Conference Finals: Players of the Week
Tuesday August 16, 2016
Davila, Kellem, Frevert Earn Honors With Standout Performances
LAS VEGAS (August 16, 2016) – The Arena Football League has announced that Arizona’s Nick Davila, Arizona’s Jeremy Kellem and Philadelphia’s Tommy Frevert have been named as the Under Armour Offensive Player, Riddell Defensive Player and AFL Playmaker of the Week for the Conference Championship Round of the 2016 Postseason, respectively. In addition to these awards, the AFL has awarded Philadelphia’s Darius Reynolds the Cutters Catch of the Week, while the AFL Highlight of the Week was awarded to Philadelphia’s Shaun Kauleinamoku. 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) helped lead the way as the Arizona Rattlers (15-3) defeated the Cleveland Gladiators, 82-41, at Talking Stick Resort Arena to win the National Conference title and advance to ArenaBowl XXIX. The 2016 First Team All-Arena performer completed 20-of-27 passes for 222 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to earning Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game. The sixth-year veteran finished the regular season leading the AFL with 110 passing touchdowns, while completing 353-of-507 passes (69.6%) for 4,198 yards in 2016. The Rattlers will host the American Conference Champion Philadelphia Soul (15-3) at Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ in ArenaBowl XXIX on Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
RIDDELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kellem (5’10, 195, Middle Tennesee State) led the Arizona Rattlers (15-3) defense as they defeated the Cleveland Gladiators, 82-41, at Talking Stick Resort Arena to win the National Conference title and advance to ArenaBowl XXIX. The fourth-year veteran tallied 6.5 total tackles, forced two fumbles and added two interceptions, including returning one 25 yards for a score to help seal the victory. Kellem finished the regular season with 47.0 total tackles, four interceptions, 14 passes defended and one fumble recovery in just six games. The Rattlers will host the American Conference Champion Philadelphia Soul (15-3) at Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ in ArenaBowl XXIX on Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
AFL PLAYMAKER OF THE WEEK: Frevert (6’0, 200, SW Missouri State) helped lead the Philadelphia Soul (15-3) as they defeated the Jacksonville Sharks, 55-50, at PPL Center in Allentown, PA to win the American Conference title and advance to ArenaBowl XXIX. The 2016 First Team All-Arena performer was 7-of-7 on extra points, but his impact was mostly felt on special teams when the Soul recovered two of his onsides kicks and Frevert recovered a kickoff off the rebound net for a total of three turnovers in the kicking game. The second-year veteran finished the regular season leading the AFL in scoring for kickers with 124 points, while connecting on 118-of-129 extra points and 2-of-2 field goal attempts in 2016. The Soul will travel to play the National Conference Champion Arizona Rattlers (15-3) at Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ in ArenaBowl XXIX on Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
CUTTERS CATCH OF THE WEEK: Reynolds (6’2, 210, Iowa State) made a huge one-handed, game-winning touchdown grab with four seconds left to help lift the Soul to a 55-50 win over the Jacksonville Sharks and the American Conference Championship. Reynolds’ catch not only earned him the Cutters Catch of the Week, but the No. 1 play on Sunday night’s SportsCenter Top 10 Plays. The former Cyclone hauled in nine receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns for the game.
AFL HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: Kauleinamoku (5’10, 190, Western Oregon) didn’t let the wall get in his way of making a phenomenal 29-yard reception. The play not only earned ‘SK’ this week’s highlight but was also the No. 9 play on SportsCenter Top 10 Plays. The six-year veteran hauled in 10 catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Jacksonville.
Under Armour Offensive Player candidates included: Arizona’s Maurice Purify and Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh.
Riddell Defensive Player candidates included: Arizona’s KJ Morton and Philadelphia’s Jake Metz.
AFL Playmaker candidates included: Arizona’s Anthony Amos, Philadelphia’s Shaun Kauleinamoku and Darius Reynolds.
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).
WEEK 10: Arizona’s Nick Davila (Offensive), Portland’s Sergio Gilliam (Defensive), Orlando’s Brandon Thompkins (Playmaker), Orlando’s Varmah Sonie (Catch) and Jacksonville’s Reggie Gray (Highlight).
WEEK 11: Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh (Offensive), Jacksonville’s Greg Reid (Defensive), Philadelphia’s Darius Reynolds (Playmaker), Orlando’s Greg Carr (Catch) and Tampa Bay’s T.T. Toliver (Highlight).
WEEK 12: Cleveland’s Arvell Nelson (Offensive), Arizona’s Jeremy Kellem (Defensive), Orlando’s Greg Carr (Playmaker), Arizona’s Maurice Purify (Catch) and Jacksonville’s Joe Hills (Highlight).
WEEK 13: Orlando’s Bernard Morris (Offensive), Arizona’s Jeremy Kellem (Defensive), Philadelphia’s Shaun Kauleinamoku (Playmaker), Philadelphia’s Ryan McDaniel (Catch) and Cleveland’s Collin Taylor (Highlight).
WEEK 15: Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh (Offensive), Orlando’s Paul Stephens (Defensive), Arizona’s Rod Windsor (Playmaker), Orlando’s Greg Carr (Catch) and Philadelphia’s Darius Reynolds (Highlight).
WEEK 16: Arizona’s Nick Davila (Offensive), Philadelphia’s Jake Metz (Defensive), Los Angeles’ DJ Stephens (Playmaker), Arizona’s Maurice Purify (Catch) and Portland’s Nick Truesdell (Highlight).
WEEK 17: Jacksonville’s Derrick Ross (Offensive), Tampa Bay’s James McClinton (Defensive), Arizona’s Rod Windsor (Playmaker), Jacksonville’s Joe Hills (Catch) and Tampa Bay’s James McClinton (Highlight).
WEEK 18: Philadelphia’s Dan Raudabaugh (Offensive), Portland’s Sergio Gilliam (Defensive), Jacksonville’s Joe Hills (Playmaker), Orlando’s Larry Brackins (Catch) and Portland’s Sergio Gilliam (Highlight).
FIRST ROUND: Jacksonville’s Derrick Ross (Offensive), Philadelphia’s Beau Bell (Defensive), Arizona’s Arkeith Brown (Playmaker), Jacksonville’s Tiger Jones (Catch) and Cleveland’s Larry Beavers (Highlight).
ABOUT THE AFL
The Arena Football League is in 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).