Specialists Emerge In National Showcase
They came from Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Georgia and Indiana. From south Florida and throughout the Sunshine State. The annual Kornblue Fab 50 Summer Specialist Showcase made its way to southwest Florida and the all new Paradise…
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Continue ReadingThey came from Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Georgia and Indiana. From south Florida and throughout the Sunshine State.
The annual Kornblue Fab 50 Summer Specialist Showcase made its way to southwest Florida and the all new Paradise Sports Complex in Naples last weekend.
The very best kickers, punters and long snappers competed in this two day event where competition was certainly the order of business.
With this pandemic going on throughout the country, it has been tough on everyone, but it was the special teams players who emerged as champions on this weekend. The best in every class kicked, punted and long snapped against the very best competition around.
What has now become a ritual twice a year, Brandon Kornblue and his staff come to the Sunshine State with the idea of helping to promote and expose hard working talent that are trying to grab the attention of colleges and universities during one of the toughest times of our lives.
“I am blown away at how many specialists came here at a very rough time,” said Kornblue, a resident of Bonita Springs, but a former standout at the University of Michigan. “We provided a safe environment in this beautiful facility, and these young men responded in a major way.
Emerge as Fab 50 5-Star prospects included five seniors and a junior. Only Massillon, Ohio standout kicker/punter and linebacker Magnus Haines was the only out of state winner in this competitive event.
Haines was one of two elite punters. This four-year starter for the famed state champion Massillon Tigers was indeed impressive.
Joining Haines as a 5-Star punter was Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas standout Noah Botsford Noah Botsford P Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas | 2021 FL , who also was a head-turner in the kickoff competition as well.
Botsford is a member of the co-national champion Raiders.
Long snappers also stole the show as Palm Coast Matanzas senior Rex Robich Rex Robich LS Palm Coast Matanzas | 2021 FL and Miami Christopher Columbus standout Francisco Castro Francisco Castro LS Miami Christopher Columbus | 2021 FL , who will be a preferred walk-on at the University of Miami, headed and very talented list.
Castro was a member of the 8A state champion Explorers.
The kickers were also amazing with senior Adam Mihalek (Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch) and nationally-rated junior Will Bettridge coming away as the weekend’s big winners in the kicking competition. Both were impressive on kickoffs, but also quality field goal specialists as well.
Bettridge is just a junior from Miami Gulliver Prep. He showcased his many talents as a kicker. In addition to being a tremendous student, he is a pitcher and outfielder for the Raiders’ baseball program – and has been making a name for himself this summer.
“You cannot say enough about all the young men who took part, but those who ended as our Fab 50 5 Stars, they seemed to turn it up a notch when they needed to,” Kornblue explained.
SHOWCASE RESULTS
JUCO/College Transfer Kicking 1st Place
Victor Barbosa, Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy
2021 Kicking Champion
Dylan Liska, K, Jupiter
2021 Kicking 2nd Place
Andres Borregales Andres Borregales K Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna | 2021 FL , Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna
2021 Kicking 3rd Place
Adam Mihalek, Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch
2021 Kicking 3rd Place
Jack Howes, Orlando Edgewater
2021 Kicking 3rd Place
Max Larsen, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
2021 Punting Champion
Magnus Haines, Massillon Washington, Ohio
2021 Punting 2nd Place
Noah Botsford Noah Botsford P Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas | 2021 FL , Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
2021 Punting 3rd Place
Jack Howes, Orlando Edgewater
2021 Long Snapping Champion
Rex Robich Rex Robich LS Palm Coast Matanzas | 2021 FL , Palm Coast Matanzas
2021 Long Snapping 2nd Place
Francisco Castro Francisco Castro LS Miami Christopher Columbus | 2021 FL , Miami Christopher Columbus
