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 7, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Brayden Beerbower, RB, Eudora (Clisso)
Beerbower is a physical presence at running back for the Cardinals. Beerbower (6-2, 180) has rushed for 718 yards and five touchdowns this season on 104 carries. The junior is averaging more than 143 yards per game on the ground. Beerbower and the Cardinals have dropped four straight contests, but will travel to Ottawa (1-4) this week.
Lance Hoffsommer, QB, Sedgwick (Kuplen)
Hoffsommer is a returning Kpreps Class 1A All-State selection from 2019 when he passed for 2,754 yards and 37 total touchdowns. The Cardinal quarterback is following up his big sophomore season with a strong start to his junior campaign. Hoffsommer has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,047 yards ad 11 touchdowns. He’s also added 239 yards and four scores on the ground. Sedgwick will continue District 4 play this week against Whitewater-Remington.
Charlie Killingsworth, QB, Rock Creek (Maycock)
A change in offensive philosophy by Rock Creek this season has led to a huge breakout season for senior quarterback Charlie Killingsworth, who was solid a year ago amassing nearly 1,950 yards and 17 touchdowns. Through four games this season, Killingsworth has nearly matched those numbers, throwing for 1,095 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushing for 390 yards and 9 TDs. He opened the season with an eye-popping 627 total yards in a 58-57 shootout loss to Rossville, accounting for nine touchdowns in the game (491 passing, 5 TDs, 136 rushing, 4 TDs). He faces a Jefferson West defense this week that last year was one of the best in the state, but this year has struggled, allowing more than 40 points per game in its three losses. Killingsworth is coming off a 332-yard, 5-TD performance against Sabetha and should be able to add to his monster season.
Mack Moeller, WR, Bishop Miege (Hammeke)
Through three games this season, Mack Moeller has surprised some and isn’t on the radar of most. The WR/TE has 442 receiving yards and six touchdowns in only three games, with two of them coming against Missouri power Rockhurst and 5A No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas. The Stags take on Wamego, who have given up 20.8 points/game and surrendered 48 points to second-ranked Paola last week.
Xander Newberry, QB, Argonia-Attica (Gilmore)
Newberry has put up consistent numbers for the undefeated Titans. Through five games, the junior quarterback has completed 72 percent of his passes for 611 yards and 12 touchdowns against only one interception. He’s also been effective on the ground in rushing for 342 yards and eight scores. Newberry has produced more than 250 yards of total offense in each of the past two weeks along with 11 total touchdowns. The Titans have rolled through their schedule to date, but may have their biggest remaining district test this week when they travel to Moundridge. The Wildcats have scored 138 combined points in their past three games.
Dillan Smith, QB, Larned (Boston)
Larned may be off to an 0-4 start, but Smith has done his part to put the Indian offense in position to win. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior has thrown for 1,072 yards and ten touchdowns through his first three games. Smith had completed 56 percent of his passes on the season and rushed for his first touchdown in last week’s loss to Holcomb. The Indians will look to get their first victory of the season on Friday when they travel to Leon-Bluestem.
Cooper Weinhold, RB, Wilson (Schremmer)
The senior has been a big part of the Dragon offense, rushing for 890 yards and 17 touchdowns through five games. His biggest performance came in week four when he ran for 298 yards and seven touchdowns during a 50-46 win over Otis-Bison. This week will be a tough test for Wilson and Weinhold as they face undefeated Victoria.
Sheldon Whalen, WR, Leoti-Wichita Co. (Nicholl)
Wichita County, 5-0 and ranked second in Eight-Man, Division I, has been highly impressive against a very challenging schedule. The Indians, who platoons at many positions, owns a 54-20 victory versus Hoxie, 48-0 against Hill City and 58-8 versus Hodgeman County, all teams that have not lost in any of its other games. The Indians are 15-0 since the start of ’19 against non-St. Francis teams.
This season, Wichita County has tallied at least 48 points in every contest and is at Meade on Friday. The Indians have multiple four-year starters, including senior Sheldon Whalen, likely eight-man’s top receiving threat behind Canton-Galva junior Tyson Struber. Wichita County features senior quarterback Kayde Rietzke, widely considered eight-man’s best signal caller. This season, Rietzke has thrown for 753 yards with a 14/3 TD/INT ratio. Whalen has 24 catches for 402 yards and nine scores. Last year, Whalen delivered 61 catches for 1,063 yards and 17 TDs. Expect Rietzke/Whalen to be another strong combination this week.
Week 5 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Dylan Bice, QB, Thunder Ridge – Bice continued his strong sophomore campaign by completing 8 of 10 passes for 132 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for 166 yards and three touchdowns on only eight carries. On the season, he’s passed for nearly 900 yards and rushed for nearly 500. (Schremmer – 71 pts)
Jacquez Coleman, QB, Colony-Crest – Crest improved to 5-0 with a quality 48-12 victory against Waverly in district play. Coleman completed three of seven passes for 19 yards. He also rushed 19 times for 121 yards and three scores. (Nicholl – 31 pts)
Parker Kavanaugh, QB, Salina Central – Kavanaugh rushed for 70 yards and passed for 44 more yards and a touchdown in the Mustangs’ 33-27 win over Ark City. (Hammeke – 17 pts)
Peyton Maxwell, WR, Newton – Maxwell caught eight passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Railers’ 30-10 loss to Maize South. (Kuplen – 17 pts)
Rossville Offensive Line – The Rossville O-Line paved the way for 228 rush yards and six touchdowns along with 108 passing yards and two more scores in the 63-0 win over Oskaloosa. (Maycock – 30 pts)
Harrison Voth, QB, Cheney – Voth passed for 322 yards and five touchdowns in the Cardinals’ 42-0 win over Pratt. (Boston – 62 pts)
McClain Weekley, RB/LB, Santa Fe Trail – Weekley registered 18 tackles in the Chargers’ 55-42 win over Bishop Carroll. Weekley also rushed for 338 yards and five touchdowns in the win. (Gilmore – 36 pts)
Steven Whitter, WR, Blue Valley Northwest – Whitter caught four passes for 17 yards in the Huskies 42-19 win over Blue Valley Southwest. (Clisso – 1 pt)
Standings for the 2020 season through Week 5:
- Brent Maycock, Topeka Capital Journal 252 points
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 228 points
- Mark Schremmer, Kpreps & Kansas Chronicles 204 points
- Alex Hammeke, Kpreps contributor 157 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 143 points
- Sean Boston, KSKZ Radio 137 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 129 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 113 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
Use your Facebook account to add a comment or start a discussion. Posts are subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment.
