News-Gazette staff report

Former Osceola Kowboy Bobby Sippio was named the Arena Football League’s Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week after catching six touchdown passes in the Orlando Predators’ 77-61  win over Iowa Saturday.

Sippio’s teammate, Travis Coleman, was the league’s Riddell Defensive Player of the Week after grabbing three interceptions at Iowa.

Sippio leads the Predators with 20 touchdown receptions and has 66 catches for 815 yards this season, averaging 90.6 yards per game.

The Predators (8-3) meet  Jacksonville (10-1) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Amway Center.

The Sharks won the first meeting, 76-55, April 30, to take the South Division lead.

Quarterback Nick Hill found Sippio nine times for 124 yards Saturday as Sippio led all receivers. Sippio’s scores came on plays of 19, 10, 7, 6, 45 and 11 yards.

His last TD grab gave the Predators a 63-34 lead in the fourth quarter.

Orlando has won four in a row since losing to Jacksonville. The team had an open date two weeks ago.

Sippio, quarterback of Osceola’s 1998 state championship team, joined the Predators last season. He played receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007 and for the UFL’s Tuskers in 2009.