Notre Dame commit recap: Three Irish pledges are state champions
Only one Notre Dame commit was eliminated from the playoffs over the weekend, while three other verbal pledges took home state titles. ND Insider recaps how 12 Irish commits fared over the weekend.
CHAMPIONS
• 2019 LB Jack Kiser | Royal Center (Ind.) Pioneer 60, North Vermillion 0: Kiser capped another perfect season for the Panthers (15-0) with ease. He ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 16 attempts and went 4-of-6 through the air for 88 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team with 12 tackles and forced a fumble.
Pioneer Panthers' Jack Kiser had a historic career and capped it off by winning back-to-back @IHSAA1 Class A titles: "There's no words to describe it. To go out on top as a competitor, that's all you want." pic.twitter.com/SZq9gN0FLh
— FOX Sports Indiana (@FSIndiana) November 24, 2018
Kiser’s 81-yard touchdown rush broke the record for longest scoring run in an IHSAA title game.
Jack Kiser is GONE! Pioneer extends their lead in the @IHSAA1 Class A championship. @BingPioPanAth1
Catch the action now on FSI and the FOX Sports app. pic.twitter.com/7Jf5oWvS9F
— FOX Sports Indiana (@FSIndiana) November 24, 2018
On the season, Kiser went 62-of-94 for 1,183 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions. He turned 177 carries into 2,109 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns. He finished with 159 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, seven interceptions, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns.
Another one for Jack Kiser! He sneaks it over the goal line to increase @BingPioPanAth1's lead to 24-0.
Tune in now on FSI and the FOX Sports app: https://t.co/RzRHXXklCdpic.twitter.com/WdaUU0zCoN
— FOX Sports Indiana (@FSIndiana) November 24, 2018
Another one for Jack Kiser! He sneaks it over the goal line to increase @BingPioPanAth1's lead to 24-0.
Tune in now on FSI and the FOX Sports app: https://t.co/RzRHXXklCdpic.twitter.com/WdaUU0zCoN
— FOX Sports Indiana (@FSIndiana) November 24, 2018
The tweet below recaps Kiser’s career accolades.
A 60-0 Pioneer win gives #NotreDame commit Jack Kiser (@JBKiser4) his 2nd straight state title. The highlights of his career:
• Two losses since middle school; 56-2 HS record
• Indiana's 4th all-time leading rusher; 2nd all-time leading scorer
• 2018 margin of victory: 858-39
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) November 24, 2018
• 2020 TE Kevin Bauman | Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic 14, Mater Dei Prep 10: Mater Dei outgained Red Bank Catholic 410-263, outrushed it 345-76, gained more first downs (18-9) and had more plays from scrimmage (64-44). Bauman proved to be the difference, making two critical plays down the stretch. He first combined with teammates to tackle Mater Dei’s quarterback, Rob McCoy, on a fourth-and-goal at the three-yard line.
On the next play, Bauman caught a 56-yard strike from quarterback Steve Lubischer. Mater Dei threw four consecutive completions on its following drive to seal it for Red Bank Catholic. The Non-Public Group 3 title win marked the second in five seasons for the Caseys (11-0).
RBC goes play-action from its own 2 and Lubischer hits Kevin Bauman for 56. pic.twitter.com/Ach7zEKjFI
— Bob Badders (@Bob_Badders) November 24, 2018
• 2019 DE Howard Cross III | Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph Regional 13, Bergen Catholic 0: The Green Knights (10-2) blanked the Crusaders in the NJSIAA Group 4 title game, limiting them to 43 rushing yards on 27 carries. Cross recorded five tackles, two sacks, two TFLs and a pass breakup. He finished the season with 76 tackles, 22 TFLs, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles and recoveries.
Montvale is Title Town!! The St. Joe's defense plays LIGHTS OUT in a 13-0 shutout against Bergen Catholic to win the Non-Public Group 4 title. JSZ will have full highlights coming tonight! @SJRFB@connorgrieco19@HowardCrossIII@BigNorthConBNCpic.twitter.com/G3e3AzgDkX
— Jersey Sports Zone (@JSZ_Sports) November 25, 2018
ADVANCED
• 2019 RB Kyren Williams | Kirkwood (Mo.) St. John Vianney 36, Carthage 21: Williams’ fourth defensive touchdown of the season — along with his three other scores — helped advance Vianney to the MSHSAA Class 5 title game. He first found the end zone on an inside run for 25 yards. Early in the second quarter, Williams jumped a hitch route and returned it 51 yards for a pick-six.
Kyren Williams goes in for the 1st score of the game. PAT no good Vianney leads 6-0 #RiseAbovepic.twitter.com/nXkBVQyWfL
— GriffinsTV (@GriffinsTV_Live) November 24, 2018
Kyren Williams with the pick 6. 2pt try was no good. Griffins lead 12-0 #RiseAbovepic.twitter.com/JRj6q0tYJT
— GriffinsTV (@GriffinsTV_Live) November 24, 2018
Williams rushed for another touchdown from four yards out. Later in the third, he took a jet sweep, cocked back and fired a 68-yard touchdown to Fahreed Cheeks. Williams collected his eighth game of the season with over 100 rushing yards, running for 134 on 18 carries. He also caught two passes for nine yards. The Golden Griffiths (10-3) will challenge Fort Osage (9-4) on Saturday.
