Special Teams Takes Center Stage At Kornblue Challenge

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On a day where dozens of events related to football took place in South Florida, the interest that the Kornblue Spring Kicking & Snapping Challenge attracted was impressive.

One of the most overlooked parts of any football program is certainly a place where most games are won and lost.

Special teams continue either be the proverbial ace in the hole that lifts a program or are the stubbed toe that hinders programs who do not spend time perfecting them.

Without a kicker, punter, long snapper and players who propel their careers by making a name on kickoff and punt teams, championships would not be won.

Brandon Kornblue has been the pied piper for kickers over the past decade plus. During that time, he developed a number of big-time kickers and punters who have gone on to the next level.

What Kornblue does a few times a year is to host a showcase down at Cardinal Gibbons High in Fort Lauderdale. The invitation is open to the best kickers in the country. He also hosts his many events across the nation, making a stop at his alma mater, the University of Michigan.

"We teach the complete special teams package," Kornblue has longed preached. "Kickers, punters and long snappers are taught by our outstanding instructors who have played at the next level and beyond."

The Saturday showcase gave so many local kickers, punters and long snappers that opportunity to get out and make a solid showing against some of the nation's best.

"Our winter event usually gets more kids from around the country, but we did attract athletes from Georgia, Texas, Michigan North Carolina, Pennsylvania and all over Florida to our Fort Lauderdale showcase," Kornblue added.

For freshman long snapper Frank Melgarejo, who played this past season at Miami Coral Reef, but will play this coming season for Rocco Casullo and Mater Academy, the camp was invaluable. Melgarejo is a quality long snapper and offensive line and attended the event for the second straight year.

In Saturday's competition, he finished second in his class with 53 points.

"I put in a lot of work," he said. "When you come out here, there are very good long snappers from all over the have been at his for a long time."

Melgarejo is not the only South Floridian that was turning heads. Cardinal Gibbons senior Paul Lawless may be one of the best around. He was easily one of the best in the event and is excited about the season ahead and first-year head coach Matt Dubuc, who was recently tabbed to replace Mike Morrill.

"We have a really good team and everyone has worked very hard," said Lawless, who boasts a 4.7 weighted grade point average. "A lot of hard work by everyone and we can be right back in the playoffs. We are all excited about Coach Dubuc."

COMPETITION IS GREAT
When the competition took hold, there was no shortage of great special teams players in action. The classes were broken down by junior college, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The junior college punting event was captured by Beckly Njoh (1,007.5 points). The Lakeland resident is a Class of 2014 high school graduate.

The Class of 2017 division was won by finished Jacksonville Trinity Christian's Frankie Onate (1,013.5), Alex Usry (999), a 2017 prospect, who came from ELCA, McDonough, Ga., and winter champion Devyn McCormick (2017) from Port Charlotte were the top three.

Class of 2018 was won by Okeechobee's Jarrett Mills, North Port's Devon Allen and Taravella's promising special teams performer, Griffin Cerra.

In The Class of 2019, the talent was also elite – with Tampa Jesuit standout Aiden Swanson winning the division. Talented Zack Sessa from Venice was second and Kenny Scribner from Punta Gorda Charlotte was third.

In the Kicking portion of the showcase, Beckley, and Fort Lauderdale High grad Javier Salas captured the junior college division.

Class of 2017 kicking was won by Fort Valley Peach County (Ga.) standout Omar Cervantes (15 points) was ahead of Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch outstanding athlete Chris Faddoul (14 points), and Lake Mary High Grant Goupil and Usry tied for third with 13 points.

In the Class of 2018, Lake Travis, Tx. big time prospect Cameron Dicker took first place with 15 points. Mitchell Fineran of Brunswick (Ga.) took second Cerra finished third.

After finishing second in the punting competition, Sessa came back to take first place in the Class of 2019. Swanson was second, and versatile St. Thomas Aquinas rising standout Billy McConnell, was tied for third with Kenny Scribner of Punta Gorda Charlotte.

The long snappers were also competitive – and it was indeed an event that brought some quality special teams players.

Winning the junior college competition was Hialeah-Miami Lakes graduate Jose Carballo (70 points.

Class of 2017 was won by Thomas Zusos (Punta Gorda), who finished with 98 points. In second place was Jack Coco (87) of Johns Creek, Ga., and third place was taken by Reeves Blankenship of Springfield, La.

Class of 2018 winner was Braxton Baker of Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian Academy (70), Nick Gleaton (Zephyrhills) was second and Archbishop McCarthy's promising Ramsey Baty.

Winning the Class of 2019 competition was Mark Fuchs.

TALENT WAS EVERYWHERE
In addition to some of those performances that many caught, other special teams prospects also came out to showcase their many skills. From the Tampa area, Jacksonville, Orlando, Fort Myers, Zephyrhills, Bradenton and Wesley Chapel (north of Tampa), they came from all over.

2017 – Cesar Barajas, K/P, Arcadia DeSoto
2017 – Phillip Barbar, LS, Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy
2017 – Kendall Batt, LS, Orlando Olympia
2017 – David Contreras, K/P, Miami Columbus
2017 – Ian Deneen, LS, Winter Garden West Orange
2017 – Jacob Enns, K/P, Tampa Cambridge
2017 – William Fink, Long Snapper, Western
2017 – Kelvin Flores, K/P, Miami Northwestern
2017 – Alec Hallman, K/P, Lithia Newsome
2018 – Chris Heidt, K, Fort Myers Bishop Verot
2020 – Nick Herber, K/P, Naples Gulf Coast
2017 – Brandon Hipps, K/P, Avon Park
2020 – Hristos Kommates, K, Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy
2018 – Reece Kramer, K/P, Cardinal Gibbons
2017 – Eli McMullen, LS, Okeechobee
2018 – Harrison Newhouse, K, Boca Raton St. Andrews
2018 – Aaron Quiambo, K/P, Tampa Jefferson
2017 – Nico Ramos, K/P, Miami Ransom Everglades
2017 – Vladimir Rivas, K, Booker T. Washington
2017 – Nikolas Savolidis, K/P, Spring Hill Bishop McLaughlin
2019 – Zach Sessa, K/P, Venice
2018 – Timothy Sivore, LS, Cardinal Gibbons
2017 – Matt Schuetz, LS, Taravella
2019 – Kyle Stevens, K/P, Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian
2018 – Michael Webster, K/P, New Port Richey River Ridge
2017 – Coby Weiss, K/P, Gainesville Buchholz
2019 – Jack Weiss, K/P, Gainesville Buchholz
2018 – Austin White, K, Naples First Baptist Academy
2018 – Eddie Williams III, K/P, Cape Coral Christian
2017 – Slade Yester, LS, Cooper City