HEBRON — They are often the hardest working, own the dirtiest uniforms come game’s end and never wear long sleeves. But they are also some of the smartest football players and receivers of the fewest headlines.

They are linemen.

They are a brotherhood and a breed all of their own. And for three such representatives in the 20th annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic, they are something else: Teammates.

J.J. Begin, John Gilboy and Patrick Randall of Thornton Academy will all line up once again alongside each other when the West meets the East in Saturday’s 4 p.m. showdown at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford.

It’s an honor they’re relishing.

“I was pretty excited, I didn’t even see it coming,” said Randall, who despite missing three games last season with a broken leg was an all-state selection. “I never thought three lineman from one school (would make it.) That surprised me. I think that speaks to how good our line was at Thornton this year.”

“To have three representatives in the Lobster Bowl is great,” Golden Trojans head coach Kevin Kezal said. “That was a great group of linemen.”

All three Thornton players were well decorated last year during awards season — Gilboy was a Fitzpatrick Trophy semifinalist and Begin an all-conference selection — but more than that, they were football players, in every sense of the word.

“(Being a lineman) is more like a mentality,” Gilboy said. “Linemen are probably the consummate football player. They love football and that’s why we play. You got to love football and love to play football. We’re not in it to get our name in the paper.”

“We work the hardest,” Randall said. “I don’t care what anyone says; linemen work the hardest. We all hang out together up here at camp, too.”

And for Kezal, seeing Randall get some statewide recognition was especially gratifing.

“He’s very quiet, unassuming, but he had a great year,” Kezal said. “A lot of people thought highly of him. For all the talk that John and Dan (Smith) and J.J. got, he was the quiet one who went about his business and it was nice to see him get that recognition.”

Gilboy agreed.

“He really stepped it up, whether it was playing guard or center. We’ve been playing together a long time and I’m glad he’s got some recognition. A lot of people counted him out (but) he made all state this year, he really deserved it.”

Another aspect of the week-long Lobster Bowl the trio is enjoying is the interaction with fellow trench dwellers. Season-long opponents are now teammates; rivals now backfield mates and arch enemies bunkmates.

“I came in not really liking some kids,” Randall admitted, “just regular season you don’t like them, but up here they’re the funniest kids ever. Billy Gorman from Scarborough, everything that comes out of his mouth is hilarious. And I’m rooming with (Bonny Eagle’s) Josh Spearin and when we played them in the (Western Maine finals) he’s the only one we talked about, because he’s the biggest kid.”

Put 60 or so hard-nosed, rough-and-tough 18-year olds on the same campus and it’s amazing what they realize they have in common. All the while playing one last football game for a great cause.

“This gives us all one last chance to play football,” Gilboy said. “You get to meet all these great guys. You play against them all year, get a rivalry going, and get to meet them without the pads and become great freinds.

“They’re all great kids and just to meet them is an honor and to play wth him is a weird feeling, but really cool.”

— Contact Chris Brockman at 282-1535, Ext. 317 or at cbrockman@journaltribune.com.