LANCASTER, Pa. -- November 16, 1998 -- Western Maryland, which captured its second straight Centennial championship, placed 12 players on the 1998 All-Centennial Conference Football team which was announced today.
Green Terror junior quarterback Ron Sermarini (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) was named the Conference's Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, while Dickinson senior lineman Jason Shoff (Columbia, PA/Columbia) was selected as the Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. The balloting was conducted by the eight head coaches.
Sermarini, a unanimous choice as first-team quarterback, repeats as the Conference's Offensive Player of the Year and is the third player to win the Conference's (Offensive or Defensive) Player of the Year honors twice. He led the Conference in pass efficiency (146.2 pts.), completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 1,639 yards and 16 TDs, while only suffering four interceptions. Sermarini also finished second in total offense (1,938 yds.) and stands fourth in Centennial history in career total offense (5,737) with a season to play.
Shoff becomes the fourth Red Devil to win Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was one of the leaders of a Dickinson defense that was second in the Conference in three categories - scoring defense (10.3 ppg), rushing defense (98.7 ypg) and total defense (267.4 ypg). Shoff, a unanimous choice at first-team defensive line, was second on the squad in tackles with 89, while also recording a team-high 11.5 sacks, as the Devils led the Conference with 42.
Western Maryland, which has won 14 straight Conference and 20 consecutive regular-season games, placed seven players on the first team, two on the second unit and three received honorable mention. Senior OL Mat Mathias (Westminster, MD/Westminster) and Ryan Hines (Monrovia, MD/Linganore) repeated as first-teamers. Senior DL Zach Galemore (Spring Grove, PA/South Western), junior LB Tom Selecky (Claymont, DE/Brandywine) and junior DB Marvin Deal (New Carrollton, MD/DuVal) also received their second first-team nod, while senior DB Tom Lapato (Mount Airy, MD/South Carroll) makes his first appearance on the elite squad. Mathias and Deal were unanimous selections. The Green Terror led the Conference in seven categories - scoring offense (36.9 ppg), total offense (395.8 ypg), rushing defense (84.7 ypg), pass efficiency defense (77.5 pts), total defense (243.3 ypg), scoring defense (10.1 ppg) and turnover margin (+25). Also selected from WMC were sophomores PK Brent Sandrock (Pittsburgh, PA/South Park), DL Kevin Kramer (Port Charlotte, FL/Charlotte), RB Joe Kendorski (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) and WR Mike Starke (Waldorf, MD/Woodberry Forest, VA).
Two players joined an elite group of players who have been named first-team All-Centennial three times - Gettysburg junior RB Paul Smith (Ventnor, NJ/Holy Spirit) and Ursinus senior DB Pete Hinckle (Wayne, PA/Archbishop Carroll). Smith led the Conference with 1,515 rushing yards and set a Centennial record with 2,438 all-purpose yards. He was also named the first-team kick returner. Hinckle was fourth in the CC in interceptions with five. They are the 18th and 19th players to earn first-team All-Centennial three times since the Conference's inception in 1983.
Also repeating on the first unit are Muhlenberg senior RB Jason Brader (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) and Johns Hopkins junior OL David Perna (Verona, NJ/Seton Hall Prep). Brader was second in rushing with 1,278 yards, while Perna, a unanimous selection, was the leader of the interior for the second-most productive offense in the Conference (377.5 ypg, 28.8 ppg). Dickinson had four players named to the first-team offense - senior WR Thacher Goodwin (Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy), senior TE Luke Bussard (Wilmington, DE/Tower Hill School), junior OL Jim Reimold (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) and junior PK Joel Heintzelman (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood). Muhlenberg had two other first-teamers on offense in junior WR Kenyamo McFarlane (New York, NY/Proctor Academy, NH) and OL Patrick Shelley (Allentown, PA/Parkland).
Repeating as first-teamers on defense were Dickinson senior LB Kevin Czarkowski (Dickson, PA/Mid-Valley) and Johns Hopkins junior DB Harrison Bernstein (Fairlawn, NJ/Fairlawn). Czarkowski was a unanimous choice after leading the Devils with 107 tackles, while Bernstein, the 1997 CC Defensive Player of the Year, was second on the Jays with 72 stops.
Joining Shoff and Galemore in the trenches are Franklin & Marshall senior John Greene (Butler, MD/St. Paul's) and Johns Hopkins junior Greg Gorla (Hamilton Square, NJ/Hamilton East). Ursinus junior Mike Vecchio (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) rounds out the LB trio, while Franklin & Marshall sophomore Andy Gilburg (Lancaster, PA/Manheim Twp.) is the All-CC punter.
