Week 18 Player-of-the-Week Awards Announced
Published on July 21, 2005 under United Indoor Football Association (UIF) News Release
Omaha, NE - United Indoor Football is proud to announce Players-of-the-Week awards for Week 18 of the 2005 season. Weekly awards are presented in three categories: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams.
Week 18 Offensive Player-of-the-Week is Sioux Falls runningback Marques Smith. Smith led the Storm with three touchdowns on 12 carries for 73 yards last Friday night in a 54-48 loss to the Bandits in Sioux City. Smith also caught two passes for 17 yards to help keep the Storm in the game. The 5'10", 180 pound graduate of Dakota Wesleyan University also gained 69 yards on four kick returns, giving him 159 all-purpose yards. He has rushed for 187 yards in the last two games with nine touchdowns in a back-up roll, filling in for runningback/kick returner James Jones and runningback Jerry Davis. Smith and the Storm will travel to face North Division rival Omaha Beef in the first round of the UIF play-offs on Saturday, July 30.
Lexington's Anthony "Champ" Kelly is the recipient of the Week 18 Defensive Player-of-the-Week honor after another great game in the secondary. The 5'10", 212 pound defensive back helped the Horsemen defeat the Tupelo FireAnts 52-25 last Saturday night with three tackles and two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Kelly now has ten interceptions for the season, tying him for the league lead, with two returned for touchdowns. This is the second weekly honor for the University of Kentucky graduate, as he also earned the award in Week 9. Kelly and the Horsemen have the number three seed for the UIF play-offs on Saturday, July 30. Their opponent is to be determined.
Wrapping up the Week 18 awards in the Special Teams category is Peoria kicker Matt Russell. The 5'11", 190 pound Ohio State University alum was key to helping the Rough Riders get a 41-37 victory over the Evansville Bluecats last Saturday. Russell connected on three of five extra point attempts, and hit on field goals of 31 and 32 yards. This is the third weekly award for Russell, who also received the honors in Week 4 and 14. Russell and the Rough Riders host the Ohio Valley Greyhounds in the last regular season contest of the 2005 UIF season on Saturday, July 23. The Rough Riders play-off status is to be determined by the outcome of the contest.
League MVP's and coaching awards will be handed out at the end of the 2005 UIF season. Stay tuned weekly for additional Players-of-the-Week winners and game highlights. For all team rosters, statistics, scores, highlights and more log onto www.unitedindoorfootball.com.
United Indoor Football Association Stories from July 21, 2005
- Riders' Russell week 18 Player of the Week - Peoria Rough Riders
- Week 18 Player-of-the-Week Awards Announced - UIF
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