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Neumann's Griffin wins Kicking Challenge
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Jack Griffin knows pressure.
As one of the top kickers in Southwest Florida, the St. John Neumann junior has made his share of field goals for the Celtics on fall Friday nights.
Griffin got the chance to do something similar on Saturday morning at Bishop Verot, as 14 kickers and punters from the area chased bragging rights -- and a framed football, to boot -- in the inaugural Southwest Florida Kicking Challenge, presented by Kornblue Kicking School.
As usual, he came through.
Griffin made 13 straight field goals before missing a couple of bonus tries from 63 yards, easily enough to distance himself in the kicking portion of this battle royal.
Cape Coral junior Kenton Beal won the punting portion of the contest.
"There was tremendous pressure," Griffin said Monday. "It was the pressure of trying to keep up with the other guys."
Griffin did -- and then some -- as he scored the most points both on kickoffs and field goals, the components that, together, decided the winner of the kicking contest.
Like the other kickers, Griffin got six kickoffs from the 40-yard line. He did better than anyone, putting two into the end zone and three more out of it.
In the field goal competition, kickers were eliminated after missing their second try. Griffin made kicks from as deep as 60 yards before missing two from 63.
By then, it was over.
Estero-based kicking guru Brandon Kornblue presented Griffin the framed football at the end. The crowd of competitors cheered Griffin on.
The real reward, however, might come down the road.
Kornblue, who counts Griffin among his students, organized Saturday's event to help kickers in Southwest Florida attract the interest of college recruiters. That's one reason he made sure every kick of the day was on film and available for entrants to use in their highlight packages.
"That's the primary purpose," said Kornblue, who set arenafootball2 records for field goals and PATs in his days as a Florida Firecats star. "It's about helping the kids on the recruiting end."
Separate from the kicking competition was the punting portion of the contest, where distance and hang time combined to determine scores. Griffin didn't fare as well there, as Beal returned from a Class 5A playoff game Friday night to claim top honors.
"I'm looking forward to next year," Griffin said. "I'm just hoping I'll do better in the punting."
Kornblue hopes the Challenge will grow into an annual event. Since Griffin and Beal are juniors, he'd likely have a couple of defending champions for the second season.
But first things first.
Griffin said he will be in California next month for a national kicking contest. He believes the confidence he gained from Saturday's win will help him.
"Knowing I can do it here," Griffin said, "makes me think I can do the same thing over there."
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