Nov. 13, 2006
BALTIMORE, MD - The Johns Hopkins football team earned seven First Team All-Centennial selections and 11 overall picks as the 2006 All-Centennial Conference Football Team was announced Monday afternoon by Steve Ulrich, Executive Director of the league. The Blue Jays counted a league-high five unanimous first team picks and the seven first team selections the Blue Jays earned are the second-highest total in school history.
Hopkins placed senior wide receiver Anthony Triplin (Baltimore, MD/Gilman), senior offensive lineman Paul Markowski (Carlstad, NJ/Paramus Catholic) and senior place-kicker Ben Scott (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) on the first team offense, while senior defensive end Brian Cook (New Freedom, PA/Susquehannock) senior linebacker Matt Hagel (Linwood, NJ/Mainland) and senior cornerback Chris Chauvin (Brentwood, TN/Blair Academy) garnered first team status on defense. Scott also earned first team honors as a punter.
Senior wide receiver Evan Earnest (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield), senior offensive lineman Phil Dixon (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) and senior defensive end Brian Nickel (Waupun, WI/Waupun) all garnered second team honors, while junior Dan Requena (Fairlawn, NJ/Fairlawn) rounds out the Blue Jays' all-conference selections as he grabbed honorable mention status.
Triplin closes his career as one of the most prolific wide receivers in school and Centennial Conference history. He finished the season with 52 receptions for 557 yards and four touchdowns and closes his career with 229 receptions for 2,554 yards and 16 touchdowns. He ranks second in school history in receptions, third in receiving yards and tied for sixth in touchdown receptions. He also finishes third in Centennial history in receptions and seventh in receiving yards and is the first Johns Hopkins wide receiver to earn First Team All-Centennial in back-to-back years since Zach Baylin (2000 and 2001).
Markowski continues Hopkins' tradition of First Team All-Centennial offensive linemen as he repeats as a first team pick. Markowski started all 21 games over the last two seasons to anchor the line and moved from guard to center for the final five games of his career to offset injuries on the offensive line. A unanimous first team selection, Markowski made the rare jump from non-starter to First Team All-Centennial as a junior and his selection again this year runs JHU's streak to six years with at least one offensive lineman earning first team honors. At least one Blue Jay offensive lineman has also earned first team honors 11 of the last 12 years.
Scott closes his career as easily the prolific place-kicker in school history and arguably one of the top punters as well. He makes the jump up to First Team All-Centennial place-kicker after two years as a second team pick, while he repeats as the CC's first team punter. He was a unanimous pick in both spots. Scott hit 13-of-19 field goals and 16-of-17 extra points on the year and averaged 41.6 yards punting while dropping a school-record 23 of his 53 punts inside the opposition's 20-yard line. His 13 field goals this season were one shy of his own school single-season record and his 41.6 yards per punt is the highest by a JHU player since Joe Cowan averaged a school-record 41.8 yards in 1967. Scott is the only punter in school history to earn First Team All-Centennial honors and his selection as the first team place-kicker is the fifth for a JHU player since 1995.
Cook polished off a stellar career with a second straight selection as a first team pick. He tied for fourth on the team in tackles (53) and led the team in tackles for losses (12.5 for 71 yards) and sacks (7.5 for 57 yards). He added two blocked punts, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble and closes his career as JHU's career leader in tackles for losses (50.5) and sacks (28). He is the first Johns Hopkins defensive lineman to earn First Team All-Centennial in back-to-back years since Jelani Rucker took top honors three straight years (1992, 1993, 1994).
Hagel makes the jump up to the first team after two straight nods as a second team selection in 2004 and 2005. He led the team in tackles (63) this season and finished second in tackles for losses (9.5). He added three pass breakups, 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery and started all 32 games over the last three years. He concludes his career with 263 tackles (the most by a Johns Hopkins player in the last 10 years), including 34.5 tackles for losses.
Chauvin closes his career on a high note as he earns first team status after never having appeared on the All-Centennial team. He posted 26 tackles and tied for the Centennial lead with a career-high five interceptions on the year. He added six pass breakups and started all 10 games this season. He specialized in coming up with the big interception this year as three of his five INTs came in the end zone to kill scoring opportunities for the opposition. The rebound season was especially satisfying for Chauvin, who missed virtually the entire 2005 season with injuries and his selection marks the fifth straight year the Blue Jays have had a defensive back earn first team honors.
Earnest also had his junior year cut short by injuries, but had a breakout year as a senior to garner Second Team All-Centennial honors. He posted a career-high 43 receptions for 470 yards and four touchdowns, led the team in punt returns (31-180) and averaged 25.2 yards on eight kickoff returns. His 849 all-purpose yards were 250 more than the next closest player on the team and he finished third in the Centennial Conference in receptions and seventh in receiving yards.
Dixon quietly enjoyed a standout career along the Blue Jay offensive line and closes his career with a Second Team All-Centennial selection. He anchored the line throughout his career as he started the final 40 games over the last four years. His 40 consecutive starts are tied for the second-longest streak in school history and rank as the longest streak ever by a Blue Jay offensive lineman. Holding down the all-important left tackle spot, he blocked for the two of the top four rushers in school history and two of the top 10 career passers.
Nickel was often the over-looked player on the defensive line during the last two years, but enjoyed the finest season of his career this season as he finished second on the team in tackles with a career-high 54 and added 4.5 tackles for losses, 3.0 sacks, two pass breakups and one blocked kick. A two-time ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District selection, Nickel was named to the 2006 AFCA Good Works Team and ends his career with 140 tackles to his credit.
Requena was the only non-senior among the Blue Jays selected to the All-Centennial team, this despite missing the first three full games with an injury. He returned in time to play in the final seven games, including all six Centennial Conference games, and posted 22 tackles, six pass breakups, two interceptions and one forced fumble on the year.
Johns Hopkins finished the 2006 season with a 5-5 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the Centennial Conference. The Blue Jays tied a school record with their seventh straight season with a .500 record and tied for third place in the final Centennial Conference standings. Johns Hopkins will open the 2007 season on September 1 at Hampden-Sydney.
Johns Hopkins' 2006 All-Centennial Football Selections:
First Team All-Centennial:
Anthony Triplin (WR), Paul Markowski (OL), Brian Cook (DL), Ben Scott (PK and P), Matt Hagel (LB), Chris Chauvin (DB)
Second Team All-Centennial:
Brian Nickel (DL), Evan Earnest (WR), Phil Dixon (OL)
Honorable Mention All-Centennial:
Dan Requena (DB)
Notes:
? JHU has produced a first team offensive lineman in 11 of the last 12 years.
? JHU has produced a first team defensive back in 10 of the last 12 years.
? JHU has produced a first team wide receiver five times in the last seven years.
? Ben Scott is the only punter in school history to earn First Team All-Centennial honors (2005 & 2006).
? Johns Hopkins has produced an All-Centennial place-kicker (any team) 10 times in the last 13 years.
? Two of the six players who earned All-Centennial and Academic All-Centennial are from Johns Hopkins (Evans, Nickel).
? The seven first team selections are the second-highest total in school history (9/2005).
? The 11 overall selections are tied for the fifth-highest total in school history. JHU has had at least 11 selections in each of the last six years.
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