When you win several state championships and set a record for consecutive appearances in the state title game, your program sells itself.
For head coach Dameon Jones and his Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna Lions, the proof is certainly in what has happened on the football field – where this team has been to a state-record eight straight state championship games and continues to make an impact.
After sending a number of football players on to the next level – with more to come – the Lions have hit the off-season in a major way and the program, much like others in south Florida continues to show that if you win, the benefits will more than pay off.
While this region of the country has been recognized for the amount of transfers that take place, many schools have hit the ground running even before the start of spring. While the Lions are getting much of the spotlight before we even reach February, they are no alone.
Let’s face it – everyone gravitates to a winner. It’s human nature, and not just in athletics. It goes on every day in every walk of life, so it’s only natural that it has found its way to high school athletics. Over the past five years, over 1,000 student/athletes in football only have changed schools in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties alone! Those numbers could be on the low side.
With NIL college deals and transfer portals at an all time high, the process continues to find a home on high school campuses.
The success that the Lions have enjoyed at the national level is something that everyone has noticed. You just do not go unbeaten in the regular season two straight years, especially with a more than challenging schedule, have an 80-13 record since 2015and fly beneath the radar. Parents notice. Fellow coaches notice. Student/Athlete also notice.
NEW FACES ARE STARTING TO ARRIVE
With a second-place national finish, Chaminade has enjoyed some early benefits with transfers already coming over.
Among the student/athletes making a move include 2025 (rising seniors) Camari Hall (Athlete, Hollywood McArthur), nationally recognized receiver Koby Howard (Davie Western), and defensive lineman Matthew Pointer (Fort Lauderdale)
Class of 2026 standouts such as R.J. Alphonse (DE, Miami Lakes Barabara Goleman), No. 1 national receiver Jabari Brady (Coconut Creek Monarch), versatile prospect Derrick Cooper (Athlete, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons), fast-rising offensive lineman Ben Gula (Weston Cypress Bay), Leonzay Merzius (DB, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons), Miami Norland kicker Noah Sidan, who was one of the best in Florida this past season, leading the Vikings to the 2M state final, and recent addition Elias Sturman – (OL, 6-1, 300) from Bradenton IMG Academy.
There is also the addition of Class of 2027 nationally-rated quarterback Zach Katz, already a two-year varsity starter from Miami True North Classical Academy/
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For the past 54 years, we have spent plenty of time on football fields than anyone in the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we get to as many events as possible to see the athletes LIVE. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@larryblustein). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Every winter, while the snow is falling in many northern states, the sun is shining in south Florida.
With that in mind, several kickers, punters, and long snappers find their way south to take part in the prestigious Kornblue Kicking Showcase.
With some of the nation’s best coming from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and throughout Florida having the opportunity to compete against several nationally rated specialists, this is a must event to attend.
Last weekend, Fort Lauderdale’s Calvary Christian Academy opened its doors for two days of competition that attracted college and high school kickers, punters, and long snappers.
From established special teams players such as Brent Fardette III (K/P, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons), and long snapper Chase Ortiz (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) to Indiana All-State soccer player and kicker Paige Dill (Carmel Park Tudor), it was time to compete and thrust their names into the national spotlight.
