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 2021 season include: Sean Boston (Southwind Broadcasting); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Chet Kuplen (Sports in Kansas); Brent Maycock (KSHSAA Covered); Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com); and Mark Schremmer (Kansas Chronicles & Kpreps.com).
Check back next Friday 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.
Reed Adelhart, RB, Garden Plain (Schremmer)
The senior running back has rushed for 410 yards and six touchdowns through two games. Adelhart, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, is averaging 9.1 yards per carry. He’s helped the Owls to a 2-0 start with wins over Conway Springs and Sterling. Garden Plain will rely on Adelhart as it faces fellow unbeaten Cheney.
Trey Buckbee, WR, McPherson (Boston)
Buckbee already has nine receptions for 252 yards and a touchdown so far this season for the Bullpups. The senior had four catches for 163 yards and a score in the 44-0 win over Circle last week. For his career, Buckbee has 86 receptions for 1,251 yards and ten touchdowns. McPherson will travel to Great Bend this week.
Mitch Budke, QB, Chase County (Maycock)
After a breakout sophomore season last year, Budke has been a straight-up workhorse for Chase County this season in the Bulldogs' 2-0 start. Through two games, the junior quarterback has rushed for 381 yards and seven touchdowns and completed 9 of 14 passes for 249 yards and three scores. Budke accounted for 340 of Chase County's 373 yards last week in a big 44-36 win over Lebo, rushing for 193 yards and four touchdowns. The Bulldogs get an unbeaten in Valley Falls this week, but last year blanked the Dragons 50-0.
Brec Long, QB, Sedan (Gilmore)
Long has made an immediate impact at Sedan after transferring from nearby Caney Valley. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound senior has completed 8 of 13 passes for 230 yards and seven touchdowns in the Blue Devils first two weeks. He’s also rushed for 277 yards and five scores. Last week in a 60-14 win over Flinthills, Long threw six touchdown passes and rushed for two more while putting up more than 360 yards of total offense. Long will need another big night this week as the Blue Devils travel to Central Burden The Raiders have opened with a pair of blowout victories over South Haven and Cedar Vale-Dexter and are averaging 59 points per game.
Fletcher Pankey, QB, Spring Hill (Clisso)
The Bronco signal caller is off to a hot start throwing for 393 yards 8 touchdowns with no interceptions in his first two games. In last week’s 42-14 win over Paola, Pankey threw for 144 yards and four scores. This week the Broncos take on Ottawa (1-1).
Keiondre Smith, QB, Caldwell (Nicholl)
Smith enjoyed a big 2020 season. He played in just seven on-field games and finished just shy of 2,000 yards of total offense. Last week, he accounted for seven offensive TDs, along with 393 offensive yards in a win versus rival South Haven. Caldwell (2-0) faces Norwich (1-1) this Friday in a key Eight-Man, Division II district contest. Smith had eight total touchdowns, along with 333 yards of total offense last season versus Norwich. Veteran coach Sean Blosser is known for high-octane offenses and highly productive dual threat quarterbacks, and expect Smith to put up another strong night.
Wichita Northwest Offensive Line (Kuplen)
Wichita Northwest has produced more than 1,100 rushing yards this season through two weeks in their 1-1 start. The Grizzlies are consistently one of the most explosive offenses in the state and have produced some of the top talent in Kansas in recent memory, including Breece Hall of Iowa State.
Week 2 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Evan Cantu, RB, Maize South – Cantu rushed for 211 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in the Mavericks’ 51-14 win over Salina South. (Boston – 45 pts)
Erhik Hermosillo, QB, Leoti-Wichita Co. – Hermosillo passed for 68 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 98 yards and two scores in the 76-28 loss to WaKeeney-Trego. (Schremmer – 33 pts)
Sage Huffman, RB, Blue Valley West – Huffman rushed for 151 yards on 25 carries in the Jaguars’ loss to Blue Valley North. (Clisso – 15 pts)
Jaran Kanak, QB, Hays – In a 51-0 home win versus rival Great Bend, Kanak rushed for 137 yards and passed for 103. Kanak passed for two touchdowns and rushed for a third. (Nicholl – 41 pts)
Henry Martin, QB, Blue Valley North – Martin completed 24 of 34 passes for 409 yards and six touchdowns in the Mustangs 42-21 win over Blue Valley West. Martin also rushed for 17 yards on five attempts. (Gilmore – 77 pts)
Cade Oliver, QB, Wabaunsee – Oliver passed for 50 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers’ 17-6 win over Uniontown. (Kuplen – 11 pts)
Colby Stull, RB, La Crosse – Stull rushed for 77 yards and had a 25-yard touchdown catch in the Leopards 64-28 loss to Hoxie. (Maycock – 63 pts)
Standings for the 2021 season through Week 2:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps 134 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 125 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 84 points
- Mark Schremmer, Kpreps & Kansas Chronicles 79 points
- Brent Maycock, Topeka Capital Journal 63 points
- Sean Boston, KSKZ Radio 61 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 18 points
2021 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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