Af2 Announces Player of the Week Awards

 

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CHICAGO – Bossier-Shreveport wide receiver/kick returner CHAVIS MCCOLLISTER, Amarillo quarterback JULIAN REESE and Green Bay defensive lineman JOE SYKES have been named the JLS Ironman, Schutt Offensive Player and ADT Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for the First Round of the 2008 af2 Playoffs. In addition to these three awards, the Cutters Catch of the Week Award for the First Round goes to Spokane wide receiver RAUL VIJIL.   
 
JLS IRONMAN OF THE WEEK
McCollister (5-9, 210, Tarleton State) had a record-setting showing for Bossier-Shreveport in the team’s 77-61 First Round home victory against Lubbock on Saturday. The fourth-year player from Tarleton State made an impact on offense and was special on special teams to help the BattleWings advance to the National Conference Semifinals. McCollister had two touchdowns on offense, one rushing and one receiving, and set a new af2 postseason record with three kickoff return touchdowns (51, 50, 56). McCollister’s return efforts were so impressive that it earned him national TV exposure as the No. 3 play on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 Plays of the Weekend. His 264 total kickoff return yards and five total touchdowns also ranked as the second-highest single game totals in playoff history. McCollister recorded one tackle in the contest as well. This is the second time in his career that he’s received the Ironman of the Week Award and the fourth time overall that he’s received an af2 weekly honor (two-time Offensive Player of the Week Award winner). McCollister finished the regular season ranked second in the league in scoring (264 points) and total touchdowns (44) and led the BattleWings in receiving with 123 catches for 1,466 yards and 33 touchdowns.     
 
SCHUTT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Reese (6-2, 215, Indiana St.) had a stellar individual effort for Amarillo in the team’s 65-62 upset victory on the road Saturday against the defending ArenaCup Champion Tulsa Talons.    The af2 veteran signal caller from Indiana State, in his fourth season, nearly single-handidly carried the Dusters past the Talons. Reese completed 20-of-30 passes (66.7 percent) for 275 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. He also came up with two key plays late in the fourth quarter that helped propel Amarillo past Tulsa. Facing a 4th down-and-14 situation with just over a minute to play and clinging to a three-point lead (58-55), Reese kept the Dusters’ crucial drive alive with a 15-yard scramble for a first down. Two plays later he saw an opening up the middle and took off for a 13-yard touchdown run with 40 seconds left that increased the Dusters lead to 10, 65-55. This is the fourth Offensive Player of the Week Award of Reese’s career. He led Amarillo to its second playoff appearance in 2008 after leading the team in passing (2,712 yards, 55 TDs, 4 INTs) and rushing (233 yards).
 
ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sykes (6-4, 275, Southern) was a difference maker on defense to help Green Bay dominate Lexington, 65-37, for a first round home playoff win Friday night. The rookie defensive lineman from Southern University had a record-setting performance for the Blizzard to help the squad advance to the American Conference Semifinals. Sykes recorded 5.5 total tackles (5 solo, 1 asst) and an af2 postseason-record five sacks. His sack total shattered the old mark of 3.5 set by former Bossier-Shreveport lineman Elex Reed in 2007. As a team, Green Bay set a new playoff record with 10 sacks against the Horsemen, doubling the old mark of five set in 2001 by the Carolina Rhinos. Sykes, who also forced two fumbles in the victory, led the af2 in tackles for loss (22) and sacks (19.5) during the regular season.   


CUTTERS CATCH OF THE WEEK
Vijil (5-11, 185, Eastern Washington) is the First Round recipient of the Cutters Catch of the Week Award, a weekly honor that emerged in 2006 to highlight the player who makes the best catch of the week. Vijil’s catch was a fantastic, five-yard

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touchdown grab early in the third quarter of Spokane’s 42-14 home win against Austin to advance to the National Conference Semifinals. The fourth-year playmaker from Eastern Washington skyed high to snatch QB Nick Davila’s scoring pass away from Austin defensive back Demetrie McCray. Vijil, who finished the night with a game-high 10 catches for 124 yards, has been one of the league’s top players in 2008. He finished fourth in the league in scoring (252 points), tied for third in total touchdowns (42) and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (35). Vijil also led the Shock in receiving yards (1,212), kick return yards (1,248) and all-purpose yards (2,545).
 
