Friday Night Lights
By: Gavin Oliver October 7, 2018

Each week, The Clemson Insider’s “Friday Night Lights” feature will bring you the latest on how Clemson’s commitments fared in their respective high school football games.

Here’s how the future Tigers did on Friday night:

Lannden Zanders (pictured above) showed out on both sides of the ball while helping Crest (Shelby, N.C.) to a 31-20 win vs. Ashbrook (Gastonia, N.C.).

The Clemson safety commitment lunged backward and reached out to snag a one-handed interception on defense. Offensively, he tallied 90 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns on three catches.

Clemson commits Jalyn Phillips and Andrew Booth teamed up to pace Archer (Lawrenceville, Ga.) past Newton (Covington, Ga.), 40-14.

Phillips helped set the tone in the rout, securing a 42-yard touchdown catch on a trick play (wide receiver pass) on the first play from scrimmage that gave Archer a 7-0 lead 18 seconds into the game.

Phillips’ score was set up by a long return from Booth on the opening kickoff that nearly resulted in a touchdown itself. Booth later returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown to put Archer ahead 23-0 heading into the second quarter.

Tiger commits Chez Mellusi, Joe Ngata and Kane Patterson each recorded two touchdowns apiece while helping their respective teams to victories.

Mellusi continued his stellar campaign with 143 yards rushing, including touchdown runs of 65 and 70 yards, in Naples (Naples, Fla.)’s 45-0 win at Lely (Naples).

Ngata totaled 96 yards receiving and two touchdowns on four catches, helping Folsom (Folsom, Calif.) to a 63-7 win vs. Whitney (Rocklin, Calif.), while Patterson rushed for 31 yards and a pair of scores to help C.P.A. (Nashville, Tenn.) remain undefeated at 8-0 with a 55-37 win vs. Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.).

Calhoun (Calhoun, Ga.) teammates and Clemson commits Brannon Spector and Davis Allen saw their team stay undefeated as well (6-0) with a 61-0 thrashing of Adairsville (Adairsville, Ga.). Spector had a 20-yard touchdown reception in the romp.

Five-star wide receiver commit Frank Ladson also caught a touchdown pass of 20 yards in South Dade (Miami)’s 35-0 win at North Miami Beach (North Miami Beach, Fla.), which improved South Dade to 6-0 also.

Here are other scores from this weekend’s games involving Clemson commitments:

Logan Cash, Winder-Barrow (Winder, Ga.) — 38-20 loss vs. Lanier (Sugar Hill, Ga.)

Joseph Charleston, Milton (Milton, Ga.) — 41-0 win vs. West Forsyth (Cumming, Ga.)

Bryton Constantin, University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) — 51-14 win vs. Brusly (Brusly, La.)

Tayquon Johnson, Williamsport (Williamsport, Md.) — 34-8 loss at North Hagerstown (Hagerstown, Md.)

Sheridan Jones, Maury (Norfolk, Va.) — 35-0 win at Churchland (Portsmouth, Va.)

Keith Maguire, Malvern Prep (Malvern, Pa.) — 35-7 win at Avon Grove (West Grove, Pa.)

Ruke Orhorhoro, River Rouge (River Rouge, Mich.) — 64-0 win vs. Detroit Voyageur (Detroit)

Taisun Phommachanh, Avon Old Farms (Avon, Conn.) — 29-26 win at Williston Northampton (Easthampton, Mass.)

Etinosa Reuben, Park Hill South (Riverside, Mo.) — 46-13 win at Truman (Independence, Mo.)

Ray Thornton, Central (Phenix City, Ala.) — 48-0 win vs. Enterprise (Enterprise, Ala.)

Greg Williams, Swansea (Swansea, S.C.) — 41-21 loss vs. Strom Thurmond (Johnston, S.C.)

Demonte Capehart, Hartsville (Hartsville, S.C.) — 39-7 win at Marlboro County (Bennettsville, S.C.)