THE COMPETITION WAS FIERCE
When the two days came to an end, there were several impressive performers who finished among the top. Here is a look at those prospects:
JUCO/2024 Kicking Champion – Zakaria Essaouab, Valencia Community College
JUCO/2024 Kicking 2nd Place – Beckham Sunderland, FC Cincinnati, Ohio
JUCO/2024 Punting Champion – Beckham Sunderland, FC Cincinnati, Ohio
JUCO/2024 Punting 2nd Place – Zakaria Essaouab, Zakaria Essaouab, Valencia Community College
JUCO/2024 Punting 3rd Place – Jake Aller, Miami Northwestern
JUCO/2024 Long Snapping Champion – David McDermott, Stuart South Fork
JUCO/2024 Long Snapping 2nd Place – Jacob Katz, Miami Ransom Everglades
JUCO/2024 Long Snapping 3rd Place – Albert Rodriguez, Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast
2025 Kicking Champion – Brogan Woeber, Jupiter
2025 Kicking 2nd Place – Marc Cappuccitti, Choate Rosemary, Connecticut
2025 Kicking 3rd Place – Cristian Murciano, Miami Gulliver Prep
2025 Punting Champion– Brent Fardette, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
2025 Punting 2nd Place – Marc Cappuccitti, Choate Rosemary, Connecticut
2025 Punting 3rd Place – Cristian Murciano, Miami Gulliver Prep
2025 Long Snapping Champion – Chase Ortiz, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
2025 Long Snapping 2nd Place – Deacon Jansen, Naples First Baptist
2025 Long Snapping 3rd Place – Chase White, Miami Ransom Everglades
2026 Kicking Champion – Francisco Moscoso, Miami Belen Jesuit
2026 Kicking 2nd Place – William Orlando, Avon Brownsburg, Indiana
2026 Kicking 3rd Place – Anthony Berrios. Lehigh Acres Lehigh
2026 Punting Champion – William Orlando, Avon Brownsburg, Indiana
2026 Punting 2nd Place – Karsyn Barghausen, Port Charlotte
2026 Punting 3rd Place – Justin Cassini, Plantation American Heritage
2026 Long Snapping Champion – Josh Silverstein, Plantation American Heritage
2026 Long Snapping 2nd Place – Holden Harkins, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
2026 Long Snapping 3rd Place (tie) – Jordan Mordis, Boca Raton St. Andrew’s Academy
2026 Long Snapping 3rd Place (tie) – James Nedley, Arcadia DeSoto
2027 Kicking Champion – Lucas Parker, Winter Park Lake Howell
2027 Kicking 2nd Place – Alec Martinez, Miami Ransom Everglades
2027 Kicking 3rd Place – Brayden Russell, Fort Myers
2027 Punting Champion – Brayden Russell, Fort Myers
2027 Punting 2nd Place – Andrew Leonard, Ocala Trinity Catholic
2027 Kicking 3rd Place – Cole Rodriguez, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
Youth Kicking/Punting Champion – Hunter Bray, Cypress Palm Middle School, Florida
THERE WERE OTHERS WHO ATTENDED
While not everyone who attended placed, there were others who benefitted from the showcase. Here is a look at all who also impressed:
COLLEGE
Sam Babbush, K, Charleston Southern, South Carolina
CLASS OF 2024
Tanner Block, K, Pompano Beach
Alex Ghelman, K/P, Naples Gulf Coast
Cooper Holman, K/P, Naples Gulf Coast
Enrique Olmos, K, South Fort Myers
CLASS OF 2025
Tom Breeze, K/P, Pine Crest Milton Academy, Florida
Jacob Corredera, K/P, Miami True North Classical Academy
Paige Dill, K, Carmel Park Tudor, Indiana
Sean Egloff, K, Englewood Lemon Bay
Carson Goulet, K/P, Pickerington Central, Ohio
Luke Lindsey, K, Vincennes Lincoln, Indiana
Adrian Muelle, K/P, Miami Belen Jesuit
Antonio Pasquatti, K, Plantation American Heritage
Gustavo Rafael-Cua, P, South Fort Myers
Jake Rosoff, P, Pompano Beach
Kevin Sheppard, K/P, Callahan West Nassau
Andre Shevchenko, K/P, Riviera Beach Inlet Grove
Cameron Stoltz, K/P, Troy, Ohio
Maximilian Wilson, P, Tampa Sickles
CLASS OF 2026
Dominic Celli, K, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
Johnny DiSalvatore, K/P, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
Max Kennedy, K, Stuart Martin County
Mason Sargis, K/P, North Fort Myers
Hudson Switken, K, Naples Lely
Conrad Tolerico, K, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
CLASS OF 2027
Kadin Koza, K/P, Sylvan Lakes Brother Rice, Michigan
LONG SNAPPERS 2024
Jackson Harper, Deerfield Beach
Albert Zapata, Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast
LONG SNAPPERS 2025
Daniel Gonzalez, Miami Christopher Columbus
Luke Hansen, Dearborn Devine Child, Michigan
Deacon Jansen, Naples First Baptist
Ty Kornblue, Naples Community School
Chase White, Miami Ransom Everglades
LONG SNAPPERS 2026
Evan Mickow, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas
Blake Thomas, Viera
LONG SNAPPERS 2027
Brody Fardette, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
For the past 54 years, we have spent plenty of time on football fields throughout the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we remain steadfast to promote all south Florida’s high school football prospects. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@larryblustein). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
When colleges and universities across the country head to Florida during the spring or any other time of a year, their focus is on the speed positions. It’s always been that way.
Receivers, running backs and defensive secondary performers are always a priority when it comes to the Sunshine State – and Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in particular.
