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Week 10: Quick hitters

Published on May 28, 2009 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


GAMES ON - af2TV FREE ONLINE NETWORK CONTINUES IN 2009: Thanks to a unique league partnership with Network Foundation Technologies (NFT), all the hard-hitting, fast paced action of arenafootball2 is once again available to fans worldwide. The FREE-for-View online network called "af2TV" showcases every game of the league's 10th anniversary season live over the Internet. The process to view games is easy. To obtain the free af2TV player, fans should first click on the af2TV advertisement located on the upper right corner of the league's web site, www.af2.com. Following the link will bring fans to a special landing page which includes simple directions on how to download and place the af2TV player icon on your desktop. The action continues this week (Week 10) with a 12-game slate that will be available to fans at no charge.

AARON'S af2 DREAM TEAM ONLINE FAN VOTING HAS BEGUN: The af2 and one of its new partners, Aaron's, announced last Monday that the online fan voting process for the Aaron's af2 Dream Team has officially begun. For the next nine weeks fans can log onto af2.com and vote for their favorite af2 dance team member. The top 12 dancers with the most fan votes will represent the 2009 Aaron's af2 Dream Team at ArenaCup10 in August. The Aaron's af2 Dream Team, an exciting new addition to this year's ArenaCup festivities, will be involved in a number of ArenaCup10 activities including performing during halftime of the championship game and appearances throughout the weekend of events.

HOHENSEE WINS af2 HEAD COACHING DEBUT: MIKE HOHENSEE had a successful af2 head coaching debut as the longtime AFL head coach guided the Peoria Pirates to their first home win of the season Saturday against Midwest Division rival Quad City, 65-48. The victory was Peoria's second on the year overall. The Pirates (2-6) scored first and never trailed. QB Luke Drone, in his first start since Week 4 (club's first win), passed for 236 yards and five touchdowns (1 INT). He also rushed for three more scores in the decision. Peoria receivers were led by Kevin Sanford, who had seven receptions and 112 yards and two touchdowns while Moses Harris added six catches for 52 yards and one score. Defensively, DB Michael Phillips (10 solo tackles), DB James Smith (5 tackles, 2 INTs) and LB Jacob Schoonover (3.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT) all stood out. DL WILLIAM STOKES capped the night for the Pirates with a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown to official seal the win.

MULDER TIES SINGLE-GAME INTERCEPTION RECORD: Kentucky DB WILLIAM MULDER, in his second af2 season (both with Kentucky), tied an af2 single-game record with four interceptions to help the Horsemen to an 83-48 home win against South Division foe Florida last Saturday. Mulder now shares the league-high mark with three other players (Deon Giddens, Brent Browner, Lincoln Dupree). The 6-foot-0, 185-pound Campbellsville alum also contributed 10 total tackles (9 UA, 2 A), one pass breakup in the victory. Mulder currently ranks second in the league in passes defended (20) and is tied for second in interceptions (6).

SHOCK TOP WEEK 10 COACHES POLL: The Spokane Shock have maintained the No. 1 ranking of the Weekly Coaches Poll for the 11th straight week, the arenafootball2 (af2) league office announced on Wednesday. Spokane collected 382 of the 384 points possible and 23-of-25 first place votes in securing the top position. The Shock remain undefeated in 2009 (8-0) after a, 43-22, Week 9 home win against West Division rival Central Valley. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (7-1, 347 points, 2 first place votes) maintained their spot at No. 2 for the fourth straight week after their 69-19 home win against Green Bay. The Pioneers have won five straight contests overall and 22 consecutive regular season home games at Wachovia Arena. Tulsa (7-1, 345 points) remained at No. 3 during the team's bye week. South Division teams Tennessee Valley (6-2, 289 points) and South Georgia (7-2, 276 points) round out the Top-5 this week. Both clubs enjoyed a bye in Week 9.

