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 7, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Blue Valley Northwest Offensive Line (Schremmer)
Led by a dynamic offense, the Huskies are undefeated through the first five weeks of the season. Blue Valley Northwest is averaging 47 points and nearly 460 yards per game. The Huskies’ offensive line allows the offense to be a balanced attack with 240 yards rushing per game and about 220 yards per game through the air. Northwest will count on its offensive line to have another strong performance as the Huskies face Blue Valley North this week.
Jack Francis, DB, Chaparral (Nicholl)
Francis earned second team defense and honorable mention all-league running back for Chaparral as a sophomore when he recorded 74 tackles. This season, Francis has again played on both sides and mainly been used as a receiving threat offensively. On defense, Francis has been a hard hitter on the back end. Coach J.C. Zahradnik has called Francis “as tough as nails.” Francis recorded three interceptions in Chaparral’s signature 41-21 home win last Friday. The surprising Roadrunners are 5-0 and ranked No. 4 in Class 2A. Chaparral is at 1-4 Belle Plaine on Friday, a team that has lost all four games by shutout. Overall, Francis has 26 tackles, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery along with the interceptions. The 5-foot-7, 145-pound Francis has 160 tackles in his career.
Antonio Harrison, RB, KC Sumner Academy (Clisso)
Sumner running back Antonio Harrison has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in four of the five games the Sabres have played this season. Over the past three weeks, Harrison (6-0, 200) is averaging more than 140 yards per game on the ground – all Sumner victories. Last week, Harrison rushed for 169 yards and two scores in a 44-0 win over KC Schlagle. Harrison has 649 yards and eight touchdowns this season and will look to add significantly to that total as the Sabres travel to Atchison (4-1) this week.
Kayden Martinez, RB, Natoma (Kuplen)
Martinez has helped the Natoma Tigers to a 4-0 start and sitting at No. 2 in the latest 6-Man football rankings. The 5-9, 217-pound senior back has rushed for 1,275 yards and 20 touchdowns in only four games this season. That works out to an average of nearly 319 yards per game on the ground for Martinez, who is also averaging 23.2 yards per carry. After an open date last week, Martinez and the Tigers will be anxious to get back on the field as they travel to defending 6-Man champion Cheylin.
Tre Richardson, WR, Topeka Highland Park (Maycock)
Highland Park hasn't been able to put an end to the state's longest losing streak this year, the Scots' 0-5 record extending their skid to 61 consecutive losses. But Richardson has been a major bright spot all season. A threat to score any time he touches the ball, Richardson has racked up 1,261 all-purpose yards in just four games. In last week's 72-40 loss to Topeka High, Richardson ran for 210 yards and two touchdowns, caught five passes for 80 yards and a touchdown and returned two kickoffs for touchdown. He's got 7 rushing touchdowns, 4 TD catches and three kickoff returns for scores this season.
Legend Robinson, RB, Hoisington (Boston)
Legend Robinson is in the midst of a breakout season for the Cardinals. The senior has rushed for 1,047 yards and 14 touchdowns on 97 carries so far this season through five games. In Hoisington’s 36-6 win over Minneapolis last week, Robinson rushed for 327 yards and five scores on 24 attempts. As a team, Hoisington is averaging 367 yards per game on the ground. The Cardinals have won four straight games since a season-opening loss at Pratt. Hoisington will travel to Ellsworth this week for a chance to move to 3-0 in Class 2A, District 8.
Ryan Stucky, WR, Sedgwick (Gilmore)
Senior wideout Ryan Stucky had a huge game for the Cardinals in last week’s win over Ell-Saline. Stucky hauled in nine receptions for 202 yards and five touchdowns as Sedgwick rolled to a 55-12 victory. For the season, Stucky has 25 catches for 712 yards and 11 scores. Expect Stucky to be a primary target of quarterback Lance Hoffsommer this week as the Cardinals face perhaps their toughest opponent of the season to-date with a trip to Whitewater-Remington (3-1).
Week 5 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Sean Anderson, LB, Norton – Anderson recorded a team-high 13 tackles including one for loss in Norton’s 21-20 district win over Ellsworth. (Gilmore – 26 pts)
Bishop Carroll OL – The Carroll OL helped produce 373 yards of total offense and seven offensive touchdowns in a 54-0 win over Wichita North. (Boston – 28 pts)
Dameion Hatten, WR, Sedan – Hatten had two catches for 53 yards and a touchdown in the Blue Devils’ 60-8 win over Oswego. (Kuplen – 11 pts)
Max Neeley, QB, Dighton – Neeley passed for 44 yards and a score and rushed for 82 yards and three touchdowns in the Hornets’ 50-0 win over Ingalls. (Nicholl – 36 pts)
Olathe West OL – The Owl OL paved the way for 301 rushing yards and three scores and 139 passing yards and two more touchdowns in the 45-0 win over Shawnee Mission West. (Clisso – 23 pts)
Trent Spiker, QB, Doniphan West – In Doniphan West's 62-14 win over Maranatha, Spiker jump-started the rout with a 5-yard touchdown just more than two minutes into the game. He hardly slowed down, finishing the night with 184 yards rushing and three touchdowns, also scoring on runs of 20 and 58 yards in the first half. Spiker also had a hand in three two-point conversions, throwing for two and running in one and added eight yards passing. (Maycock – 36 pts)
Tyson Struber, WR, Canton-Galva – Struber had a big night in Canton-Galva’s 60-52 loss to Little River. He had 11 receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns and added 34 yards rushing and two more scores. (Schremmer – 45 pts)
Standings for the 2021 season through Week 5:
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 265 points
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps 256 points
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Brent Maycock, KSHSAA Covered 191 points
Mark Schremmer, Kpreps & Kansas Chronicles 191 points - Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 161 points
- Sean Boston, KSKZ Radio 157 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 107 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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