Three Players from Mahoning Valley Thunder Earn All-af2 Honors

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BOARDMAN, OH.- The Mahoning Valley Thunder in conjunction with the arenafootball2 League Office is pleased to announce that FB Tim Murphy, LB John Tackmann and DL Royce Morgan have earned ALL-af2 status for their on field performance throughout the 2008 season. Murphy was named to the First Team and both Tackmann and Morgan earned Second Team nods.
 
For Murphy (5’11, 240, Pittsburgh) the First Team honor is the Fullback’s second in as many seasons in the league. In 13 games Mahoning Valley’s all-time leading rusher led the entire af2 with 350 yards on just 53 totes, adding five rushing scores. His 6.6 yards per carry and 26.9 yards per game averages also led the league. Murphy’s “statement” game of 2008 came on May 5th at home against eventual Division Champion Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In the contest Murphy carried seven times for 94 yards and two scores. His 94 yards were just three shy of breaking the af2’s all-time mark for rushing yards in a single game. His 46 yard touchdown run was the longest in franchise history.
 
Placing on the Second Team, Tackmann (6’2, 220, Winona State) finished his rookie season as one of Mahoning Valley’s most productive players on both sides of the ball. The “Jack” Linebacker starter all 16 contests and finished with 69 total tackles, good enough for second on the team. The six-time JLS Ironman of the Game award recipient, Tackmann also amassed four and a half tackles for loss, six pass-breakups, two Quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. If his defensive numbers weren’t enough, Tackmann also moonlighted as a short-yardage Quarterback. The “sometimes-Quarterback” rushed 42 times for 104 yards and a team leading 16 touchdowns. Those 16 rushing scores are a franchise single-season record.
 
Rounding out the award winners is Morgan (6’2, 265 Lehigh). Playing in 15 games, the All-af2 Second Teamer rewrote the

Thunder record books. The rookie registered 34 tackles, including 16.5 tackles for loss and a franchise record 15 sacks (sixth in the af2). In addition, Morgan tallied 10 Quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, two pass-breakups, an interception and three blocked kicks (a Thunder franchise record). In his finest performance of the season, Morgan totaled three and a half sacks in an upset home win over Louisville on June 27th. His three and a half sacks set a new Thunder record for sacks in a game. Royce had four games in which he produced at least two sacks. He finished 2008 as Mahoning Valley’s franchise leader in sacks in a season (15), sacks in a game (3.5), sack yardage (88) and blocked kicks (3).
 
THUNDER HEAD COACH MIKE HOLD:
“We’re extremely proud of the honor all three of these players received. These are without question three of the hardest working players on the roster. Any success we had in 2008 could be directly related to their performances.”
 
 The 2008 Thunder season has come to a close and now is your chance to reserve 2009 season tickets at a discount! All season tickets are 15 % percent off from now through October 1st! Don’t miss your chance to feel all the hard-hitting, fast paced action of arena football! For more information call the Thunder Offices at 330.758.4af2 (4232).

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