Post by David on Jun 30, 2016 20:58:32 GMT -8
(image courtesy of Spokane Empire)
6.30.16 -
On Thursday, the Indoor Football League announced their First and Second Team All-IFL selections for the 2016 season, which include six members of the Spokane Empire.
Spokane's 6 players to First & Second All-IFL teams are the second highest number of selections in the IFL. Sioux Falls led the way with 7 players earning First & Second All IFL honors. RB Trevor Kennedy, OL Dave Lefotu, and DB Robert Brown were named First Team All-IFL honors, while QB Charles Dowdell, DL Benjamin Perry, and LB Nick Haag earned Second Team All-IFL honors.
Trevor Kennedy had an outstanding rookie season for the expansion Empire. The rookie running back out of MercyHurst played in 13 games rushing for 720 rushing yards and a league high 28 rushing touchdowns before going down with a broken leg. He also made his impact felt in Spokane's passing game, catching 35 passes for 273 yards and 9 touchdowns, as well as Spokane's kick return game, returning 28 kickoffs back for 525 yards and a touchdown. His heroics earned him back-to-back IFL Offensive Player of the Week honors in Weeks 7 and 8.
Dave Lefotu was an anchor on Spokane's offensive line. The rookie offensive lineman from Hawaii helped clear the way for Kennedy to lead the league in rushing through 13 weeks. He was a key in Spokane limiting opposing defenses from getting to QB Charles Dowdell; as a unit, the Empire's O-Line gave up 8 sacks, a league low.
Rounding out Spokane's First Team honors is Robert Brown, who lead all Empire defenders with 97.5 total tackles, 91 of which were solo. The 3-year veteran out of Union College also led the Empire with 7 interceptions, which also ranked 2nd in the IFL, as well as recording 12 pass breakups (1st in the IFL). He also earned IFL Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 16, recording 10 total tackles and 2 interceptions in a 51-41 victory over the Billings Wolves.
Leading the Second Team honors is QB Charles Dowdell, who had a successful return to the IFL after spending the 2015 season with the Sioux City Bandits of the CIF. He veteran out of Saginaw Valley State completed 61.9% of his passes (263-of-425) for 2,735 yards, 63 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. His 61 touchdown passes were tied for most in the IFL (Matt Behrendt, Green Bay Blizzard). He was also effective in the running game as a dual-threat with Trevor Kennedy, rushing for 442 yards and 7 scores. Dowdell earned the first IFL Weekly award in Empire history, taking home IFL Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 1.
Rookie DL Benjamin Perry was a wrecking ball on the defensive line. A product of the University of Minnesota, Perry led the Empire with 9.0 sacks (4th in IFL) and was second on the team with 13 tackles for loss. On the season, Perry notched 36 total tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.
LB Nick Haag rounds out Spokane's Second Team honors. The third-year linebacker out of Assumption College was the leader of the Empire's defense, finishing second on the team with 89.5 total tackles (78 solo), 13 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also recorded 1 pass breakup, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Haag earned the first Defensive Player of the Week honors in Empire team history, taking home the award in Week 9 for his 16 tackle performance against the Iowa Barnstormers.
The complete First & Second All-IFL teams are as follows:
First Team All-IFL Offense
QB - Charles McCullum (Wichita Falls)
RB - Trevor Kennedy (Spokane)
WR - Demarius Washington (Colorado)
WR - Brady Roland (Iowa)
WR - Jordan Jolly (Wichita Falls)
OL - Myniya Smith (Sioux Falls)
C - Charlie Sanders (Sioux Falls)
OL - Dave Lefotu (Spokane)
First Team All-IFL Defense
DL - Jermiah Price (Cedar Rapids)
DL - Xzavie Jackson (Cedar Rapids)
DL - Brandon Peguese (Sioux Falls)
LB - Tyler Knight (Sioux Falls)
DB - Michael Green (Billings)
DB - Rashard Smith (Colorado)
DB - Jabari Gorman (Nebraska)
DB - Robert Brown (Spokane)
First Team All-IFL Special Teams
K - Rockne Belmonte (Wichita Falls)
KR - Korey Williams (Sioux Falls)
Second Team All-IFL Offense
QB - Charles Dowdell (Spokane)
RB - Tyler Williams (Wichita Falls)
WR - Markeith Summers (Green Bay)
WR - O.J. Simpson (Nebraska)
WR - Bryan Pray (Iowa)
OL - James Atoe (Colorado)
C - Nathaniel Ryan (Billings)
OL - A.J. Harmon (Cedar Rapids
Second Team All-IFL Defense
DL - Benjamin Perry (Spokane)
DL - Walter Thomas (Wichita Falls)
DL - Claude Davis (Sioux Falls)
LB - Nikolas Sierra (Cedar Rapids)
LB - Nick Haag (Spokane)
DB - Boubacar Cissoko (Tri-Cities)
DB - Elijah Fields (Sioux Falls)
DB - Dee Maggitt Jr. (Tri-Cities)
Second Team All-IFL Special Teams
K - Nicholas Belcher (Cedar Rapids)
KR - Chevelle Buie (Green Bay)
- DKH
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