HOT RODS: Through the first half of the season, the league's top two receivers have been a pair of rookies named Rod - Rio Grande Valley's ROD WINDSOR and Arkansas' ROD HARPER. Windsor has been a big reason behind the Dorados' solid start. Rio Grande Valley currently sits a game behind Arkansas in the Southwest Division at 5-3. Windsor, a 6-foot-2, 208-pound Western New Mexico alum, had a game-high 15 receptions and set team single-game records for receiving yards (224) and receiving touchdowns (7) in Rio Grande Valley's recent 76-59 road loss at Bossier-Shreveport. Windsor currently leads the af2 in a host of categories, including scoring (204 points), total touchdowns (33), receiving touchdowns (33), receptions (107) and receiving yards (1,328). Harper, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound Murray State alum, continued his stellar play for Arkansas in the team's Week 8 road win against Central Valley. Harper had game-highs in receptions (12), receiving yards (172) and receiving touchdowns (5) in the Twisters' 68-51 victory. He currently ranks second in the league in scoring (186 points), total touchdowns (31) and receiving touchdowns (31) and receptions per game (13.3). Harper is also third in total receptions (93), receiving yards (1,100) and receiving yards per game (157.1). The Twisters are currently in first place in the Southwest Division at 6-2. Both players are on pace to set league single-season records for scoring and receiving. Another player who can't be overlooked in this chase towards the af2 record books in Quad City WR JESSE SCHMIDT. Schmidt has 97 catches for 1,288 yards and 29 touchdowns through his first eight games. The following is a breakdown of where the three players stand to date.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATE: This season the af2 continues to maintain its strong international development program, which began in 2003. Currently the league has international athletes from 14 countries on team rosters. This past week (Week 9) 12 international players saw action around the league. Two players who stood out from the af2's international talent pool were Boise OL/DL MARK WEIVODA (Canada) and Rio Grande Valley K RADAMEZ RUBIO (Mexico). Weivoda recorded a sack, his third of the season, in the Burn's, 59-44, Week 9 road win at Stockton. Rubio converted 5-of-6 extra points in the Dorados' Week 9 road loss to Bossier-Shreveport.

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON'S HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Wachovia Arena, the home of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, has become a visiting team's worst nightmare in recent years. The Pioneers have won 22 straight regular season home games, a streak that dates back to 2006. Counting the playoffs, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has won 26 of its last 27 home games. The last time the Pioneers lost a regular season home game was on July 8, 2006 when the Florida Firecats edged Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 56-51. The next opportunity for the Pioneers to extend their current home win streak is this Saturday, May 30, when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton hosts the last team to beat them at home - the Tennessee Valley Vipers (6-2). The Vipers bested the Pioneers, 34-30, last year in the second round of the 2008 af2 playoffs, and went on to win the ArenaCup title. While Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's current streak has been impressive, it hasn't yet approached the all-time best home win streak set by the Tulsa Talons at their previous home, the Tulsa Convention Center. The Talons won 26 consecutive regular-season home games from 2000-03. Tulsa won its final two home games of the 2000 season and 24 straight over the next three years.

GETTING THEIR KICKS AT 50: Corpus Christi kicker NICK GATTO became just the third player in league history to make 50 career field goals with a 21-yard fourth quarter boot against Oklahoma City on Monday. Fellow veteran kicker ALEX WALLS became the second player in league history to reach the 50-career field goal plateau in Week 8. BRIAN HAZELWOOD is the league's current all-time leader in made field goals with 58.

Most (Three-Point) Field Goals Made, Career

58 Brian Hazelwood, Bossier-Shreveport 2004-2007, Rio Gra. Valley 2008

51 Alex Walls, Tenn. Valley 2004, Birmingham 2005-06, Stockton 2007-08, Milwaukee 2009

50 Nick Gatto, Quad City 2005, Texas 2007-08, Corpus Christi 2009

42 Brandon Kornblue, Macon 2001, Florida 2001-05

38 Kimo Naehu, HAW 2002-04, SDG 2005, QCS 2006-07, AUS 2008, STK 2009

38 James Thomas, Greensboro 2000-03

BERRY, WINDSOR, MULDER, BREWER, GRIFFIN EARN WEEK 9 HONORS: Bossier-Shreveport wide receiver/kick returner P.J. BERRY, Rio Grande Valley wide receiver ROD WINDSOR and Kentucky defensive back WILLIAM MULDER have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 9 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 9 goes to Mahoning Valley wide receiver C.J. BREWER and the NiFTy Hit of the Week is awarded to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fullback/linebacker KIRBY GRIFFIN.

