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 4, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Nate Burdette, QB, Maranatha Academy (Gilmore)
Maranatha senior Nate Burdette is in his third, full year starting at quarterback for his father, Bryan. Burdette has passed for 3,664 career yards and 64 touchdowns, while adding 893 rushing yards and 14 scores. Thus far this season, Burdette has passed for 442 yards and nine scores in a pair of 52-0 halftime blowouts of KC East and Altoona-Midway. The Eagles get one more tune up this week against an improved Colony-Crest team before district play starts with a challenge against No. 5 Madison. Burdette and returning all-state receiver Brock West will want to sharpen their skills on Friday before a grueling district slate that includes trips to Madison, Burlingame, and Lebo.
Isiah Childs, RB, Wamego (Maycock)
After transferring from Manhattan to Wamego in the offseason, Childs -- an Akron commitment -- has become an instant star for the Red Raiders in their 2-0 start. Childs has topped 200 yards in each of Wamego's first two games and scored three touchdowns in each game as well. Even with playmaker Taybor Vetter around, expect Childs to continue to be the Red Raiders' workhorse and in Clay Center he gets a defense that gave up seven rushing touchdowns to Marysville's Atreyau Hornbeak last week in a 56-31 loss.
Cooper Cunningham, RB, Tonganoxie (Clisso)
Cunningham is developing into that go-to back that Korbin Riedel became for the Chieftains last season. Riedel didn’t see significant carries until the second or third game in 2018, but finished with his all-state senior season with 1,531 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Cunningham is off to a great start to his senior campaign. Cooper rushed for 232 yards and three scores on 30 attempts in the season-opening 49-28 win over Basehor-Linwood. Cunningham came back last week with 140 yards and a touchdown in a dominating 42-6 Tonganoxie win at Louisburg. He also caught a touchdown pass in the victory. Cunningham has a big, experienced offensive line and the Chieftains return home this Friday to take on Eudora (0-2). The Cardinals are giving up 31 points per game.
Trey DeGarmo, LB, Andover Central (Baetz)
Andover Central's defense has been dominant through two games allowing just one touchdown and nine total points. Senior linebacker Trey DeGarmo has led the way. The 6-1, 195-pound DeGarmo has tallied 26 total tackles and an interception in leading the Jaguars to a 2-0 record under new head coach Derek Tuttle.
Second-ranked Goddard is up next for the Jags and the explosive Lion offense will likely present numerous tackle opportunities for DeGarmo and his teammates in what could be one of the marquee games of the week.
Atreyau Hornbeak, RB, Marysville (Kuplen)
Hornbeak is one of the most complete backs in the state for one of the best teams in 3A. He has nine rushing touchdowns this season on 44 carries for 332 yards. Hornbeak also doubles as a reliable receiving weapon out of the backfield with five receptions and 81 yards on the year. He has over 2,300 yards in his career rushing (46 TD) with over 700 receiving yards (7 TD). He scored seven touchdowns on the ground last Friday in the 56-31 win over Clay Center.
Caleb Lambert, QB, Hutchinson Central Christian (Nicholl)
Lambert has helped Hutchinson Central Christian open 2-0 with a quality 40-34 road victory against Argonia-Attica, and 52-0 at Norwich last week. Last season, he helped the high-octane Cougars post a 7-3 mark and again pace eight-man football in scoring offense with 62 points a game. Lambert, the son of Smith Center graduate and longtime college football coach Chuck Lambert, enjoyed a massive season last fall with 2,055 passing and 798 rushing yards. He accounted for 54 scores.
Central Christian returned all of its skill players, and Lambert passed for 239, rushed for 102 and accounted for five touchdowns in the win against Argonia-Attica.
That included a big performance in a 70-68 three-overtime district loss to South Barber in Week 3 last year. Expect Lambert to again put up big numbers in the key rematch versus South Barber on Friday.
McPherson Offensive Line (Boston)
The McPherson offensive has been impressive through the first two weeks of the season, producing over 350 yards in each of their wins over Salina South and Winfield to start the year. Led by senior quarterback Kaleb Hoppes, this offense has shown no signs of slowing down and they'll have a chance to put up more video game like numbers on Friday, as they host the El Dorado Wildcats. This McPherson team that is averaging nearly 40 points per game, will get near that or even more against a Wildcat team that gave up 55 points a week ago to Buhler. Watch for this Bullpup line to pave the way to another outpouring of scoring.
Week 2 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Tyler Good, QB, Lincoln – Good lived up to his name with a 227-yard, six-touchdown performance rushing along with 110 passing yards and another score. The Leopards blasted Wilson, 58-12. (Baetz – 75 pts)
Ty Lindenman, WR, Shawnee Mission Northwest – Lindenman caught eight passes for 170 yards and a touchdown in the first half of the Cougars’ 43-14 win over Leavenworth. (Gilmore – 23 pts)
Henry Martin, QB, Blue Valley North – Martin completed 20 of 33 passes for 181 yards in the Mustangs’ 34-7 loss to Blue Valley. (Clisso – 18 pts)
Colton McCarty, QB, Cheylin – McCarty passed for 139 yards and three scores and added 194 yards on the ground with three more touchdowns. Cheylin beat Rolla, 47-0. (Maycock – 68 pts)
Trevion Mitchell, DB, Maize South – Mitchell recorded eight tackles and helped Maize South post another solid victory with a 14-7 road win against Andover. Maize South is 2-0 after starting 0-3 against the same schedule last year. (Nicholl – 16 pts)
Brock West, WR, Maranatha Academy – West caught six passes for 106 yards and two scores as the Eagles routed Altoona-Midway, 52-0. (Kuplen – 22 pts)
Dariq Williams, WR, Parsons – Williams managed a 32-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, but the Vikings were beaten soundly by Anderson County, 44-15. Williams finished with 70 receiving yards. (Boston – 13 pts)
Standings for the 2019 season through Week 2:
- Brent Maycock, Topeka Capital Journal 110 points
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 107 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 90 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 88 points
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 87 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 51 points
- Sean Boston, KSKZ Radio 50 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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