JLS Ironman of the Week candidates included:
Green Bay’s Robert Garth, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Larry Kendrick, Manchester’s Bradly Chavez, Tennessee Valley’s Travis Blanchard, Bossier-Shreveport’s P.J. Winston, Tulsa’s Jamar Ransom, Austin’s Mel Long, Central Valley’s Nathan Munson and Central Valley’s Jomo Wilson.
Schutt Offensive Player of the Week candidates included:
Green Bay’s Gino Guidugli, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Ryan Vena, Manchester’s James Pinkney, Tennessee Valley’s Kevin Eakin, Bossier-Shreveport’s Chavis McCollister, Spokane’s Raul Vijil and Central Valley’s Jason Barnes.
ADT Defensive Player of the Week candidates included:
Green Bay’s Odell Willis, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Isaac Hilton, Manchester’s Joe Crear, Tennessee Valley’s Desmond Foster, Bossier-Shreveport’s Marvin Byrdsong, Tulsa’s Terrance Carter, Spokane’s Sergio Gilliam and Central Valley’s Donyell Booker.
 
Previous 2008 Winners:
Week 18: Quad City’s J.J. Raterink (Offensive), Florida’s Carlos Campbell (Defensive), Central Valley’s Jomo Wilson (Ironman), South Georgia’s Buchie Ibeh (Catch)
Week 17: Arkansas’ Chris Denney (Offensive), Green Bay’s Odell Willis (Defensive), Amarillo’s Julian Reese (Ironman), Oklahoma City’s Fred Shaw (Catch)
Week 16: Arkansas’ Kyle Rowley (Offensive), Lubbock’s Darvin Peterson (Defensive), Tennessee Valley’s Desmond Foster (Ironman), Tulsa’s Jermaine Landrum (Catch)
Week 15: Central Valley’s Tonae Martin (Offensive), Florida’s Carlos Campbell (Defensive), Bossier-Shreveport’s Jason Schule (Ironman), Florida’s Magic Benton (Catch)
Week 14: Spokane’s Nick Davila (Offensive), Mahoning Valley’s Royce Morgan (Defensive), Manchester’s Bradly Chavez (Ironman), Spokane’s Raul Vijil (Catch)
Week 13: Lubbock’s Alvance Robinson (Offensive), Louisville’s Matt Forbes (Defensive), Tulsa’s Jamar Ransom (Ironman), Bossier-Shreveport’s Kenneth R. Williams (Catch)  
Week 12: Mahoning Valley’s Clenton Rafe (Offensive), Amarillo’s Aaron Williams (Defensive), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Rich Musinski (Ironman), Corpus Christi’s Brandon Hussey (Catch)
Week 11: Quad City’s Kris Peters (Offensive), Peoria’s Blake Farris & Texas’ James Todd (Defensive), Austin’s Kamau Jackson (Ironman), Arkansas’ Chris Denney (Catch)
Week 10: Quad City’s J.J. Raterink (Offensive), Tennessee Valley’s Rajohn Myles (Defensive), Manchester’s Bradly Chavez (Ironman), Oklahoma City’s Danny Howard (Catch)
Week 9: Lubbock’s Robert Kent (Offensive), Rio Grande Valley’s John Scott (Defensive), Boise’s Demond Williams (Ironman), Arkansas’ Jon Schoonover (Catch)
Week 8: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Ryan Vena (Offensive), Quad City’s Kevin Adams (Defensive), Tennessee Valley’s Travis Blanchard (Ironman), Stockton’s Clarence Cunningham (Catch)
Week 7: Daytona Beach’s Matt Bohnet (Offensive), Corpus Christi’s Ivory McCann (Defensive), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Larry Kendrick (Ironman), Tri-Cities’ J.R. Thomas (Catch)
Week 6: Boise’s George Williams (Offensive), Daytona Beach’s Jocques Richardson (Defensive), Texas’ Armar Watson (Ironman), Rio Grande Valley’s Eddie Jackson (Catch)
Week 5: W-B/Scranton’s Ryan Vena (Offensive), Austin’s Demetrie McCray (Defensive), Tulsa’s Jermaine Hope (Ironman), Iowa’s Bryan Pray (Catch)
Week 4: Amarillo’s Donte Newsome (Offensive), South Georgia’s Joe Woolridge (Defensive), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Larry Kendrick (Ironman), Lexington’s Chad Spencer (Catch)
Week 3: Albany’s Jared Jones (Offensive), Boise’s Chris Bruhn (Defensive), Corpus Christi’s Ivory McCann (Ironman), Tulsa’s Jeff Hughley (Catch)
Week 2: Okla City’s Al Hunt (Offensive), Spokane’s Sergio Gilliam (Defensive), Florida’s Chris McKinney (Ironman), Amarillo’s Wallace House (Catch)
Week 1: South Georgia’s Cecil Lester (Offensive), Spokane’s Sergio Gilliam (Defensive), Mahoning Valley’s John Tackmann (Ironman), Corpus Christi’s Jonathan Graham (Catch)

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