Rams-allocated pair take honors
Published on May 21, 2002 under National Football League Europa (NFLE) News Release
TWO key components of the Scottish Claymores' second successive victory, the double touchdown hero of Berlin Thunder's third straight win and a game-winning kicker were honoured when votes were cast for player of Week 6 awards.
The Offensive Player of the Week award went to Berlin Thunder wide receiver DANE LOOKER, who reeled in touchdowns from both quarterbacks Todd Husak and Tim Hasselbeck in a 24-17 win over F.C. Barcelona Dragons.
Allocated by the St Louis Rams, Looker put the Thunder ahead 17-14 late in the third quarter with a 7-yard reception from Husak, then took a spectacular 55-yard touchdown pass from Hasselbeck into the endzone to open a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Looker ended the contest with a team-leading 5 receptions for 101 yards, giving him a league-leading 418 yards from 29 receptions this season.
Scottish Claymores safety WILLIE GARY took the defensive honour as he returned a fumble to set up Scotland's go-ahead touchdown and then produced an interception to seal victory.
When Fire running back Jamal Robertson fumbled at his own 38-yard mark, Gary recovered the loose ball and raced 20 yards towards the endzone. Three plays later a Claymores touchdown opened a 14-7 lead the hosts would not relinquish.
Gary, also allocated by the Rams this season, posted 2 tackles and a pass defended, while his final major contribution came with 45 seconds remaining when he intercepted Rhein quarterback Romaro Miller at his own four-yard mark to snuff out the Fire.
"We knew we needed to stop them because we wanted to stay ahead of Rhein if it came down to the tie-breaker at the end of the season," explained Gary whose 3-3 Claymores are just one game behind the Fire in the NFL Europe League standings and could rely on points differential to clinch a World Bowl berth.
Another Claymore, English wide receiver JASON BYWORTH, won the National Player of the Week award as he recorded his first career touchdown in his team's win.
Byworth snared a 12-yard endzone bound pass from quarterback Scott Dreisbach in the second quarter to tie the game against Rhein at 7-7 and delight the 12,843-strong home crowd. Last week the three-year Claymores veteran, who played for the London Monarchs as a teenager in 1997, recorded his first career catch, a 20-yard reception against Amsterdam Admirals.
"My confidence grew after making my first catch in Amsterdam and now I feel even more confident after scoring my first touchdown," said Byworth. "I feel pretty good about getting this touchdown because I've been around the league a long time."
Swedish kicker OLA KIMRIN was named Special Teams Player of the Week as he became the first national player to kick a four-point field goal and later won the game for the Galaxy in the dying seconds.
With 13 seconds on the clock Kimrin split the uprights from 44 yards and earned the Galaxy a 21-19 win over Amsterdam Admirals to preserve their 5-1 lead at the top of the standings. The second-year veteran landed a 52-yard field goal - worth four points under NFL Europe League rules - during the second quarter and was also true on 2 of 2 extra points.
The Swede is the league's leading scorer this season with 50 points having made 16 of 17 field goals and 11 of 19 field goals, adding to the 37 points he scored when seeing limited action for the Galaxy in 2001. It is his fourth player of the week honour and second such award this season.
NFL EUROPE LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS - WEEK 6
OFFENSIVE DANE LOOKER WR Berlin Thunder
DEFENSIVE WILLIE GARY S Scottish Claymores
SPECIAL TEAMS OLA KIMRIN K Frankfurt Galaxy
NATIONAL JASON BYWORTH WR Scottish Claymores
National Football League Europa Stories from May 21, 2002
- NFLE Game Previews - NFLE
- Rams-allocated pair take honors - NFLE
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