American Heritage, Clewiston, Suncoast lead charge at Down and Dirty Camp
By Naji Tobias
Prepbuilders.com Editor
DELAND – Ronny Smith and a slew of others got “down and dirty” at a Central Florida camp that took place from June 30-July 3.
Located at Stetson University in Deland, the Bishop Dullaghan Down and Dirty Lineman Camp took scores of attendees through a series of fundamental drills and team-building challenges they will not soon forget.
The three-day camp consisted of several practices that keyed in on techniques such as gap control, pursuit angles, neutralization, separation, pass blocking, drive blocking, double team blocking, reach blocking, second level blocking, zone blocking, pulling and trapping, stance and starts, combo blocks, key education and tackling.
Linemen from American Heritage (Delray Beach), Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens), Clewiston, Forest Hill (West Palm Beach), Palm Beach Gardens, Park Vista (Lake Worth), St. Andrews (Boca Raton) and Suncoast (Riviera Beach) were among those who used the experience to their advantage.
“It was a good experience for us,” the American Heritage 2014 OL said. “It was a grind and we got a lot of work in.”
At the Down and Dirty, a total of seven practice opportunities took place, using a 2-3-2 practice format for the three days.
On the camp’s last day, campers used their helmets and pads to engage in
contact events that included the following: Escape from Baghdad, boards, pass rush and rush defense.
For those aforementioned challenges, the linemen were placed in four different weight 
brackets: 215-and-under (all high school grades); 260-and-over (all high school grades); 250-and-under (juniors and seniors); 230-and-over (freshmen and sophomores).
When it was all said and done, Smith, Rashad Jones-Desire (American
Heritage 2015 OL/DL) and Hayden Brockwell (American Heritage 2014 OL) took home top honors in the 260-and-over weight bracket of the Escape to Baghdad challenge.
Meanwhile, American Heritage 2016 OL/DLs Greg Begnoche and Charlie Brockwell won the 230-and-over weight bracket of Escape to Baghdad.
Begnoche, arguably the area’s best overall performer at the Down and Dirty, also placed first in the 230-and-over weight bracket of the pass rush and rush defense challenges. He placed second in the boards.
“Greg is a hard-working kid that has a lot of potential,” Smith said. “He’s going to start both ways for us as an incoming sophomore. He will be a big prospect coming up.”
Suncoast 2014 OL Matt Weiner was also considered one of the Down and Dirty Camp’s top performers.
Overall, a total of 44 linemen from our area took part in the Down and Dirty experience.
Here’s a list of all those who went:
AMERICAN HERITAGE (11)
Greg Begnoche (2016 OL/DL); Charlie Brockwell (2016 OL/DL); Hayden
Brockwell (2014 OL); Nelson Brockwell (2015 OL); Riley Colacorche (2015 OL); Rashad Jones-Desire (2015 OL/DL); Brandon Pak (2016 OL); James Parrety (2015 OL); Tyler Reddin (2016 OL); Ronny Smith (2014 OL); William Tillman (2014 TE/DE)
BENJAMIN (1)
D.J. Robinson (2015 OL/DL)
CLEWISTON (12)
Tony Calloway (2014 OL/DL); Brandon Cortez (2014 OL/DL); Michael Counts (2014 OL/DL); Kale Gibson (2015 OL/DL); Quincy Griffin (2015 DE); Joe Hernandez (2015 OL/DL); Derrick Jackson (2014 TE/DE/LB); Raymond Molina (2014 OL/DL); Johnny Navarro (2015 OL/DL); Cristian Rodriguez (2014 OL/DL); Sergio Sanchez (2015 OL/DL); Deonte Seals (2017 OL/DL)
FOREST HILL (4)
Alex Coren (2014 OL); Anthony Hulme (2014 DE); Wetchley Pompilus (2014 DE); Heriberto Rodriguez (2014 DT)
PALM BEACH GARDENS (1)
Caleb Castro (2016 OL)
PARK VISTA (1)
Johnny Navarro (2016 OL)
ST. ANDREWS (1)
Max Mahfood (2016 OL)
SUNCOAST (13)
Jose Cruz (2016 OL/DL); Joe Fezza (2016 OL); Austin Harrouff (2015 DE); Troy Healy (2014 OL); Gabe Hineman (2015 DE); Riley Larkin (2015 DE); Cristhian Lopez (2015 OL/DL); Mike Lucic (2014 DE); Antoine Mora (2015 OL); John Moragues (2015 OL/DL); Alec Schaffler (2015 DE); Tyler Scott (2016 OL/DL); Matt Weiner (2014 OL)
Suncoast head coach Jimmy Clark said he enjoyed the camp experience and its high turnout.
“Down and Dirty is by far the best camp in Florida,” the Chargers second-year coach said of the 24-year-old camp.
“It is very intense and brutally tough. It is part fundamentals and part survival. It’s a great teaching camp, but it will make a man out of you too. It lives up to its name in every way.”
For more information on the Down and Dirty Camp, you can visit the web at www.bishopdullaghan.com.
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