Nov. 16, 2006
WACO, TX -- Johns Hopkins punter/place-kicker Ben Scott (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) has been selected to play for the American Football Coaches Association's Division III all-star team that will represent the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2006 Aztec Bowl on December 16 in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Scott was selected as a punter after twice earning First Team All-Centennial honors. He was also a three-time All-Centennial selection as a place-kicker and he is the first Johns Hopkins football player to be selected to play in the Aztec Bowl, which has featured a United States All-Star Team since 1997.
Scott averaged 41.6 yards per punt and dropped a school-record 23 of his 53 punts inside the opposition's 20-yard line. He had nine punts over 50 yards and three punts over 60 yards this season. His 41.6 yards per punt narrowly missed the school single-season record of 41.8 by Joe Cowan in 1967. He currently ranks fourth in the nation in punting average.
In addition to his exploits as a punter, Scott has also been one of the top place-kickers in the country over the last three years. He hit 13-of-19 field goals and 16-of-17 extra points this season and ended his career tied for third in Division III history with 43 field goals. He is believed to be the only player in Division III history to hit 13 or more field goals in three different seasons and is currently tied for third in the nation in field goals per game. He is the only player in the nation at any level to rank in the top five in punting average and field goals per game.
Scott is one of 48 NCAA Division III seniors from around the country who will make up this year's team. Former Widener, Delaware Valley and LaSalle Head Coach Bill Manlove will coach this year's team.
Event Information: This year's game is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. CST on December 16 at Estadio Victoria in Aguascalientes.
The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season-ending game for Mexico's college football season. The game has been played 35 times since 1947 with the last eight contests featuring the United States-Mexico match-up. The United States is 8-1 in the series and defeated Mexico, 53-15, in the 2005 game in Toluca.
Chitwood Sports Media of Jefferson, Texas will again provide a live webcast of the Aztec Bowl in 2006. Along with the game webcast on December 16, announcer Charlie Chitwood will provide 90-minute preview shows on December 12, 13, 14 and 15 The preview shows will originate from the Team USA hotel and will begin each night at 6:30 p.m. CST.
The preview shows and game webcast can all be accessed via the AFCA's website at www.afca.comand via the Aztec Bowl website at www.aztecbowl.com. Postgame results will also be available at www.afca.com.
Aztec Bowl Alumni: Two former Team USA members, London Fletcher and Clint Kriewaldt, are currently playing in the National Football League. Fletcher, who played at John Carroll and was a member of the 1997 U.S. team, is a linebacker with the Buffalo Bills. Kriewaldt was the Detroit Lions'1999 fifth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played in the 1998 Aztec Bowl. He is currently a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The AFCAwas founded in 1922 and currently has more than 10,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.
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