Week 17 Honors
Published on July 21, 2009 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
CHICAGO - Tulsa wide receiver/kick returner JEFF HUGHLEY, Arkansas quarterback KYLE ROWLEY, and Tennessee Valley defensive back VINCE HILL have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 17 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 17 goes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wide receiver IRVING CAMPBELL and the NiFTy Hit of the Week is awarded to Florida linebacker GEORGE LEWIS.
JLS IRONMAN OF THE WEEK
Hughley (5-8, 165, Averett), in his third af2 season, was one of the bright spots in Week 17 for Tulsa in the team's 81-55 road loss to Arkansas. The Averett alum was kept busy on kickoff return detail throughout. He fielded 10 balls, returning two for touchdowns and totaled 316 return yards. His 316 return yards is the second-highest, single-game total in league history. Along with his performance on special teams, Hughley also caught five passes for 64 yards and two TDs. His 380 all-purpose yards against the Twisters pushed him past former Quad City standout Ira Gooch for the af2 single-season record. Hughley's record all-purpose yard total now stands at 3,823. Gooch set the previous league standard of 3,472 all-purpose yards in 2002. Hughley also leads the Talons (12-3) in receiving with 126 catches for 1,768 yards and 46 TDs.
RUSSELL ATHLETIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rowley (6-0, 205, Brown), a six-year af2 veteran, takes home his second Offensive Player of the Week Award of the season. The 2008 af2 Offensive Player of the Year gets the nod this week for his outstanding effort in Arkansas' 81-55 home victory in Week 17 against Tulsa. Rowley completed 24-of-36 passes for 275 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception to help hand the Talons just their third loss of the season. Rowley also had one rushing touchdown on the night. The former Brown standout commands one of the af2's most productive offenses, averaging 60.5 points a game and with a league-high 132 TDs. Rowley leads the league with 4,398 passing yards in 15 games. Rowley needs 283 yards in the team's Week 18 game at Bossier-Shreveport to break the league's single season record of 4,680 set in 2007 by South Georgia's D. Bryant. The Twisters currently sit atop the Southwest Division standings at 11-4.
AARON'S DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hill (6-0, 185, Miles), in his first af2 season, grabbed two interceptions, including one in the end zone, in his award-winning performance against the Florida Firecats last week. The rookie defensive back also recorded 7.5 total tackles (7 solo, 1 assist) and two pass breakups in the Vipers' 56-39 road win. Both his picks came toward the end of the first half and would set the Vipers up to hold a slim lead heading into the break. Hill has had a productive first stint in the af2, recording 40 tackles and four interceptions in seven games for the Vipers. Tennessee Valley leads the South Division at 11-4.
THE BIG GAME CATCH OF THE WEEK
Campbell (6-0, 188, Georgia Southern), in his first af2 season, is the Week 17 recipient of The Big Game Catch of the Week Award. Campbell's dazzling grab came with about a minute to play in the third quarter of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 49-40 home victory against East Division rival Albany. The rookie receiver laid out to snare a 31-yard bomb from Ryan Vena. Campbell's momentum carried him head first into the end zone boards. Despite the impact, he still managed to hang onto the ball for the score. Campbell, however, was shaken up on the play and didn't play the rest of the game. Despite his early exit, he finished the game with five catches for 115 yards and two TDs. Campbell leads the Pioneers with 99 receptions for 1,329 yards and 18 TDs. This week the Pioneers (12-3) wrap up regular season play on the road at Manchester.
NIFTY HIT OF THE WEEK
Lewis (6-2, 240, Iowa), in his third af2 season, has been awarded the NiFTy Hit of the Week, a new weekly honor that highlights the player who makes the best hit or tackle of the week. With Florida trailing the Vipers by eight in the middle of the second quarter, Lewis executed a textbook open-field block on Tennessee Valley's Demetrius Derico on a kickoff return by teammate James McCoy. Lewis' devastating block opened up a big running lane for McCoy which allowed him to scamper 54 yards for a touchdown. The touchdown would bring the Firecats within one point of the Vipers. Despite the final result (56-39 loss), Lewis' hit was one of the best of the season. He currently ranks third on the team in tackles with 36. Lewis also leads the Firecats in fumble recoveries with two. Florida (6-9) hosts Kentucky (10-5) this Saturday at Germain Arena.
JLS Ironman of the Week candidates included:
Kentucky's Shawn Dedden, Spokane's Virgil Gray, Manchester's Deyon Williams, Green Bay's Robert Garth, Bossier-Shreveport's P.J. Berry, Stockton's Mervin Brookins Jr., Tri-Cities' Chris Hemphill, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Rich Musinski, Iowa's Tim Dodge, Boise's Terrance Sanders and Florida's James McCoy.
Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week candidates included:
Spokane's Nick Davila, Arkansas' Aaron Fairooz, Kentucky's Harry Lewis, Mahoning Valley's Tom Zetts, Green Bay's Gino Guidugli, Bossier-Shreveport's P.J. Berry, Amarillo's Julian Reese, Rio Grande Valley's Rod Windsor, Albany's Johnnie Butler, Quad City's Jesse Schmidt, South Georgia's Darnell Kennedy and Tennessee Valley's Kevin Eakin.
Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week candidates included:
Kentucky's William Mulder, Arkansas' Travis Roland, Spokane's Kevin McCullough, Mahoning Valley's Brandon Taylor, Green Bay's Tracy Belton, Bossier-Shreveport's Phillip Geiggar, Stockton's Mervin Brookins Jr., Rio Grande Valley's Quinton Staton, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Allan Barnes, Iowa's Charles Johnson and South Georgia's Quentin Burrell.
The Big Game Catch of the Week candidates included:
Manchester's Steve Savoy, South Georgia's Alvance Robinson, Tennessee Valley's Jeremy Grier, Green Bay's Terry Love, Arkansas' Xavier Lee, Amarillo's Carl Johnson, Iowa's Errick McCown, Bossier-Shreveport's Buchie Ibeh, Rio Grande Valley's Rod Windsor and Kentucky's Lonnell Dewalt.
NiFTy Hit of the Week candidates included:
Green Bay's Anthony Hoke, Quad City's DeMarcus Robinson, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Kirby Griffin, South Georgia's Quentin Burrell, Manchester's Dewan Wilson, Amarillo's Duvaughn Flagler, Corpus Christi's Wilburt Martin and Kentucky's J.T. Haskins.
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