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 7, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Mason Baker, QB, Thunder Ridge (Nicholl)
Thunder Ridge senior quarterback/athlete Mason Baker is next in a great line of backs for the Longhorns. He enjoyed a nice all-purpose year as a junior for the Eight-Man, Division II state runner-up. This year, Baker paces the eight-man in rushing yards with 1,309. Thunder Ridge won 92-52 at home versus Lakeside last week and is at struggling Wheatland-Grinnell on Friday. Thunder Ridge is 3-2, though 3-1 against Kansas teams. Baker had a historic performance versus Lakeside, including a school record 407 rushing yards. Baker threw for three TDs, rushed for eight, caught one and returned a kick for a score.
Omari Elias, RB, Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Kuplen)
Elias has been one of the most consistent backs in Kansas history over his four-year career. A back-to-back all-state pick and over 1,000 yards this season, he is likely the best running back in the state this season. We feel like this is the year that Kapaun breaks the streak and will beat Carroll in the Holy-War. If they do it will be because Elias has a big night offensively.
Gus Grote, WR, Jayhawk-Linn (Maycock)
Coming off a 2022 season where he was a first-team All-Class 1A receiver and had 844 yards and 10, Grote has picked up right where he left off a year ago and is on his way to an even bigger year this season. He has multiple-TD games in four of the Jayhawks' five games so far this year and has topped 100 yards in four of five games as well. Grote leads all 11-man players with 11 touchdown receptions, seeing nearly a third of his 36 catches go for scores. He also has 653 yards to rank top-five in 11-man. Jayhawk-Linn lost starting quarterback Nate Johnson to a broken collarbone a week ago, but freshman brother Brayden stepped in and threw for 130 yards and a TD in relief with Grote finishing the game with 10 catches for 185 yards and 2 TDs. The younger Johnson will lean heavily on Grote in the 5-0 Jayhawks' showdown with 4-1 Pleasanton with the Three Rivers League title on the line.
Chance Jermark, LB, Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (Gilmore)
Jermark (5-8, 165) is one of the state’s top tacklers through five weeks. The senior linebacker has registered 97 stops through five games including a 27-tackle performance in a Week 3 loss to Lincoln. The Blujays are off to an uncharacteristic 1-4 start to the season, but the four losses have come to teams that are a combined 14-6 this season. Jermark has had plenty of opportunities to rack up tackling stats as Beloit St. John’s-Tipton is allowing more than 51 points per game. Those opportunities should continue this week as the Blujays take on a high-scoring Lakeside-Downs team that averages nearly 49 points per game.
Brooks Kappelmann, QB, Liberal (Boston)
Liberal remains unbeaten at 5-0 and Kappelmann (6-2, 200) is a big reason why. The senior quarterback has completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,195 yards and 12 touchdowns against only three interceptions. He and standout wide receiver Zayden Martinez have teamed up for 29 connections and 704 yards and nine scores. Kappelmann has also added a team-high 420 rushing yards and five scores. Liberal looks to remain unbeaten this week with a big WAC showdown against Great Bend.
Ashton Moore, RB, Louisburg (Clisso)
Louisburg remains unbeaten at 5-0 and ranked No. 3 in Class 4A. The Wildcats have a big Frontier League road test at No. 4 Tonganoxie (4-1) this week. Moore and quarterback Declan Battle make for a difficult 1-2 backfield combo for any defense to account for. Moore has rushed for 491 yards and eight touchdowns this season. In last week’s 13-7 grinder over Eudora, Moore carried 17 times for 97 yards and scored both Wildcat touchdowns. He also had a pair of receptions for 37 yards. Moore is a complete player, having registered 15 tackles in last week’s win over Eudora. He is among the team leaders with 57 tackles this season. Moore, Battle, and the Wildcats will need another stellar defensive performance against the Chieftains this week.
Week 5 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Pablo Bermudez, WR, Cheylin – All three of Bermudez’s receptions went for touchdowns covering 89 yards in the Cougars’ 68-0 win over Tribune-Greeley County. He also rushed for 31 yards on four carries. (Gilmore – 29 pts)
Lucas Dickman, RB, Goddard-Eisenhower – Dickman carried 23 times for 187 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ 34-0 win over Andover. For the season, Dickman has pushed his season rushing total to 909 and 8 TDs. (Boston – 24 pts)
Dylan Dunn, QB, Blue Valley Southwest – Dunn blitzed Blue Valley North in passing for 327 yards and six touchdowns in a 55-21 win. He also added 28 yards on the ground. (Kuplen – 64 pts)
Owen Reece, QB, Hodgeman County – Reece continued to rack up video game stats in Hodgeman County's 40-38 shootout win over Bucklin last week. Reece completed 23 of 33 passes for 331 yards and 4 touchdowns and also ran for 101 yards and 2 scores. (Maycock – 79 pts)
Jayden Woods, DE, Mill Valley – No defensive stats were available for Woods at the time of this article. We will update when available. (Clisso – ?? pts)
Mason Younger, WR, Ellis – Younger had four receptions for 64 yards and added 52 yards on the ground, but Ellis fell to Plainville, 38-10. (Nicholl – 11 pts)
Standings for the 2023 season through Week 5:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 259 points
- Brent Maycock, KSHSAA Covered 248 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 222 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 166 points
- Sean Boston, Eagle Radio 128 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 119 points*
*Through 4 games only
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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