TD VIanney! Kyren Williams scores his 3rd of the game. PAT good! Vianney leads 22-7 #RiseAbovepic.twitter.com/WzZQaS6Jb6
— GriffinsTV (@GriffinsTV_Live) November 24, 2018
TD Griffins! This time Kyren Williams with the pass to Fahreed Cheeks extends the lead now to 29-7 #RiseAbovepic.twitter.com/QvzUIQsDX4
— GriffinsTV (@GriffinsTV_Live) November 24, 2018
• 2019 S Kyle Hamilton | Atlanta Marist 10, Mary Persons 7: It was not pretty, but Hamilton got the job done as the War Eagles (11-2) advanced to the GHSA-AAAA semifinals. Marist battled back from a late 7-0 deficit in inclement weather partly thanks to Hamilton’s eight tackles and critical offensive plays. He earned five carries for 27 rushing yards and caught three passes for 34 yards.
Marist next faces Cartersville (13-0) on Friday with a second straight title appearance on the line.
• 2019 QB Brendon Clark | Midlothian (Va.) Manchester 21, Colonial Forge 7: It took until game 13 for Clark to throw his first interception of the season. He made amends, however, by throwing 217 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-26 passing with 16 rushes for 149 yards. Clark found senior receiver Colin Harding on an 18-yard loft to the end zone.
Manchester’s Brendon Clark threw for 222 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 137 yards in the Lancers’ 21-7 win over Colonial Forge. pic.twitter.com/PYOrmn1LTM
— 804 Varsity (@804Varsity) November 24, 2018
The Lancers (13-0) advance to the VHSL 6A semifinals and will square off against Ocean Lakes (13-0) on Saturday.
• 2019 DT Jacob Lacey | Bowling Green (Ky.) South Warren 31, South Oldham 10: Lacey’s six tackles, two TFLs and one sack helped South Warren limit its opponent to 196 total yards. The unbeaten Spartans (14-0) will take on perfect Covington Catholic (14-0) in the KHSAA 5A title on Friday — which means Lacey will clash with ND 2020 commit Michael Mayer.
• 2019 OL Andrew Kristofic | Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland 56, State College 33: Kristofic’s push paved the way for Pine-Richland’s ground game. The Rams (11-2) amassed 454 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 50 carries. Junior running back Luke Meckler led the way with 24 carries for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Cole Spencer went 6-of-12 for 78 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and added 16 carries for 110 yards and a rushing score.
Pine-Richland will next square off against St. Joseph’s Prep (11-0) in the PIAA 6A semifinals on Saturday.
• 2019 LB JD Bertrand | Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic 42, Eastside 15: Fresh off committing to Notre Dame, Bertrand helped limit Eastside’s offense. He’s now one game away from a rematch with Hamilton’s Marist in the GHSA-AAAA title game. The Titans (13-0) will face Troup County (12-1) in the semifinals on Friday.
• 2020 TE Michael Mayer | Park Hills (Ky.) Covington Catholic 36, Pulaski County 14: The Colonels (14-0) remained perfect and will face Lacey’s South Warren on Friday in the KHSAA 5A championship game.
• 2020 QB Drew Pyne | New Canaan (Conn.) High 17, Darien 14: The Rams (8-2) closed the regular season with a narrow win over its rival in the Blue Wave. Pyne had an average performance, going 12-of-24 for 125 yards and adding four rushes for 15 yards. New Canaan begins playoff action on Tuesday against top-seeded Shelton (10-0) in the CIAC Class LL quarterfinal.
SEASON ENDED
• 2019 DT NaNa Osafo-Mensah | Fort Worth (Texas) Nolan Catholic 14, Parish Episcopal 27: The Vikings (9-2) — the only team to garner a first round bye — bowed out in the TAPPS Division I quarterfinals. Osafo-Mensah plans to sign with the Irish in December and enroll early the following month.
Once a VIKING, Always a VIKING pic.twitter.com/JL9msXHvZ5
— NaNa Osafo-Mensah (@NaNaOsafo2) November 25, 2018
Season ended: WR Kendall Abdur-Rahman, OL John Olmstead, WR Cam Hart, OL Quinn Carroll, LB Osita Ekwonu, LB Marist Liufau, S Litchfield Ajavon, CB Isaiah Rutherford, CB K.J. Wallace, P Jay Bramblett, OL Zeke Correll, DT Hunter Spears.
*Stats were provided by players, coaches, parents, MaxPreps and the following news organizations: Asbury Park Press. Pharos-Tribune, Bowling Green Daily News and St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