When it comes to the quarterback position, it’s always been about putting the best athlete behind center, and not so much someone who has trained to play the position all of their young lives. But that has been changing.
Thanks to coaches and instructors such has Broward County product Oliver Bozeman and his Bozemanacademy.com, who continues to develop south Florida quarterbacks from a young age.
While many “quarterback gurus” want all the attention, Bozeman just wants to help upgrade the position, and he has certainly done that for well over a decade.
The former high school and collegiate standout saw what many recruiters who come to Florida to get their players watched. Athletes who are gifted but very few who learned to play the position.
Bozeman continues to develop the next generation of quarterback every week around the year.
Here is a look at some of the gifted prospects he continues to help:
2025
Dylan Pelliccio, 6-2, 207 Pembroke Pines West Broward
Josh Pulling, 6-2, 185, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy
Ennio Yapoor, 6-1, 215, Miami Norland
2026
Dia Bell, 6-2, 190, Plantation American Heritage
Bryant Carson, 6-0, 170, Plantation
Kymani Corbett, 6-2, 180, Miami Killian
Florentino Lopez, 6-2, 240, Hollywood McArthur
Jayden Torres, 6-2, 185, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
2027
Derrick Baker, 6-1, 200, Fort Lauderdale St Thomas Aquinas
Trenton Beesing, 5-8, 145, Pembroke Pines Charter
Jayden Bernard, Miami Central
Tyler Chance, 5-11, 160, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
Santiago “Santi” Gurwitz, 5-7, 160, Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy
Caleb Kronen, Hollywood McArthur
Zac Katz, 6-1, 195, Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna
Daughtry Nojaim, 5-7, 145, Pembroke Pines Charter
Logan Pelliccio, 5-9, 170, Pembroke Pines Flanagan
Jaeden Phillips, 5-11, 171, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy
Aiden Prywitowski, 5-10, 155, Coconut Creek North Broward Prep
Nate Silvestre, Pembroke Pines West Broward
Jack Spaeder, 6-2, 180, Coconut Creek Monarch
2028
Eumarion Beal, Coconut Creek North Broward prep
Logan Escobedo, 5-10, 145, Fort Lauderdale NSU University School
Cassius Enriquez, Hollywood Hills
Nehemiah Howard, Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy
Neimann Lawrence, 6-1, 175, Miami Ransom Everglades
2029
Lamech Rucker Jr., 6-1, 160, Miami True North Classical Academy
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
For the past 54 years, we have spent plenty of time on football fields throughout the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we remain steadfast to promote all south Florida’s high school football prospects. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@larryblustein). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Whether you buy into rankings or not, everyone loves to see their name.
Let’s face it. If you are ranked in any list, you are over the moon and believe it’s as valid as they come. But if you are not listed, the validity of the author(s) of these subjective measuring sticks just plain do not know the game and they should get another profession.
Having compiled lists for nearly six decades, there are no formulas to compare athletes unless they play against one another, or you see them live.
What lists have turned into are popularity contests. There are frankly too many people who listen to the advice of others who do not watch these prospects either. So what you get are evaluations based mostly on what happens and camps and combines – without pads and helmets, often based of physicality and NOT skill and leadership.
In addition, if you take any starting list of 150 players, by the time you publish the final list, it is a proven fact that 75 percent of the original list will not look anywhere like it did originally.
We must understand that because there are so many prospects in the state of Florida, each game, practice, camp or combine will have the authors of these rankings making numerous changes.
With that said, the recent early national Class of 2026 player rankings have been released and a number of Miami-Dade and Broward prospects are included – like every year.
Darryl Bell III, Athlete, 6-1, 180, Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman. Only in south Florida – with some of the best and most productive youth programs anywhere in the country, this amazing talent was more than ready to step in and make a difference in his very first season at the high school level. His dominance on either side of the ball and on special teams had programs like FSU making an offer from the start of his young career. With a solid 3.2 GPA in the classroom, this is a student/athlete who has lived up to all the hype.
TAPE: https://www.hudl.com/profile/17750834/darryl-bell-iii
Jabari Brady, WR, 6-3, 195, Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna. As we have stated in the past – before this elite playmaker made his move from Coconut Creek Monarch to the 1A powerhouse Lions, what else about this quality talent that has not been echoed dozens and dozens of times? This is an impact player that is extremely hard to cover with one player, and he showed it throughout the year, leading the Knights to the state semifinals. As elite as you will find, and he has only scratched the surface!
