MVP Hudson shares defensive accolades

May 20, 2008 12:44 am

— By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Jimmy Hudson doesn’t mind being tagged a reluctant most valuable player for the Joplin Crusaders in their win against the Oklahoma Outlawz on Saturday night to decide the Central Football League championship.
The 18-6 victory at the East Tulsa Sports Complex gave Joplin its second CFL title in a row and fourth in six years.
Hudson, an outside linebacker, came up with two fumble recoveries and one of Joplin’s five interceptions as the Crusaders hiked their winning streak to 24 games over two seasons.
Hudson, 31, emphasized on Monday how proud he was about the defense.
“Everybody pretty well stepped up and played like it was an important game,” Hudson said. “We had guys flying around and hitting people.
“Several of the guys had outstanding games,” Hudson said. “It’s my impression that our guys up front tore up their offense. I know our ends, Kenny Brown (listed as a 6-foot-2, 250-pounder) and Byron Harvey (6-4, 265) were outstanding.
“We thought defensively entering the game we could shut them down,” Hudson said. “We did for the most part. They hit us with a big play — a long pass — for their touchdown.”
Hudson, with a laugh, admitted he didn’t come away with a plaque or trophy in receiving the honor.
“Well, I did get a handshake from our commissioner Shane Korando (of Wichita),” Hudson said. “On the way home, I remembered a presentation to the MVP had been made in the past.
“But I wasn’t expecting MVP (or playing for it),” Hudson said. “The main thing was getting that ‘W.’ ”
The 6-1 Hudson insisted he weighed about 195 after purposely losing 10-12 pounds. The 1995 Seneca High School graduate played two years in the secondary at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.
Hudson said plans to play a 12th game against a team from the Oklahoma City Metro League had been scrapped.