Four Notre Dame Commits Going For State Titles
Notre Dame class of 2021 quarterback pledge Tyler Buchner will try to complete a picture perfect season.
The electric playmaker from La Jolla (Calif.) The Bishop's School (12-0) has led his team to a perfect record to this point, but Buchner and the Knights will face their toughest competition yet.
Bishop's has 540 high school students, while Oceanside (Calif.) El Camino (7-6) has a student body size of 2,912. Buchner will be one of 30 or so players, and El Camino will have double that on their sideline.
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“We’re going to lose the warm-ups (eye test) every time,” Buchner told the San Diego Union Tribune. “And we lose the student section and fans, too. From the outside it looks like David vs. Goliath. But there’s nothing unfair about it. If your football team’s as good as the other’s, size doesn’t matter. There’s only 11 players on the field at once.”
The game will start at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET at Southwestern College.
Buchner played just a few snaps as a sophomore before suffering a knee injury, and his comeback as a junior has been incredible.
He's completed 245-of-356 attempts for 4,178 yards with 50 touchdowns and five interceptions for a QB rating of 142.1, plus 110 rushes for 1,267 yards and 23 rushing scores.
Notre Dame five-star commit Jordan Johnson will look to lead his team to a state Class 6 Missouri state championship this Saturday versus Joplin (Mo.) High (13-0).
It will be a battle of undefeated teams, as St. Louis De Smet (13-0) has been absolutely rolling this fall.
Johnson has been a big play weapon, catching 24 passes for 503 yards and nine touchdowns. He's been used on defense as well, and he recorded an interception in a 37-0 victory against Peculiar (Mo.) Raymore-Peculiar (10-3) in the semifinals last week.
Just two seasons ago, De Smet had a 1-9 seeason, so for the Spartans to now be playing for a state title in the Show Me State.
Notre Dame drop end commit Jordan Botelho and Honolulu St. Louis (11-0) faces Kahuku (Hawai'i) High (9-3) in the finals of the Division I Open Hawai'i state playoffs on Firday.
According to our unofficial count, Botelho has recorded 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
If Botelho's squad wins the state title, he will have won a state title every year he's been in high school and has only lost one game, back when he was a freshman.
Botelho's squad defeated Kahuku 28-0 earlier this fall.
After playing a key role in helping Middletown (N.J.) Mater Dei (8-3) take down Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic (5-4), which is Irish tight end pledge Kevin Bauman's team, Clarence Lewis will look to help lead his team to a state championship next weekend.
The Notre Dame defensive back commit has shined as a big play wide receiver this fall and has picked off a few passes as well. He'll look to finish his senior season strong against Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic (6-4) in the championship game of the New Jersey Non-Public Group 3 state playoffs Dec. 7
A pair of Notre Dame commitments will be playing in their respective state semifinal matchups in the state of Kentucky.
Landen Bartleson's Danville (Ky.) Boyle County (13-0) squad faces Paintsville (Ky.) Johnson Central (13-0) in the semifinals of the Kentucky 4A state playoffs Nov. 29.
Bartleson missed a few games due to injury this fall, but he's had a strong all-around season, rushing 45 times for 407 yards and 12 touchdown, adding three receptions for 119 yards and two scores. Defensively, he's totaled 34 total stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and four passes defended.
Four-star tight end pledge Michael Mayer and Park Hills (Ky.) Covington Catholic (12-0) face Bowling Green (Ky.) High (9-3) in the semifinals of the 5A Kentucky state playoffs Nov. 29.
Mayer's senior season has been incredible. He's only been playing in the first half of most games due to blowouts and has been ultra productive. He has 39 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
Notre Dame's highly coveted 2021 wide receiver commit Lorenzo Styles also will play in a semifinals game on Friday. Pickerington (Ohio) Central (12-1) faces Mentor (Ohio) High (13-0) in the semifinals of the Ohio Division I state playoffs.
Styles has been a do-it-all weapon in all three facets of the game this season. Rivals ranks Styles as the No. 28 prospect in the nation.
WEEKEND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
CB Landen Bartleson: vs. Paintsville (Ky.) Johnson Central (13-0) in the semifinals of the Kentucky 4A state playoffs Nov. 29.
DE Jordan Botelho: vs. Kahuku (Hawai'i) High (9-3) in the finals of the Division I Open Hawai'i state playoffs Nov. 29.
WR Jordan Johnson: vs. Joplin (Mo.) High (13-0) in the championship game of the Class 6 Missouri state playoffs Nov. 30.
CB Clarence Lewis: vs. Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic (6-4) in the championship game of the New Jersey Non-Public Group 3 state playoffs Nov. 29.
TE Michael Mayer: vs. Bowling Green (Ky.) High (9-3) in the semifinals of the 5A Kentucky state playoffs Nov. 29.
RB Chris Tyree: vs. Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith (11-1) in the quarterfinals of the 6A Virginia state playoffs Nov. 29.
2021 Commits
TE Cane Berrong: at Norcoss (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian (11-1) in the quarterfinals of the Georgia 3A state playoffs Nov. 29.
QB Tyler Buchner: vs. Oceanside (Calif.) Eli Camino (7-6) in the championship game of the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section Division II playoffs Nov. 29.
WR Deion Colzie: vs. McDonough (Ga.) Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (10-1) in the quarterfinals of the Georgia Class A private school state playoffs Nov. 29.
WR Lorenzo Styles: vs. Mentor (Ohio) High (13-0) in the semifinals of the Ohio Division I state playoffs Nov. 29
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