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Week 18 Awards

July 28, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - Manchester wide receiver STEVE SAVOY, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton quarterback RYAN VENA, and Tri-Cities defensive back CHRIS HEMPHILL have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Week 18 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 18 goes to Rio Grande Valley wide receiver ROD WINDSOR and the NiFTy Hit of the Week is awarded to Stockton linebacker JASON HUNT.

JLS IRONMAN OF THE WEEK

Savoy (5-11, 190, Utah), in his second af2 season, advanced the ball as a receiver, rusher, and passer during Manchester's 38-63 loss to the East Division rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. After losing their starting quarterback, Mike Potts, the Wolves turned to Savoy to take snaps for most of the second half. The former Utah standout was pressed into duty under center because the team lost backup Willie Copeland in the first quarter on a special teams play. Despite never having played as a quarterback in an af2 game, Savoy performed admirably. He completed 2-of-3 passes for 14 yards and a passing TD while rushing 12 times for 97 yards and a rushing TD. He also caught two balls for 21 yards in a performance that can only be described as the football equivalent of hitting for the cycle. Savoy is second on his team in receiving with 100 catches for 1,222 yards and 31 TDs on the year. This is Savoy's first player of the week award. Next week, the Wolves head to Des Moines, Iowa to face the No. 2 seed Barnstormers in the first round of the 2009 af2 playoffs. The Wolves (7-9) have reached the playoffs six of the last eight years.

RUSSELL ATHLETIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Vena (6-0, 220, Colgate), a six-year af2 veteran, takes home his sixth career offensive player of the week award for his nine-touchdown performance during the Pioneers' 63-38 road win against the Manchester Wolves. He completed 19-of-27 passes for 260 yards and eight TDs with no INTs. He also had one rushing TD. Thanks to his 2-yard scoring run in the first quarter, Vena became the league's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 88, surpassing SHERARD POTEETE's previous league record of 87 career rushing scores. Vena finished up the season with a passer rating of 125.03, completing 332-of-479 passes for 4,144 yards and 87 TDs with 10 INTs. The former Colgate standout ranked second in the af2 behind Spokane's Nick Davila in the league passer rankings. The No. 1-seeded Pioneers (13-3) will host the Albany Firebirds on Saturday in the first round of the 2009 af2 playoffs.

AARON'S DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Hemphill (6-5, 230, Washington), in his first af2 season, came up with three turnovers in the Fever's 76-35 regular season home finale win over Central Valley. Hemphill grabbed a fumble recovery in each half of the game and added an eight-yard interception return for a TD in the third quarter. Hemphill also led the defense in tackles with 7.0 (6 solo, 2 assisted). In just seven games played for the Fever, the Washington alum has five interceptions, and ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 28.5. The Fever failed to make the playoffs, but ended their season on a high-note with the victory over the Coyotes.

THE BIG GAME CATCH OF THE WEEK

Windsor (6-2, 208, Western New Mexico), in his first af2 season, is the Week 18 recipient of The Big Game Catch of the Week Award. Windsor beat out Quad City's Jesse Schmidt in the race for the af2 record of most receiving TDs in a season with his fourth of the night in Rio Grande Valley's 78-51 home win over Corpus Christi. With 1:15 to play, Windsor streaked across the field on a crossing route then, having broken two tackles after the catch, surged into the end zone for his 59th and record-setting score. Schmidt finished his regular season last week with 58 receiving TDs. Windsor, who also set the af2 single-season record for total receptions with 184, accumulated 2,364 receiving yards in 15 games played. The Dorados finished the season at 9-7 and travel to face the Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings in the first round of the 2009 af2 playoffs.

NIFTY HIT OF THE WEEK

Hunt (6-2, 250, Cincinnati), 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 nine minutes left in the first half, the big linebacker dragged down Peoria QB Luke Drone in his own end zone for a safety to put the Lightning up 10, 23-13. The defense would hold Peoria's potent offense on four consecutive drives to help the Lightning go on a 36-0 run in the first half. The hit on Drone was Hunt's sixth sack on the season, a team-high. Hunt comes in at fifth on his team in total tackles with 31.0 and added two interceptions and four fumble recoveries this season. The Lightning (6-10) clinched their first-ever playoff berth and travel to Washington to face No. 1-ranked Spokane in first round playoff action.

JLS Ironman of the Week candidates included:

Central Valley's LaMonte Jones, Boise's Jomo Wilson, Tennessee Valley's Travis Blanchard, Rio Grande Valley's Ramonce Taylor, Iowa's Tanner Varner, Tulsa's Jeff Hughley, Bossier-Shreveport's P.J. Berry, Florida's Dusty Bear, Green Bay's Nate Forse, Stockton's Mervin Brookins, Jr. and Milwaukee's Antoine Burns.

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Tri-Cities' Collin Drafts, Boise's Mark Thorson, South Georgia's Alvance Robinson, Rio Grande Valley's Rod Windsor, Iowa's Errick McCown, Tulsa's Justin Allgood, Bossier-Shreveport's Jason Schule, Florida's Magic Benton, Green Bay's Gino Guidugli, Stockton's Troy McBroom and Albany's Stephen Wasil.

Aaron's Defensive Player of the Week candidates included:

Boise's Maurice Banks, South Georgia's Demetrie McCray, Rio Grande Valley's Valentine Chude, Iowa's Brent Curvey, Tulsa's Carlos Campbell, Bossier-Shreveport's Phillip Geiggar, Florida's James McCoy, Green Bay's Anthony Hoke, Stockton's Jason Hunt, Milwaukee's Perry Kyles and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Micheaux Robinson.

The Big Game Catch of the Week candidates included:

Tri-Cities' Tremayne Kirkland, Spokane's Andy Olson, Tennessee Valley's Larry Shipp, Iowa's Dusty Kain, Tulsa's Carlese Franklin, Arkansas' Aaron Fairooz, Florida's James Panui, Mahoning Valley's Jermaine Moye, Peoria's Brian Allbrooks, Albany's Anthony Rodriguez and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Rich Musinski.

NiFTy Hit of the Week candidates included:

Tri-Cities' Phil Jordan, Tennessee Valley's Travis Blanchard, Rio Grande Valley's Valentine Chude, Iowa's Tanner Varner, Amarillo's Travis Pugh, Bossier-Shreveport's Joe Woolridge, Florida's Larry Edwards, Mahoning Valley's Brandon Taylor, Milwaukee's Quartez Vickerson and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Troy Blackwell.

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