Demary Is a Showy Stopper

Silas Demary is pretty good at feigning innocence. Honest, he has nothing to do with laying waste to offensive linemen and smothering quarterbacks, despite what the game videos indicate.

The problem is, the Avenger defensive lineman has been caught red-handed too many times.

Defensive statistics tend to get lost in the Arena Football League, but Demary’s numbers stand out. He leads the AFL with 11.5 sacks.

“He has been great the last five or six games,” Coach Ed Hodgkiss said.

Demary is closing in on Craig Walls’ single-season league record of 13 sacks for Pittsburgh in 1987. That record has stood for so long, 38 teams have either folded or relocated since it was set.

But in a league that seems to prefer its defenders to be pylons, not players, Demary has forced the spotlight his way, with 10.5 sacks in the last six games. The first-place Avengers can clinch the Western Division title and move closer to home-field advantage in the playoffs with a victory over Las Vegas at Staples Center tonight. Hodgkiss has given the defense much credit for putting the Avengers in this position, and Demary has become the face of that defense, despite his protests.

“It all comes back to the team,” said Demary, a five-year Arena League veteran from Virginia State. “You can credit the defensive backs for giving me the opportunity.”

Yet there are others willing to point out that Demary is pretty good at his trade. He already holds the Avenger career record for sacks with 14.5; his total this year is a team single-season record.

“He has a very quick first step,” assistant coach Kendall Blackburn said. “And he doesn’t run upfield, he heads toward the quarterback. That’s key.”

In a key victory over Arizona two weeks ago, Demary had two sacks, one forcing a fumble and the other on fourth down, which gave the Avengers the ball inside the five-yard line. They scored touchdowns both times in a 59-56 victory.

“This is tough league to get sacks in,” Hodgkiss said. “He’s not only getting sacks, he’s giving us scoring opportunities.”

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Speaking of scoring opportunities, quarterback John Kaleo’s seven touchdown passes against San Jose last Saturday gave him 494 in his career. With two games remaining, he figures to become the fifth AFL quarterback to reach 500 before the regular season ends.

New York’s Aaron Garcia is the all-time leader with 711.

TONIGHT

vs. Las Vegas, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570.

Records -- Avengers 9-5, Gladiators 8-6.

Record vs. Gladiators -- 0-1.

Update -- If the Avengers clinch the division title, it would be their first since joining the AFL in 2000. However, a loss would send the situation into chaos, as five teams are within one game of one another in the conference standings. Only four will make the playoffs. The Avengers have won their last three games. Kaleo has thrown 18 touchdown passes in those games, 11 of which have been caught by Tony Locke. Las Vegas’ Marcus Nash leads the AFL with 1,557 yards receiving and is tied for third with 37 touchdowns. Avenger defensive specialist Antuan Simmons is questionable because of a bruised foot.