TAPE: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14832320/637c2260ab92460b50dfb1ab
Justice Fitzpatrick, Athlete, 6-0, 170, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. There is no getting around how gifted and versatile this impressive talent is. From his key interceptions as a freshman to what he put together in the off-season and during this past year, there is little doubt that this is a major prospect that continues to get better and tested by some quality receivers. The younger brother of standout NFL secondary performer, Minkah Fitzpatrick, his growth, and maturity has been noticed by every college and university and has been an asset to the five-time defending state champion Raiders.
TAPE: https://www.hudl.com/profile/17955822/Justice-Fitzpatrick
Calvin Russell, WR/Athlete, 6-4, 185, Miami Northwestern. You could tell from the time he stepped on the field as a freshman last year, this may be the most athletic talent in this class anywhere in the nation and it may not even be close. Not only is he a premier receiver, but also plays quarterback and is an elite basketball player. He will be part of the resurgence of this program in 2024. No matter if you’ve watched him play or not, the results speak for themselves.
TAPE: https://www.hudl.com/profile/17878157/Calvin-Russell
Malchi Toney, WR, 5-10, 180, Plantation American Heritage. Another elite football player was someone who made an impact from the very first game he took part in as a ninth grader on national television against Las Alamitos of California. All he has done since then is dominate and play way above his year. He has been so impressive that the University of Miami landed him after just one varsity season! A huge impact player that has two full years remaining.
TAPE: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17846385/65a1fa13c1199d03eca72dd7
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
For the past 54 years, we have spent plenty of time on football fields throughout the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we remain steadfast to promote all south Florida’s high school football prospects. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@larryblustein). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This is the time of year when several people hold camps and combines, and while exposure is always helpful, many of these companies are in it to make money.
The true measure of any event is how they follow up with the student/athletes who attend. Prep Redzone is a company that has rapidly passed by these “money-makers” who emerge during January and February and aren’t seen for another 10 months. They are never seen at games or summer camps. It is not a good look, and high school coaches, parents and athletes have started to pick up on it.
If you follow Prep Redzone Florida during the course of a year, you already know that prospects are promoted and evaluated every day. Go to the website and you will see.
After a few years of hosting events on the west coast of Florida, this Sunday, January 17th, the Prep Redzone Stock Up Showcase is coming to south Florida, and Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, The Keys, Collier, Lee, Martin, Indian River, Highlands, Hendry and all of the areas that make up south, southwest and the treasure coast will be right in the epicenter as college and high school coaches will instruct and evaluate, getting prospects out.
Holiday Park, in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, will be the place to be for three hours of instruction and major exposure.
“We have put student/athletes on the map that no football fan had ever heard about,” said Analyst Shannon Jordan. “No matter where it is in this state, we have provided the team and player exposure.”
The Prep Redzone Stock Up Showcase is a great opportunity for high school football prospects to get exposure. Testing results will be recorded for colleges across the country to access following the event. It is open to athletes from 2024-2027!
With Prep Redzone scouts in attendance, dedicated to highlighting top performers, players will receive unparalleled coverage before, during, and after the event on PrepRedzone.com and social media.
PrepRedzone.com is an approved scouting service in accordance with NCAA bylaws, policies, and procedures. College football coaches from all divisions (Division 1 - NAIA) are permitted to subscribe.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE EVENT
After check-in, athletes will have a professional headshot taken for identification and will have their height/weight recorded. From there, the showcase is broken into three portions: testing, position-specific drills, and 1-on-1 competition. Testing will include the 40-yard dash (hand-timed), pro shuttle (hand-timed), L Drill (hand-timed), and broad jump.
SESSION BREAKDOWN
Check-in: 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Testing and Drills: 12:00 pm-3:00 pm
Coverage and photos of the event will be available in the days after the event on PrepRedzone.com and primarily on https://prepredzone.com/florida/
“This is a huge opportunity for athletes from Pensacola to Key West to jump on the recruiting radar with people who cover the game and state throughout the year,” said Recruiting Analyst Drew Johnson. “We cover camps, combines, 7-on-7 events, spring football, summer football and the entire season. That is something that very few can do.”
College coaches across the country continue to make Prep Redzone Florida their first stop every day to read profiles, team and recruiting information and get recruiting information.
Sign Up At: https://events.prepredzone.com/e/946/register/stock-up-showcase-florida
USE COUPON CODE: BlusteinStockUp2023
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..