Two Centennial teams were selected to participate in the post-season. Western Maryland will travel to San Antonio, TX to take on Trinity in the first round of the NCAA Division III championship on Saturday, Nov. 21. Dickinson will battle Wesley in the ECAC South Region playoffs in Dover, Del. on Saturday.
The complete All-Centennial football team follows:
1998 All-Centennial Conference Football Team
First Team Offense Pos Name Cl Ht Wt Hometown / High School QB * Ron Sermarini, Western Maryland Jr. 5-11 180 Toms River, NJ / Toms River North RB + Paul Smith, Gettysburg Jr. 5-9 194 Ventnor, NJ / Holy Spirit RB * Jason Brader, Muhlenberg Sr. 5-11 210 Bethlehem, PA / Liberty WR Kenyamo McFarlane, Muhlenberg Jr. 6-4 210 New York, NY / Proctor Academy (NH) WR Thacher Goodwin, Dickinson Sr. 6-3 181 Philadelphia, PA / Chestnut Hill Academy TE Luke Bussard, Dickinson Sr. 6-0 225 Wilmington, DE / Tower Hill School OL * David Perna, Johns Hopkins Jr. 6-1 260 Verona, NJ / Seton Hall Prep OL * Mat Mathias, Western Maryland Sr. 6-6 260 Westminster, MD / Westminster OL * Ryan Hines, Western Maryland Sr. 6-2 300 Monrovia, MD / Linganore OL Jim Reimold, Dickinson Jr. 6-1 229 Fogelsville, PA / Northwestern Lehigh OL Patrick Shelley, Muhlenberg Sr. 6-3 245 Allentown, PA / Parkland PK Joel Heintzelman, Dickinson Jr. 5-9 160 Mountaintop, PA / Crestwood First Team Defense Pos Name Cl Ht Wt Hometown / High School DL # Jason Shoff, Dickinson Sr. 6-0 240 Columbia, PA / Columbia DL * Zach Galemore, Western Maryland Jr. 6-0 265 Spring Grove, PA / South Western DL John Greene, Frank. & Marsh. Sr. 6-3 215 Butler, MD / St. Paul's DL Greg Gorla, Johns Hopkins Jr. 6-0 250 Hamilton Square, NJ / Hamilton East LB * Kevin Czarkowski, Dickinson Sr. 6-0 215 Dickson, PA / Mid-Valley LB * Tom Selecky, Western Maryland Jr. 5-11 230 Claymont, DE / Brandywine LB Mike Vecchio, Ursinus Jr. 5-8 205 Shillington, PA / Governor Mifflin DB * Marvin Deal, Western Maryland Jr. 6-0 175 New Carrollton, MD / DuVal DB * Harrison Bernstein, Johns Hopkins Jr. 5-10 185 Fairlawn, NJ / Fairlawn DB # Tom Lapato, Western Maryland Sr. 6-0 200 Mount Airy, MD / South Carroll DB Peter Hinckle, Ursinus Sr. 5-10 165 Wayne, PA / Archbishop Carroll P Andy Gilburg, Frank. & Marsh. So. 6-0 207 Lancaster, PA / Manheim Township KR Paul Smith, Gettysburg Jr. 5-9 194 Ventnor, NJ / Holy Spirit Second Team Offense Pos Name Cl Ht Wt Hometown / High School QB Mike Higgins, Frank. & Marsh. Sr. 5-11 199 Kulpmont, PA / Mt. Carmel RB Adam Gentile, Johns Hopkins Jr. 5-8 175 Middletown, NJ / Middletown South RB Peter Hawken, Dickinson Sr. 6-1 198 Fairfax, VA / W.T. Woodson WR Justin Bellochio, Johns Hopkins Sr. 6-0 180 Ridgefield Park, NJ / Ridgefield WR Nathan Schmitt, Frank. & Marsh. Sr. 6-4 207 Carlisle, PA / Cumberland Valley TE Andy Gilburg, Frank. & Marsh. So. 6-0 207 Lancaster, PA / Manheim Township OL Mitch Pearlman, Johns Hopkins Sr. 6-3 250 Cherry Hill, NJ / Cherry Hill East OL Bill Beining, Gettysburg Jr. 6-3 273 Toms River, NJ / Toms River South OL Mike Guziewicz, Frank. & Marsh. Sr. 6-2 254 Norristown, PA / Kennedy-Kenrick OL Chris Baugh, Johns Hopkins Sr. 6-4 315 San Rafael, CA / St. Ignatius OL Terry Kohler, Dickinson Jr. 5-11 199 Glenmoore, PA / Downingtown PK # Brent Sandrock, W. Maryland So. 5-9 165 Pittsburgh, PA / South Park Second Team Defense Pos Name Cl Ht Wt Hometown / High School DL Kevin Kramer, W. Maryland So. 6-0 230 Port Charlotte, FL / Charlotte DL * Mike Quartey, Frank. & Marsh. Jr. 5-10 234 Voorhees, NJ / Eastern DL David Jones, Muhlenberg So. 6-2 238 Bangor, PA / Bangor DL Anthony Ciarlello, Ursinus Jr. 6-0 285 Havertown, PA / Episcopal Academy LB # Dave Neal, Dickinson Sr. 6-3 194 Lambertville, NJ / South Hunterdon LB Joe Gmitter, Muhlenberg Jr. 6-0 220 Catasauqua, PA / Catasauqua LB * Greg Shambaugh, Frank. & Marsh. Sr. 5-10 201 Lemoyne, PA / Cedar Cliff DB * Jake Feltenberger, Dickinson Sr. 5-11 168 Pottstown, PA / Owen J. Roberts DB Bob Chesney, Dickinson Jr. 5-10 165 Kulpmont, PA / Lourdes Regional DB % Dan Warchol, Frank. & Marsh. Sr. 5-7 175 Attleboro, MA / Attleboro DB Justin Kamm, Johns Hopkins Jr. 6-1 195 Warren, NJ / Immaculata P Joel Heintzelman, Dickinson Jr. 5-9 160 Mountaintop, PA / Crestwood KR * Marvin Deal, Western Maryland Jr. 6-0 175 New Carrollton, MD / DuVal Honorable Mention Offense Pos Name Cl Ht Wt Hometown / High School RB Joe Kendorski, Western Maryland So. 5-8 170 Philadelphia, PA / Northeast WR Mike Starke, Western Maryland So. 6-2 195 Waldorf, MD / Woodberry Forest, VA OL Tom Diefenderfer, Dickinson Jr. 6-0 237 Fogelsville, PA / Northwestern Lehigh Honorable Mention Defense Pos Name Cl Ht Wt Hometown / High School DL # Larry Gulotta, Johns Hopkins Sr. 6-2 230 Calumet City, IL / Thornwood DL Tony Skiadas, Swarthmore Sr. 6-0 190 Kennett Square, PA / Tower Hill School, DE LB J.R. Gurrieri, Johns Hopkins So. 5-8 210 Howell, NJ / Howell LB Matt Meiklejohn, W. Maryland Jr. 6-3 205 Gaithersburg, MD / Damascus LB Joe Gillespie, Frank. & Marsh. Jr. 6-0 223 Lansdale, PA / North Penn DB Jason Dobry, Frank. & Marsh. Jr. 5-8 171 Pottstown, PA / St. Pius X P James Barski, Muhlenberg So. 5-10 175 Wayne, NJ / Wayne Valley + First-Team All-Centennial, 1996 and 1997 * First-Team All-Centennial, 1997 # Second-Team All-Centennial, 1997 % Honorable Mention All-Centennial, 1997 Offensive Player of the Year - Ron Sermarini, QB, Western Maryland Defensive Player of the Year - Jason Shoff, DL, Dickinson Centennial Conference Players of the Year 1983 - Rick Conner, Western Maryland, DB 1984 - Glenn Bennett, Swarthmore, QB 1985 - Mark Campbell, Johns Hopkins, QB 1986 - John Travagline, Franklin & Marshall, QB 1987 - Dale Amos, Franklin & Marshall, WR 1988 - Jack Savage, Franklin & Marshall, DT 1989 - Dale Amos, Franklin & Marshall, WR; Mike Birosak, Dickinson, RB 1990 - J.P. Bernatavitz, Dickinson, RB 1991 - Eric Frees, Western Maryland, RB 1992 - Chip Chevalier, Swarthmore, QB Centennial Conference Offensive Players of the Year 1993 - Bill Sedgwick, Ursinus, RB 1994 - Chris Adams, Gettysburg, QB 1995 - Beau Eckert, Franklin & Marshall, QB 1996 - Beau Eckert, Franklin & Marshall, QB 1997 - Ron Sermarini, Western Maryland, QB 1998 - Ron Sermarini, Western Maryland, QB Centennial Conference Defensive Players of the Year 1993 - Frank Fosko, Dickinson, DE 1994 - Jason Fox, Dickinson, LB 1995 - Matt Bixler, Dickinson, LB 1996 - Jim Wilson, Johns Hopkins, DL 1997 - Harrison Bernstein, Johns Hopkins, DB 1998 - Jason Shoff, Dickinson, DL-30-