The Kpreps Picks to Click feature is back for the 2020 season!
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 2020 season include: Sean Boston (Southwind Broadcasting); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Alex Hammeke (Kpreps.com), Chet Kuplen (Sports in Kansas); Brent Maycock (Topeka Capital Journal); Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com); and Mark Schremmer (Kansas Chronicles & Kpreps.com).
Check back next Thursday to see our picks for Week 2, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Tyler Bowden, RB, Tonganoxie (Clisso)
After producing a 4A All-State running back in each of the last three seasons, Tonganoxie has the potential to have another in senior Tyler Bowden. Bowden announced his decision over the summer to move to Tonganoxie from Lawrence Free State where he was a Class 6A All-State selection last fall after rushing for 1,859 yards and 26 touchdowns. Bowden will look to join the list of recent Chieftain all-state backs that include Cooper Cunningham (2019: 2,124 yards & 26 TD), Korbin Riedel (2018: 1,531 yards & 17 TD), and Dalton Bock (2017: 1,441 yards & 13 TD). Helping take the pressure off of defenses for Bowden will be returning quarterback Blake Poje and standout receiver Dallas Bond. The Chieftains open up on the road against a consistent Basehor-Linwood program in one of the most enticing games on the opening slate. Look for Bowden to make his presence felt in his first game in a Chieftain uniform.
Clifton-Clyde Offensive Line (Hammeke)
After an impressive 9-1 season this last fall, the Clifton-Clyde Eagles will look to come back stronger than ever with ten returning lettermen, including eight starters. Dual-threat wing-back Aiden Rudolph led the Eagles with 1,550 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, and returns three quality receiving targets in Dawson Girard, James Norbert, and Jett Skoncy. The speed and versatility that Sophomore Kameron Knox brings to the table will also force opposing defenses to have their head on a swivel and Kansas Damman (6-0, 215) will bring the power element to the run Eagles' run game. The offensive line returns experience from last year as well, in Dillon Provost and Douglas Koch along with Seth LeClair. Onaga comes to Clifton-Clyde after notching their first winning season since 2014, but the multitude of offensive weapons that the Eagles have a big night against the Buffalo defense.
Jayden Garrison, QB, Little River (Boston)
A standout athlete, Garrison changed the dynamic of Little River’s football roster last season when he joined the team. He went on to an all-state junior campaign that included 1,234 rushing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 444 passing yards with 8 more scores. Garrison also had nearly 350 receiving yards and five scores. In the secondary, Garrison recorded 66 tackles and intercepted four passes. He helped the Redskins to nine consecutive wins last fall sandwiched between losses to eventual champion Canton-Galva and semifinalist Leoti-Wichita County. Garrison will lead Little River in to a Week One matchup against Wheat State League rival Peabody-Burns.
Torrey Horak, QB, Rossville (Schremmer)
A dual threat, Horak passed for more than 1,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,200 yards as a sophomore. Expect him to build on those numbers during his junior season. It will be a tough opening matchup against Class 1A’s top-ranked Centralia, but Horak performed well last year against the Panthers. In his first high school game as the starting quarterback, he passed for 155 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 67 yards and another score during a 28-8 win.
Torrey is the younger brother of Tucker Horak, who led Rossville to state championships in 2014 and 2015. Tucker was one of the most successful dual-threat quarterbacks in state history, passing for more than 2,000 yards and rushing for more than 2,800 as a senior.
Colton McCarty, QB, Cheylin (Maycock)
In a season that saw him rack up 2,162 yards and 38 touchdowns rushing and 1,152 yards and 19 touchdowns passing, McCarty enjoyed arguably his biggest games in tough wins over Golden Plains, Cheylin’s opening foe this season. In a 71-61 regular season win, McCarty ran for 442 yards and 6 TDs and threw for 269 yards and 3 TDs. In the playoff semifinal rematch, he ran for 394 yards and 5 TDs and threw for 195 yards and 3 scores. With Cheylin and Golden Plains two of the favorites for the six-man title this year, expect a shootout — and huge numbers from last year’s six-man player of the year.
Devan McEwen, QB, Lebo (Gilmore)
McEwan (6-2 ,175) highlights an experienced Lebo team that looks to make some noise as a contender in Eight-Man, Division II. The Wolves finished 7-3 in 2019 before being bounced by eventual champion Canton-Galva in the second round of the 8M-I playoffs. The Wolves move down to Division II and with seven returning starters back, Brian Hadley’s team begins the year ranked fourth in their new classification. McEwan is another big reason why. The senior quarterback passed for 1,695 yards and 24 touchdowns last fall, while only being intercepted six times. He added 530 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, McEwan added 68 tackles and six interceptions. McEwan and the Wolves open the 2020 campaign at home against Lyon County League rival Southern Coffey County.
Kayde Rietzke, QB, Leoti-Wichita Co. (Kuplen)
Rietzke is back for his senior year after passing for 1,862 yards (32 TD) along with 1,670 yards on the ground (25 TD). The Indians, who are ranked and made a semifinal in 8M-I last year, are expected to be one of the best eight-man teams in the state this season. They open up with Hoxie this week and Rietzke had a big game against them last fall with six total touchdowns in the 56-26 win.
Trevor Zarybnicky, LB, Wheatland-Grinnell (Nicholl)
Wheatland-Grinnell senior linebacker Trevor Zarybnicky has gained significant attention this summer because of his weight room work and impressive career. Wheatland-Grinnell finished 8-2 and won a district title, the best year since Grainfield and Grinnell formed a co-operative agreement in the mid-2000s. The Thunderhawks face No. 3 Axtell in a key Eight-Man, Division II home contest. Zarybnicky easily led the Thunderhawks with 95 tackles, 6.5 for loss. That included six games with at least 12 stops. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder has 242 tackles, 17.5 for loss in his career. He has earned college interest from all levels.
The final standings for the season are as follows:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps 376 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 323 points
- Brent Maycock, Topeka Capital Journal 317 points
- Sean Boston, Southwind Broadcasting 248 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 246 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 243 points
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 236 points
2020 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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