Four Notre Dame Commits Playing For State Championships
Last weekend, a pair of Notre Dame commits led their respective team to a state title victory.
Five-star wide receiver pledge Jordan Johnson caught five passes for 84 yards in St. Louis De Smet's (14-0) 35-20 win against Joplin (Mo.) High (13-1) in the championship game of the Class 6 Missouri state playoffs.
Rivals250 linebacker and Fighting Irish commit Jordan Botelho capped off his senior season at Honolulu St. Louis (12-0) with a 45-6 triumph versus Kahuku (Hawai'i) High (9-4) in the finals of the Division I Open Hawai'i state playoffs. Botelho finished his high school career with just one loss and four state championships.
Four Irish commits will be playing for state titles this week.
Two-way standout Landen Bartleson will look to help Danville (Ky.) Boyle County (14-0) defeat Paintsville (Ky.) Johnson Central (14-0) in the championship of the Kentucky 4A state playoffs Dec. 7.
Bartleson has scored 14 touchdowns offensively, and at cornerback, which he's expected to play at Notre Dame, he's made 37 total stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and four passes defended.
Notre Dame cornerback commit Clarence Lewis and his Middletown (N.J.) Mater Dei (8-3) squad had a bye week to prepare for its matchup with Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic (6-4) in the championship game of the New Jersey Non-Public Group 3 state playoffs Dec. 7.
Lewis has had a strong season at both receiver and cornerback. The three-star prospect picked the Irish over the summer over the likes of Boston College, Kentucky, Nebraska, West Virginia, Virginia, Virginia Tech and others.
In the Rivals100 rankings update this week, four-star tight end Michael Mayer moved up 21 spots to the No. 37 overall prospect in the nation. He's had one heck of a season, catching 44 passes for 845 yards and 14 touchdowns and leading Park Hills (Ky.) Covington Catholic (14-0) to the championship game of the 5A Kentucky state playoffs Dec. 7.
The opponent won't be easy, however, with Cov. Catholic facing fellow unbeaten Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass (14-0).
One of Notre Dame's 2021 commits will be playing for a championship ring.
Do-it-all weapon Lorenzo Styles and Pickerington (Ohio) Central (13-1) face off against Cincinnati (Ohio) Elder (12-2) in the finals of the Ohio Division I state playoffs Dec. 6.
Styles' talents are showcased all over the field -- running back, receiver, defensive back, H-back and returner -- for Pick Central.
After this weekend, the only Notre Dame commit, whether it's in the 2020 or 2021 class, will still be playing in his high school season. That will be four-star quarterback Drew Pyne, who will enroll at Notre Dame in January.
On Wednesday night, Pyne completed 16 of 19 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding a rushing score, to lead New Canaan (Conn.) High (9-2) past Wethersfield (Conn.) High (8-3) in the quarterfinals of the Class L Connecticut State playoffs Dec. 4.
Pyne put up this performance in front of Irish quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees, who was in attendance for the game.
Pyne's squad will face Trumbull (Conn.) St. Joseph (11-0) in the semifinals, a team that defeated New Canaan 58-14 Oct. 4.
Stay locked in to BlueandGold.com for the latest on Notre Dame Fighting Irish football recruiting.
----
• Talk about it inside Rockne’s Roundtable
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_MikeSinger, @CoachDeDario and @AndrewMentock.
• Like us on Facebook.