MACKEOWN NAMED NEW THUNDER HEAD COACH: The Mahoning Valley Thunder named Chris MacKeown as their new head coach on Tuesday, replacing interim coach Brennen Booth. Booth began the season as Mahoning Valley's defensive coordinator and was promoted to interim head coach when Mike Hold was relieved of his head coaching duties on April 28th. With the hiring of MacKeown, Booth will move back to defensive coordinator, a job he has held all season. MacKeown joins Mahoning Valley after a number of years coaching in both the Arena Football League (AFL) and the af2. In 10 seasons coaching at the professional level MacKeown's teams have made the playoffs seven times, conference finals four times, and the championship game once. Chris' most recent coaching assignment came in 2008 when he was named the Offensive Coordinator for the AFL's Colorado Crush. Prior to joining the Crush, MacKeown coached the af2's Amarillo Dusters for one season (2008), guiding the team to their best record in team history and an appearance in the National Conference Championship.

MCCOMBS SACKS LEAGUE ALL-TIME MARK: League veteran and current Spokane Shock DL BEN MCCOMBS became the af2's all-time leader in career sacks in the team's Week 5 road win at Stockton. McCombs, in his sixth af2 season, currently has 9.5 sacks (2nd in af2) in 2009 and 50.5 for his career. C.J. MCLAIN owned the previous all-time, league-high sack total with 44.5. McCombs entered the year with 41 career sacks.

WALLACE FIRST TO 500: Florida Firecats veteran CHRIS WALLACE became the first quarterback in league history to throw 500 career touchdown passes in a 68-62 home win against Kentucky in Week 4. Wallace hit the 500-mark with a 15-yard strike to WR James Panui early in the fourth quarter. He entered the contest with 495 career touchdown passes and added seven against the Horsemen to up his total to 502. He currently has 534. Wallace also holds af2 career records for passing yards (24,444), completions (1,994) and attempts (3,346). He became the league's all-time passing yards leader in a

32-27 road win at Albany in Week 3. Wallace began his af2 career with the Carolina Rhinos in 2000. He played for the AFL's Orlando Predators in 2001 and 2003. Prior to joining the Firecats midway through the 2004 season, he played for the af2's Norfolk Nighthawks and Cape Fear Wildcats.

VENA PASSES LOFTY BENCHMARKS: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton QB RYAN VENA passed two impressive career milestones in the Pioneers' Week 2 home win against Albany - 20,000 passing yards and 400 touchdown passes. The veteran signal caller from Colgate, currently in his sixth af2 season (third with the Pioneers), joins CHRIS WALLACE and CRAIG STRICKLAND as the only quarterbacks in league history to reach those lofty totals.

VENA PASSES 80 RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS: Over his career, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton QB RYAN VENA has hurt many opponents with his arm (21,569 yards passing, 435 touchdowns), but he has also proven to be an adept runner as well. With his 1-yard touchdown run in a Week 3 road loss to Kentucky, Vena became just the second player in af2 history to record 80 career rushing touchdowns. He now has 83 and stands just four rushing scores shy of tying SHERARD POTEETE's league record of 87.

FORNEY HITS GRAND RUSHING MARK: Kentucky FB/LB DEMETRIUS FORNEY became just the third player in league history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a career. Forney, who entered Week 9 needing just eight yards to hit the mark, rushed for 12 yards and two touchdowns in the Horsemen's 83-48 home win against Florida. He now has 1,004 career rushing yards.

Bossier-Shreveport FB/LB JASON SCHULE is also closing in fast on the 1,000-career rushing yard plateau. Schule gained 29 yards in a win against Rio Grande Valley to up his career total to 957. He also leads the league in rushing yards this season with 225.

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