AFL announced All-Arena Defensive teams

Wednesday August 1, 2012

 CHICAGO – Eighteen players earned 2012 First- and Second-Team All-Arena honors, the AFL Office announced today.

Headlining the First-Team All-Arena squad was San Jose SaberCats DL JOE SYKES, who set the single-season AFL record for sacks with 16 in 2012. Sykes is joined by Utah Blaze DL MIKE LEWIS. Lewis set the single-season franchise sack record with 12.5. San Antonio Talons DL VICTOR DEGRATE also earned First-Team All-Arena honors after recording a League-high six forced fumbles.

First-Team All-Arena linebacker honors went to Jacksonville Sharks MLB AARON ROBBINS and New Orleans VooDoo JLB ALVIN RAY JACKSON. Robbins tallied 8.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries from the Mac position for the South Division champs, while Jackson set the single-season AFL record for interceptions by a Jack linebacker with 14.

Philadelphia Soul DB KENT RICHARDSON, Iowa Barnstormers DB JASON SIMPSON and Spokane Shock DB TERRANCE SANDERS were selected First-Team All-Arena defensive backs. Richardson tied for the League-lead with 14 interceptions, while Simpson and Sanders both set single-season franchise records for picks with 10 and eight, respectively. Sanders was also named Second-Team All-Arena on special teams. Pittsburgh Power WR/KR PJ BERRY earned the First-Team All-Arena as a special teamer. Berry led the League with 3,340 all-purpose yards.

Nine more players earned Second-Team All-Arena honors, including: Jacksonville Sharks DL SCOOTER BERRY; Philadelphia Soul DL BRYAN ROBINSON; Milwaukee Mustangs DL LUIS VASQUEZ and JLB MARCUS EVERETT; San Jose SaberCats MLB FRANCIS MAKA; Arizona Rattlers DB ARKEITH BROWN; New Orleans VooDoo DB JEREMY KELLEM; and Georgia Force DB TRACY BELTON.

First-Team All-Arena Defense
DL Joe Sykes, San Jose
DL Mike Lewis, Utah
DL Victor Degrate, San Antonio
MLB Aaron Robbins, Jacksonville
JLB Alvin Ray Jackson, New Orleans
DB Kent Richardson, Philadelphia
DB Jason Simpson, Iowa
DB Terrance Sanders, Spokane
ST PJ Berry, Pittsburgh

Second-Team All-Arena Defense
DL Scooter Berry, Jacksonville
DL Bryan Robinson, Philadelphia
DL Luis Vasquez, Milwaukee
MLB Francis Maka, San Jose
JLB Marcus Everett, Milwaukee
DB Arkeith Brown, Arizona
DB Jeremy Kellem, New Orleans
DB Tracy Belton, Georgia
ST Terrance Sanders, Spokane