Vena Honored Again

Published on July 9, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release


(ALBANY, NY) – The Albany Conquest announced today that Quarterback Ryan Vena has been named the Week 15 Offensive Player of the Week, by the league office of arenafootball2. Vena led his third fourth quarter comeback of the season, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, 59-58, at the Pepsi Arena Saturday night.

Vena found OS Corey Hill from six yards out, with :15 seconds left to play in the game, to give the Conquest their eleventh win of the season and clinch a 2003 af2 playoff berth. He finished the game completing 20-of-30 pass attempts for 342 yards and five touchdowns, while picking up another three touchdowns on the ground. Vena accounted for eight touchdowns, the third time he has done that this season, including the nine total TD's he scored against Cincinnati in week seven.

This is the second time this season that Vena has been named the league's Offensive Player of the Week. He garnered his first league weekly honor in week ten, when he brought his Conquest back to defeat the Greensboro Prowlers, in Greensboro, NC, 48-47. In that game, the second-year signal caller set an af2 season-high for completions (35) and racked up the fourth most passing yards in a single game in league history (390). Vena's 12-yards scoring strike to Jim Jones, with :14 seconds left to play, catapulted Albany over the Prowlers, 48-47, and gave Vena the first weekly honor of his career.

Vena is currently the af2 league leader in Pass Rating (122.8), Passing Yards (3,558) and Total Offense (3,705). His 68 passing touchdowns are good enough for third and he is also 5th in the league in rushing (147 yds) and 2nd in rushing touchdowns (14). Vena is, unofficially, running neck and neck with Quad City QB Tony Zimmerman for af2 Offensive Player of the Year honors. Vena trails Zimmerman only in touchdown passes, but leads in most other statistical categories.

Vena will lead his troops to Wilkes-Barre, PA to take on the same Pioneers he just defeated in the final road game of the season for the Conquest. Albany can clinch the Northeast Division, and the # 2 seed in the American Conference (giving them a first round playoff BYE), with a win against Wilkes-Barre and a loss by Mohegan in Richmond Friday night. You can catch all the action live via www.albanyconquest.com and the team's FREE webcast provided by TRZ Teamline Services. The Conquest return home for their final two home games of the 2003 regular season, July 19th (Rochester) and July 26th (Mohegan).

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



arenafootball2 Stories from July 9, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central