2021 Long Snapping 3rd Place
Ben Bergfeld, Davenport North, Iowa
2022 Kicking Champion
Will Bettridge, Miami Gulliver Prep
2022 Kicking 2nd Place
Luis Palenzuela, Miami Christopher Columbus
2022 Kicking 3rd Place
Dean Gordon, Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest
2022 Punting Champion
Carson Holmer, Avon, Indiana
2022 Punting 2nd Place
Will Bettridge, Miami Gulliver Prep
2022 Punting 3rd Place
Jayden John, Miami Central
2022 Long Snapping Champion
Tony Sabella, Orlando Bishop Moore
2022 Long Snapping 2nd Place
2022 -Brendan O’Connell, Bonita Springs
2023 Kicking Champion
Kirill Kotov, Venice
2023 Kicking 2nd Place
Jonathan Walker, Melbourne
2023 Kicking 3rd Place
Alex Davis, Orlando Timber Creek
2023 Punting Champion
Alex Davis, Orlando Timber Creek
2023 Punting 2nd Place
Jonathan Walker, Melbourne
2023 Punting 3rd Place
Jason Slicker, Englewood Lemon Bay
2023 Long Snapping Champion
Aiden Arias, Plantation American Heritage
2023 Long Snapping 2nd Place
Dominic Diaz, Weston Cypress Bay
2023 Long Snapping 3rd Place
Braeden Covan, Spartanburg Dorman, South Carolina
2023 Long Snapping 3rd Place
George Shannon, Gainesville Buchholz
2024 Kicking Champion
Cosme Salas, Miami Gulliver Prep
2024 Kicking 2nd Place
Carlos Saladrgas, Miami Christopher Columbus
2024 Kicking 3rdPlace
Kristian Hobbs, Sunrise Millennium Middle School
2024 Punting Champion
Cosme Salas, Miami Gulliver Prep
2024 Punting 2nd Place
Kristian Hobbs, Sunrise Millennium Middle School
2024 Long Snapping Champion
Jonathan Zarut, Miami Somerset Academy
YOUTH Kicking Champion
2025 – Vaughn Lennon, Fort Myers Cypress Middle School
In addition to those standouts, here is a listing of all who took part in this always competitive and well run showcase:
2022 – GianCarlo Abbate, K/P, Miami Christian
2022 – Thomas Abood, K, Naples Community School
2022 – Matt Ahmed, K/P, Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy
2023 – Rowe Allen, K, Miami Christopher Columbus
2022 – Zach Alvarez, K, Miami Monsignor Pace
2024 – Quinn Anderson, K/P, Sarasota Riverview
2023 – Samir Atassi, K/P, Plantation American Heritage
2021 – Brooks Bak Brooks Bak LS Tampa Plant | 2021 FL , LS, Tampa Plant
2021 – Jackson Beebe, K/P, Naples Gulf Coast
2022 – Alejo Beteta, K, Miami Belen Jesuit
2022 – Aaron Bickerton, K/P, Naples Gulf Coast
2021 – Matt Bosset Matt Bosset LS Daytona Beach Seabreeze | 2021 FL , LS, Daytona Beach Seabreeze
2021 – Ethan Boulanger, K/P, Coconut Creek Monarch
2022 – Colin Boyd, K/P, Bradenton Braden River
2022 – Brandon Bush, K, North Fort Myers
2022 – Matthew Campbell, K, Naples Barron Collier
2022 – Caleb Carlson, K, Miami Ransom Everglades
2022 – Colton Castillo, K, Naples
2022 – Chris Cayton, K/P, Fort Myers Cypress Lake
2021 – Jake Delaney, LS, Naples Gulf Coast
2022 – Allesandro Di Clemente, K, Parkland Douglas
2022 – Everest Ferrell, K/P, Delray American Heritage
2021 – Destin Fillmore, LS, Naples Barron Collier
2021 – Gavin Galloway, LS, Ooltewah East Hamilton, Tennessee
2021 – Jose Garcia, K, Belle Glade Glades Central
2022 – Peyton Giersbrook, K, Boca Raton
2023 – Jeffrey Hernandez, PK, Coconut Creek
2021 – Joshua Lopes Joshua Lopes K Doral Academy | 2021 FL , K/P, Doral Academy
2021 – Carlos Mar, K/P, Fort Myers Riverdale
2021 – Christopher Maron Christopher Maron K Plantation American Heritage | 2021 FL , P/K, Plantation American Heritage
2022 – Brandon Matson, K/P, Apopka
2021 – Hector Molero, K, Pembroke Pines Flanagan
2022 – Ethan Moncada, K, Hialeah Champagnat Catholic
2022 – Mason Motto, K/P, Daytona Beach Seabreeze
2022 – Javier Novoa, K, Miami Christopher Columbus
2021 – Andrew Piercy, K/P, Warrenton Kettle Run, Virginia
2021 – Alejandro Prado Alejandro Prado P Miami Christopher Columbus | 2021 FL , K/P, Miami Christopher Columbus
2022 – Sebastian Pucher, K, Greenwood Village Arapahoe, Colorado
2022 – Bailey Russell, K/P, Fort Myers
2022 – Steve Shore, K/P, Lake Worth Park Vista
2022 – Trey Stephens, K/P, Acworth North Cobb, Georgia
2021 – Drake Tabor, K, Birmingham Spain Park, Alabama
2020 – William Schade, K, Sunrise Piper
2021 – Kade Wehby Kade Wehby LS Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas | 2021 FL , LS, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
2021 – Luke Wheatley, K/P, Venice
2021 – Carson Wilt, K/P, Delray Atlantic
2022 – Grant Woodfin, K, Galena Worthington Christian, Oklahoma
2023 – Colin Young, K, Lutz Steinbrenner
2021 – Leo Zuazo, K, Miami Northwestern
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