AFL awards Week 10 Players of the Week

Tuesday June 7, 2016

 Davila, Gilliam, Thompkins Earn Weekly Honors With Standout Performances

LAS VEGAS (June 7, 2016) – The Arena Football League has announced that Arizona’s Nick Davila, Portland’s Sergio Gilliam and Orlando’s Brandon Thompkins have been named as the Under Armour Offensive Player, Riddell Defensive Player and AFL Playmaker of the Week for Week 10, respectively. In addition to these awards, the AFL has awarded Orlando’s Varmah Sonie the Cutters Catch of the Week, while the AFL Highlight of the Week was awarded to Jacksonville’s Reggie Gray. Those clips can be found by following the AFL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@aflarenaball).

UNDER ARMOUR OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Davila (6’3, 220, Cincinnati) connected on 23-of-33 passes for 289 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions to lead the Arizona Rattlers to a 77-62 victory over the Cleveland Gladiators (5-5) and earned Under Armour Offensive Player at Quicken Loans Arena this past weekend. The two-time AFL MVP has connected on 221-of-327 passes for 2,709 yards and a League-leading 68 touchdowns in 2016. The Rattlers (7-3) will host the Portland Steel on Saturday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET at Talking Stick Resort Arena on WatchESPN.

RIDDELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gilliam (6’3, 190, Clemson) sparked the Steel (1-8) defense as they defeated the Tampa Bay Storm, 68-35, this past weekend at Moda Center. The six-year AFL veteran had 6.0 total tackles, two pass breakups and two interceptions that helped seal the victory. On the season, Gilliam has 25.0 total tackles, a team-leading three interceptions, five passes defended, and a forced fumble. Gilliam and the Steel will travel to play Conference-leading Arizona Rattlers (7-3) on Saturday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET on WatchESPN.

J. LEWIS SMALL PLAYMAKER OF THE WEEK: Thompkins (5’10, 185, Arkansas State) helped lead the Orlando Predators to a 43-41 victory against the Los Angeles KISS (4-5) on Sunday at Honda Center. The five-year veteran hauled in eight receptions for 82 yards and one receiving touchdown. Thompkins also added three kick returns for 126 yards, including two returns for touchdowns. He leads the AFL 2,313 all-purpose yards, while adding 79 receptions for 953 receiving yards, 32 total touchdowns and 194 points in 2016. Thompkins and the Predators will host the Cleveland Gladiators (5-5) this Saturday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET on WatchESPN.

CUTTERS CATCH OF THE WEEK: Sonie (5’8, 180, Northern Iowa) continues to be a force on defense for the Orlando Predators. The former Panther alum made a spectacular no-look, over-the-shoulder interception in the second quarter and returned it for 42 yards in Sunday’s wild 43-41 win against the LA KISS. The interception was Sonie’s sixth of the season, putting him tied for No. 1 in interceptions on the season.

AFL HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: Gray (5’10, 185, Western Illinois) made a solid debut as a Jacksonville Shark in Saturday’s 56-42 loss to the Philadelphia Soul. The sixth-year veteran took a kick return for a 58-yard touchdown in the third quarter to tie for the longest kick return this season and this week’s AFL Highlight. The 2015 Wide Receiver of the Year also hauled in eight receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Under Armour Offensive Player candidates included: Los Angeles’ Donovan Morgan, Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh, Portland’s Tyrone Goard and Shane Austin.

Riddell Defensive Player candidates included: Cleveland’s Demarcus Robinson, Orlando’s Varmah Sonie, Philadelphia’s James Romain and Portland’s Shaine Boyle.

J. Lewis Small Playmaker candidates included: Arizona’s Rod Windsor, Jacksonville’s Reggie Gray, Philadelphia’s Ryan McDaniel and Portland’s Shaine Boyle.


PREVIOUS WINNERS:
WEEK 1: Orlando’s Randy Hippeard (Offensive), Arizona’s Damien Borel and Luis Vazquez (Co-Defensive), Philadelphia’s Shaun Kauleinamoku (Playmaker), Los Angeles’ Donovan Morgan (Catch), and Cleveland’s Joe Powell (Highlight).
WEEK 2: Jacksonville’s Joe Hills (Offensive), Cleveland’s Joe Powell (Defensive), Arizona’s Rod Windsor (Playmaker), Tampa Bay’s Philip Barnett (Catch), and Orlando’s Kent Richardson (Highlight).
WEEK 3: Arizona’s Nick Davila (Offensive), Los Angeles’ Rayshaun Kizer (Defensive), Philadelphia’s Teddy Jennings (Playmaker), Cleveland’s Brandon Stephens (Catch), and Orlando’s Brandon Thompkins (Highlight).
WEEK 4: Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh (Offensive), Orlando’s Varmah Sonie (Defensive), Arizona’s Maurice Purify (Playmaker), Philadelphia’s Darius Reynolds (Catch), and Cleveland’s Marvin Ross (Highlight).
WEEK 5: Orlando’s Brandon Thompkins (Offensive), Arizona’s Dimetrio Tyson (Defensive), Philadelphia’s Darius Reynolds (Playmaker), Arizona’s Rod Windsor (Catch), and Tampa Bay’s Mike Washington (Highlight)
WEEK 6: Orlando’s Randy Hippeard (Offensive), Los Angeles’ Josh Victorian (Defensive), Cleveland’s Arvell Nelson (Playmaker), Cleveland’s Collin Taylor (Catch) and Philadelphia’s Dwayne Hollis (Highlight)
WEEK 7: Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh (Offensive), Cleveland’s Marvin Ross (Defensive), Tampa Bay’s Jimmy Gordon (Playmaker), Philadelphia’s Darius Reynolds (Catch), and Orlando’s Greg Carr (Highlight).
WEEK 8: Jacksonville’s Tommy Grady (Offensive), Jacksonville’s Greg Reid (Defensive), Cleveland’s Collin Taylor (Playmaker), Arizona’s Joe Matthews (Catch) and Philadelphia’s LaRico Stevenson (Highlight).
WEEK 9: Jacksonville’s Joe Hills (Offensive), Cleveland’s Marvin Ross (Defensive), Los Angeles’ Donovan Morgan (Playmaker), Cleveland’s Quentin Sims (Catch) and Tampa Bay’s T.T. Toliver (Highlight).

ABOUT THE AFL
The Arena Football League enters its 29th Season in 2016. Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. The ESPN family of networks and CBS Sports Network nationally broadcast AFL games each week, culminating with the ArenaBowl on ESPN. For all the latest news and discussion on the Arena Football League, follow the AFL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@aflarenaball).