Receivers Big in Week Nine
June 3, 2003 - National Football League Europa (NFLE) News Release
A PAIR of wide receivers and two defensive ends have scooped Player of the Week prizes following their outstanding displays in NFL Europe League Week 9 action.
ROBERT BAKER, of the Frankfurt Galaxy, and Amsterdam's MATTHEW HATCHETTE are the wide receivers to be honoured, while Scottish Claymores defensive ends RADELL LOCKHART and ROBERT FLICKINGER were also named among the elite performers this past weekend.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Baker was named Offensive Player of the Week after he caught 4 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns in leading the Galaxy to a 38-7 victory over Rhein Fire and a berth in World Bowl XI.
Baker, who has caught 31 passes for 585 yards this season, scored on receptions of 14 yards from James Brown and 82 yards from Quinn Gray. He has scored 6 receiving touchdowns and a punt return touchdown in the last four games. This is Baker's second Player of the Week award this season after he was named Special Teams Player of Week 7.
Frankfurt Galaxy head coach DOUG GRABER said: "Robert is a big-time player and he could be a starter in the NFL one day. He is very serious about being successful in NFL Europe."
Free agent Lockhart was voted Defensive Player of the Week after he helped the Claymores inflict a 45-7 hammering on the F.C. Barcelona Dragons in Spain. The second-year defensive lineman recorded 5 tackles and 3 sacks as the Claymores brought down Dragons quarterbacks eight times on the day.
Hatchette was named Special Teams Player of the Week for his heads up play against the Berlin Thunder in Week 9. After a Berlin player touched a punt that had landed in the Admirals' end zone, Hatchette picked up the ball and raced 101 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown.
It was the longest punt return in league history and came on a day when Hatchette also scored 2 receiving touchdowns as Amsterdam won the highest-scoring game in NFLEL history 51-43. Through nine games this season, Hatchette has established himself as the league's leading receiver, catching a club record 59 passes for 753 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also set a new league record for consecutive 100-yard receiving games with four from Weeks 5 to 8.
Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS said: "Matthew made a very smart play and he continues to be a very productive player for us. When they touched the ball in the end zone like that on a punt it basically became a free return for us without any risk at all because at the very least we would have had a touchback on our own 20-yard line."
British defensive end Flickinger was named National Player of the Week after recording a team-high 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble against the Dragons.
NFL EUROPE LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS - WEEK 9
OFFENSIVE ROBERT BAKER WR Frankfurt Galaxy
DEFENSIVE RADELL LOCKHART DE Scottish Claymores
SPECIAL TEAMS MATTHEW HATCHETTE WR Amsterdam Admirals
NATIONAL ROBERT FLICKINGER DE Scottish Claymores
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National Football League Europa Stories from June 3, 2003
- F.C. Barcelona Dragons Game Notes - F.C. Barcelona Dragons
- Three Teams Fighting for Bowl Berth - NFLE
- Rhein hopes to keep World Bowl chance alive with win over Dragons - Rhein Fire
- Receivers Big in Week Nine - NFLE
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