ExtremeWednesday, July 25, 2007 11:52 PM CDT

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Walton wins UIF's most improved player award

By Randy Reinhardt
rreinhardt@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON -- James Walton was dropping an alarming number of passes in Bloomington Extreme training camp.

Still, Bloomington coach Ted Schmitz was not going to drop Walton.

“He was such a good athlete, we made up our mind to keep him anyway,” Schmitz said. “The first game he didn’t play for us. But when Dwayne (Smith) hurt his hamstring, James got his shot and he never looked back.”

Walton quickly emerged as a key offensive weapon for the Extreme and on Wednesday earned the United Indoor Football Most Improved Player award.

“It’s a tribute to your teammates,” Walton said. “I play one of those spots that without those other seven guys I don’t win this award. I definitely dedicate it to them.

“When I decided to go at this for a full year, I didn’t know what to expect. That it has turned out the way it’s turned out has just been a blessing.”

Walton has 70 receptions for 922 yards for the Extreme, who meet Lexington Saturday at 6:30 p.m. for the Eastern Conference championship at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Walton led the UIF with 21 receiving touchdowns and 13.2 yards per catch.

“James has just gotten better and better,” said Schmitz. “He’s played very well.”

Rock River quarterback Ben Sankey was named Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. Sankey completed 67.5 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,951 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Nate Fluit of Sioux Falls is Defensive Player of the Year. Fluit led the UIF in sacks with 16.5 and tackles for loss with 26. He also forced three fumbles and recovered three.

Doug Daniel of Rock River earned Special Teams Player of the Year accolades. Daniel converted 73 of 87 extra points and 31 of 53 field goal tries.

Running back Muhammad Abdulqaadir of RiverCity was the Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for a league-high 848 yards. Defensive Rookie of the Year went to Ryan Palmer of Colorado.

Kurtiss Riggs of Sioux Falls is the Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

Christofilakos aching

Extreme kicker Peter Christofilakos said his pulled groin isn’t any better, it’s worse.

“I just need to rest a couple, three months. It just keep wearing and tearing on it,” Christofilakos said. “The past three or four weeks it’s been really bad.”

Christofilakos said he will definitely play Saturday.

“I’ve got to play in these games. I’ll be all right,” he said. “It will be the same thing as last week and the week before. I’ll muscle through it and hopefully it won’t get any worse.”

Harvey likely to return

Schmitz expects tailback Rocky Harvey, who missed the playoff victory over Rock River last Saturday because he was getting married, to rejoin the team this week. But Schmitz isn’t entirely sure.

“He is supposedly cutting his honeymoon short, according to (wide receiver and groomsman) Glenn Johnson,” said Schmitz. “But he’s got his phone shut off. I don’t blame him. If I was on my honeymoon, I’d have my phone shut off, too.”

Either Eric Powell, who may be unable to play because of a job commitment, or Harvey will join Carlos Lattimore as the Bloomington running backs against Lexington.

Traveling on Friday

The Extreme traveled to Kentucky on the day of the game on June 9 and lost, 40-34, to Lexington largely because of a sluggish first half. The team will leave on Friday for Saturday’s playoff game.

“We learned,” Schmitz said. “It was a six-hour bus ride and our big guys were really stiff. We had a terrible first half. We knew if we went down there for the playoffs we would go down Friday. It will be a lot better for us.”

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Extreme's James Walton, left, runs past Raptors Blue Aldridge, right, during the playoff game against Rock River Raptors in Rockford Illinois Saturday night's game (July 21, 2007) (Pantagraph/B Mosher)

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