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 have 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 2023 season include: Sean Boston (Eagle Radio); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Chet Kuplen (Sports in Kansas); Brent Maycock (KSHSAA Covered); and Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com).
Check back next Thursday to see our picks for Week 6, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Pablo Bermudez, WR, Cheylin (Gilmore)
Through four games, Bermudez (5-11, 165) continues the trajectory of his incredible career at Cheylin. An outstanding athlete, Burmudez has made his impact on both sides of the ball in his career. Defensively, he has registered 204 career tackles with 17 interceptions, including eight as a freshman. He has also recovered five fumbles. But offensively, Berumudez has become a difficult cover for opposing defenses. Through the Cougars’ first four games, Bermudez has 18 receptions for 452 yards and eight touchdowns. His 452 receiving yards are already the most of any season in his career. He has 1,220 career receiving yards with 24 touchdown catches. This season, he has also added 222 yards on the ground with seven scores this season. The Cougars have had an incredible two-week run in defeating No. 1 Ashland and No. 2 Northern Valley in consecutive weeks. In those two contests, Burmudez has 13 catches for 319 yards and four touchdowns. The top-ranked Cougars will go back on the road this week with a trip to Tribune to take on the Greeley County Jackrabbits (2-2).
Lucas Dickman, RB, Goddard-Eisenhower (Boston)
Goddard-Eisenhower is one of the state’s top stories through the first four weeks of the season. The Tigers are 4-0 for the first time in school history and appear to be a legitimate contender on the western side of Class 5A. Eisenhower had plenty of pieces back from a 3-6 squad a season ago that lost five games by less than seven points. Senior back Lucas Dickman (5-8, 160) has been a big reason for Eisenhower’s success. Dickman has already carried an incredible 104 times this season for 722 yards and seven touchdowns. Dickman had his biggest performance of the season in last week’s 41-17 win over a 4A-ranked Andover Central team when he carried 29 times for 288 yards and three scores. The Tigers will look to continue their impressive run with a road trip to winless Andover this week.
Dylan Dunn, QB, Blue Valley Southwest (Kuplen)
Dunn (6-3, 190) has thrown for 1,359 yards this season with 15 touchdowns to just two interceptions. A three-year starter, Dunn has passed for 6,730 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career while having completed 64 percent of his pass attempts. He has a talented group of receivers to throw to including Alex Parks, Tate Everard, Emmitt Peters, and Gage Ilges. The Timberwolves are a contender on the 5A East with their 3-1 start this season. On Friday, they take on 6A EKL opponent Blue Valley North.
Owen Reece, QB, Hodgeman County (Maycock)
Limited to only two games a year ago, Reece is making up for lost time this season as a senior for 3-1 Hodgeman County, surpassing his career totals in just four games. Reece has thrown for at least 200 yards in each game this season, including a career-high 312 yard and 5 TDs last week in a 58-30 win over Dighton. He also ran for 3 scores last week. For the season, Reece has thrown for 1,023 yards and 13 touchdowns and run for another 373 yards and 13 more scores. Bucklin gave up 60 points to Minneola last week as Wildcat quarterback Eli Lang amassed 310 total yards and 6 touchdowns. Reece is capable of similar numbers this week.
Jayden Woods, DE, Mill Valley (Clisso)
Woods (6-3, 230) is the top rated 2025 player in the state of Kansas. The junior defensive end holds offers from seemingly every major division 1 program including: Alabama, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and USC among others. This season, Woods leads the four-time defending 5A champion Jaguars with 20 tackles, including six for loss. He has registered a pair of sacks, deflected a pass, forced a pair of fumbles, and recovered one fumble. Mill Valley will look to rebound from a rare loss as they will take on a solid Olathe South team which has started the season 3-1.
Mason Younger, WR, Ellis (Nicholl)
Ellis senior Mason Younger is one of Kansas’ top all-around athletes. Younger, who practiced gymnastics for several years growing up, has an impressive blend of strength and speed. A longtime great wrestler, Younger was a 3-2-1A state runner-up as a sophomore and a state champion last winter. He finished third in the 2A state pole vault.
Younger didn’t play football as sophomore, though elected to return to the game last season. He led Ellis in all receiving categories with 19 catches for 436 yards and four scores. This season, Younger is among the state leaders with 32 catches for 523 yards and five TD. Plus, Younger has seven carries for 116 yards and a score. Younger, quarterback Logan Russell and wideout Caleb Noble have helped Ellis significantly improve its passing offense.
Younger is second in catches and fourth in receiving yards among Kansas 11-man players, per MaxPreps. Noble ranks seventh with 446 yards.
The Railers have a critical road 1A district road game Friday versus rival Plainville that will likely decide District 8. Expect Younger to play a major role in both the run and pass games.
Week 4 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Atchison OL – The Atchison OL paved the way for 335 yards of total offense and seven offensive touchdowns in a 54-8 win over Schlagle. The Phoenix rushed for six scores on the night. (Clisso – 27 pts)
Blake Carter, RB, Chetopa – Carter continued his dominant season for the 4-0 Green Hornets, rushing for 218 yards and 5 TDs on just 10 attempts as Chetopa cruised past Altoona-Midway 62-13. (Maycock – 51 pts)
Tanner Heckel, QB, Lyndon – Heckel had an outstanding night in leading the Tigers to a 58-30 win over Cair Paravel. The senior quarterback passed for 49 yards and a touchdown, but rushed 29 times for 349 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught a 3-yard pass. (Gilmore – 86 pts)
Moundridge OL – The Wildcat OL paved the way for 236 yards of total offense and six rushing scores in a 48-0 win over Pretty Prairie. The Moundridge defense held Pretty Prairie to 7 yards of total offense. (Boston – 22 pts)
Wichita County OL – Wichita County rolled to its 17th straight victory by shutting out St. John 52-0. The Indian OL helped produce 283 yards of total offense and seven offensive touchdowns on the night. (Nicholl – 26 pts)
Braden Young, LB, Northeast-Arma – Young registered 25 tackles, including four for loss and recovered a fumble in Northeast’s 56-22 loss to Erie. On offense, Young also added 108 yards on the ground and had 37 receiving yards. (Kuplen – 54 pts)
Standings for the 2023 season through Week 4:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 230 points
- Brent Maycock, KSHSAA Covered 169 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 158 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 155 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 119 points
- Sean Boston, Eagle Radio 104 points
2023 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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