In our Picks to Click, we feature several players or units from across the state that we feel will have breakout performances on Friday night.
This season, we’ve assembled a team of media members across the state to each select one player (or unit) each week. We will track the cumulative statistics of our selections throughout the season similar to fantasy scoring.
Picks to Click contributors for the 2019 season include: John Baetz (Kansas Pregame Magazine); Sean Boston (KSKZ Radio); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Chet Kuplen (Sports in Kansas); Brent Maycock (Topeka Capital Journal); and Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com).
Check back next Thursday to see our picks for Week 3, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Tyler Good, QB, Lincoln (Baetz)
The only glaring hole this year for Lincoln was the quarterback position following the graduation of 8-Man All-Star Drew Biggs. Second year Lincoln head coach Dustin Patee considered multiple options to replace Biggs this offseason including sophomore Joel Rees and senior Zach Obermueller, who served as the team's quarterback in junior high. In last week's victory over Tescott, junior Tyler Good took the overwhelming majority of the snaps at QB.
Good, a standout linebacker for the Leopards last season, is not the thrower that Biggs was, but is an effective runner and should have the opportunity to add to his season opening 125 yards rushing in this week's match-up with Wilson. Good scored four rushing touchdowns against Tescott on 14 carries and completed one of two pass attempts for a 25-yard touchdown to Dillon Baxter.
Ty Lindenman, WR, Shawnee Mission Northwest (Gilmore)
Lindenman (5-8, 160) had a breakout game in the Cougars’ 49-33 season-opening victory over Shawnee Mission West. The senior caught 11 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns in the win. He also carried the ball several times in the win over the Vikings. Lindenman is a lightning quick receiver that can beat you in a number of ways, and with a capable quarterback in Ty Black, the Shawnee Mission Northwest offense could be in for a big year. Look for Black, Lindenman, and the Cougars to continue to put up big numbers this Thursday against a Leavenworth squad that gave up 51 points last week against De Soto.
Henry Martin, QB, Blue Valley North (Clisso)
After his being intercepted for a touchdown on the very first play of the season-opener against Bishop Miege, Martin led his Mustangs back from a 20-point deficit only to come up short in a 27-20 loss to the Stags. Martin, just a sophomore, passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Martin has the unenviable task of trying to follow Graham Mertz as quarterback at Blue Valley North. But Martin is a talented player who passed for more than 600 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman last year when Mertz was out with an injury. This week, Martin will try and rebound his Mustangs with a Thursday home game against Blue Valley.
Colton McCarty, QB, Cheylin (Maycock)
Cheylin junior quarterback Colton McCarty rushed for 348 yards and four touchdowns on only 11 carries in the Cougars’ 76-12 win over Fowler last week. McCarty also completed 4 of 5 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, and returned a kickoff 79 yards for another score. McCarty is already in his third year starting for the Cougars. He has rushed for 2,739 yards and 43 touchdowns, and passed for 1,751 yards and 36 more scores in his career. He has the potential for another big game this week as the Cougars travel to take on a Rolla team that allowed 72 points in their opener.
Trevion Mitchell, DB, Maize South (Nicholl)
Mitchell, one of the state’s top defensive backs, opened the year with 10 tackles (eight solo) and a pick-six in Maize South’s 40-24 victory against Wichita Heights. Maize South trailed by 11 points, and Mitchell’s pick-six came on the game’s final play.
The Mavericks had lost, 35-21, to Wichita Heights last fall en route to an 0-3 start. However, Maize South ended the season 6-1 and is just outside the top-5 in the Class 5A poll this year.
Mitchell was first team all-state Class 5A last year. He has a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash and received multiple offers, including Division IIs Nebraska-Kearney and Central Missouri.
Maize South has posted a top-10 scoring defense three straight years. Last season, Maize South lost to Andover, 20-3, in Week 2, and then won 21-17 in the playoffs. Mitchell has seven interceptions in the last three falls.
Brock West, WR, Maranatha Academy (Kuplen)
West, who was an all-state selection a year ago in 8M-I, had a huge Week 1 in which he had seven receptions for 248 yards with five touchdowns. The duo of quarterback Nate Burdette and West form one of the best offensive units in 8-man football. The big night of Brock West on Friday also came on his 18th birthday. He had 1,204 yards receiving last year with 29 touchdown receptions.
Dariq Williams, WR, Parsons (Boston)
Williams, an all-state basketball selection showed last Friday night that he is primed for a breakout senior season on the gridiron. Williams hauled in five touchdown receptions in a wild 54-48, five-overtime victory over Iola a week ago. Look for first-year starting QB Ethan Houk to go Williams' direction a lot this week when the Vikings host Anderson County (0-1).
Week 1 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Adam Albertini, QB/RB, St. Paul – Albertini rushed for 229 yards and six touchdowns in the Indians’ 52-14 win over Sedan. He also passed for 47 yards and another score. (Kuplen – 68 pts)
Beau Batchman, RB, Sylvan-Lucas Unified – Batchman played just over a quarter in the Mustangs 56-6 win over Chase. He rushed five times for 74 yards with two touchdowns, completed two passes for 18 yards with two more scores and also returned a kickoff 74 yards for another TD. (Baetz – 32 pts)
Ty Black, QB, Shawnee Mission Northwest – Black completed 24 of 33 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns in the Cougars’ 49-33 win over Shawnee Mission West. Ty also rushed for 67 yards and two more scores. (Clisso – 70 pts)
Quinn Buessing, QB, Axtell – Buessing passed for 207 yards and three touchdowns and added 29 yards rushing and four more scores in the Eagles’ 58-12 win over Beloit St. John’s-Tipton. (Gilmore – 64 pts)
Conor Haviland, RB, Humboldt – Haviland rushed for 181 yards and four touchdowns and completed a pass for 8 yards in the Cubs’ 56-14 win over Neodesha. (Maycock – 42 pts)
Tyson Struber, WR, Canton-Galva – Struber caught four passes for 63 yards and two scores and rushed for 57 yards and two more touchdowns in the Eagles’ 70-23 win over Little River. (Nicholl – 35 pts)
Tre Washington, RB, Derby – Washington rushed for 52 yards and a score, but also had 84 receiving yards and three touchdowns in Derby’s 48-19 win over Garden City. (Boston – 37 pts)
Standings for the 2019 season through Week 1:
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 70 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 68 points
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 64 points
- Brent Maycock, Topeka Capital Journal 42 points
- Sean Boston, KSKZ Radio 37 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 35 points
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 32 points
2019 Picks to Click
- The objective will be to have the most cumulative points over the course of the season.
- Participants may select a quarterback, running back, WR/TE, offensive line or a defensive player each week.
- Everyone must pick a WR/TE, offensive line and defensive player at least once.
- Points will be rewarded only for the player's offensive or defensive stats, depending on how you designate the player that week. For instance, if you pick a running back then you will not receive any of his points for defense.
Scoring system
QBs/RBs/WRs/TEs
- 1 point for every 10 yards passing, rushing or receiving from a quarterback, running back or wide receiver
- 6 points for every passing, rushing or receiving touchdown
Offensive line
- 1 point for every 50 yards gained as an offense
- 3 points for every offensive touchdown
Defensive player
- 2 points for every tackle
- 4 points for every INT, sack or fumble recovery
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