (MIL) Buchie Ibeh (BSB) Cory Lacek (WBS)

3 Errick McCown (IAB) Bradly Chavez (TVV) Takashi Walker (SGW) Nick Codutti (QCS) Jared Lorenzen (KEN)

About J. Lewis Small Company

J. Lewis Small Company (JLS) manufactures high school class rings, college and university class rings, championship rings, and recognition awards to serve the independent salesforce and jewelry industries. Founded in 1915, JLS's highly qualified staff produces a product regarded as one of the best in the industry. Log on to www.jlewissmall.com for more information.

About Russell Athletic

For more than 100 years, Russell Athletic has supplied America's athletes and teams with the latest innovations to help them perform at their best and is a leading supplier of team uniforms at the high school, college, and professional level. Russell Athletic activewear and college licensed products are broadly distributed and marketed through department stores, sports specialty stores, retail chains, and college bookstores. For more information, log onto www.russellathletic.com.

About Aaron's

Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk and publicly traded since 1982, Aaron's, a division of Aaron Rents, Inc. (NYSE: RNT), based in Atlanta, currently has more than 1,560 Company-operated and franchised stores in the United States and Canada for the sale of residential and office furniture, accessories, consumer electronics and household appliances. The Company also manufactures furniture and bedding at 12 facilities in five states. Employing approximately 10,000 employees, as the standard bearer of integrity, honesty and fairness, the Company strives in its mission to provide the highest level of service, a large selection of name brand products and the guaranteed lowest price.

About The Big Game

From our humble beginnings over a decade ago, The Big Game quickly grew to become the leading producer of quality sports commemoratives for professional, college and high school sports teams. Since then, our impressive client roster has grown to include Fortune 500 corporations, politicians, movie stars, musicians - even American presidents! Today, our quality merchandise is proudly displayed in the trophy cases of thousands of athletes, sports collectors and fans across the United States. The Big Game uses special patented and proprietary techniques to provide attractive, durable products at a competitive cost regardless of quantity - all at our factory in historic Frisco, Texas. Our craftsmanship, attention to detail and creativity is good old American know-how at its finest. So whether you need to recognize your top 500 performers or a top 10 team, we're confident you'll find a Big Game commemorative that's just right for you. For more information, log onto www.thebiggameusa.com.

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