Record-Setting Night Powers Clearwater Past East Lake

The Tornadoes entered the fall needing to replace one of the best quarterbacks in program history after Jaylen White graduated and moved on to Charlotte.

It did not take long for sophomore Jaysean Glenn to show Clearwater may have found its next one.

In his first start, Glenn completed 16 of 26 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns, one of the top passing performances in the state during Week 1. He looked comfortable pushing the ball downfield and quickly found a go-to target in Joseph Archer.

Archer transferred from East Lake to Clearwater during the offseason and made an immediate impact against his former team. The senior finished with eight receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Tampa Bay area in receiving yards for Week 1 while also setting a new Clearwater single-game receiving record.

That connection between Glenn and Archer gave the Tornadoes a big-play element from the start and could become one of the more productive quarterback-receiver pairings in the area if Week 1 was any indication.

Clearwater has shown year after year that talent does not disappear when a senior class moves on. This season appears to be no different.

The defense had a strong night as well.

Jayeon Jackson was all over the field, finishing with 15 tackles and setting the tone for the unit. Senior Nathan Klag added 11 tackles, while Jayden Burgess and Ryder Mouzon each came away with an interception. Mouzon turned his takeaway into points, returning it for a touchdown.

It was the type of complete performance Clearwater needed to open the season.

The schedule also gives the Tornadoes a chance to build on it. If Clearwater handles business over the next several weeks, there is a real possibility the Tornadoes could reach the final week of the regular season unbeaten, setting up a highly anticipated matchup with Clearwater Central Catholic.

There is a long way to go before that conversation becomes real.

But after replacing a record-setting quarterback, breaking in a sophomore under center and opening the year with a convincing win over a rival, Clearwater could not have asked for a much better start.

The Tornadoes made a statement in Week 1.