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 8, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Duncan Bell, QB, Hoxie (Nicholl)
Hoxie is 5-1 and has won three in a row. The Indians will travel to Quinter (4-2) on Friday in a key Eight-Man, Division I, District 6 matchup. Hoxie defeated Hill City, 36-24, on the road last week. Bell finished with a huge game with 19 of 31 passing for 289 yards with three scores against no interceptions. He rushed 10 times for 67 yards a score. Those numbers easily marked Bell’s season bests. A veteran quarterback, Bell will likely need to provide significant offense again for the Indians.
Trey Carter, QB, Atchison (Clisso)
Atchison remains undefeated and has blitzed through its Meadowlark Conference schedule with an average margin of victory of nearly 55 points over the last five weeks. The Phoenix closest game this season game in a 48-42 win at Ottawa in the season-opener. Senior Trey Carter has been the catalyst for the Phoenix offense. Carter (5-10, 180) has completed 60 percent of his passes for 953 yards and 15 touchdowns against only three interceptions. He’s also added 132 rush yards and four scores. Carter has four teammates with more than 150 yards receiving yards, led by senior Jeter Purdy who has 14 catches for 344 yards and seven touchdowns. Atchison steps out of Meadowlark Conference play this week to take on Big & League member Perry-Lecompton. The Kaws enter the contest with a 2-4 record, but their four losses have come to opponents that are a combined 21-3 this season.
Carter Hajek, RB, Nemaha Central (Kuplen)
Carter Hajek of Nemaha Central has had a breakout year in place of his graduated older brother Cooper. The sophomore has emerged on the scene as one of the best players in 2A this season with 1,157 rushing & 438 passing in the Thunder 6-0 start. Hajek has 26 combined TDs, 21 of those coming on the ground. Hajek had 269 yards rushing and two touchdowns last week against Minneapolis along with 57 passing yards.
Britton Pascual, LB, Derby (Boston)
Since a season-opening loss to Manhattan, the Derby Panthers have won five consecutive games and sit quietly outside the Class 6A rankings continuing to build momentum. A big reason for their success has been a defense that is allowing only 14.2 points per game on the season, including only 10.4 points during that five-game win streak. Senior linebacker Britton Pascual is a big reason why. Pascual (5-9, 185) has registered a team-high 68 tackles, including 14 for loss. He has also registered seven sacks and forced a fumble. For Derby to keep winning, Pascual and the defense will have to be on their game as they host a Maize South team that is 5-1 and averaging nearly 42 points per game.
Luciano Riggi, LB, Lansing (Maycock)
Riggi is one of the top tacklers in the state this year, recording 94 through six games for the 3-3 Lions. That's an average of 15.7 per game and already nearly 3-0 more tackles than he had last year as a junior when he had 67 for the season in nine games. Riggi had a season-high 23 tackles against Shawnee Heights in Week 2 and has at least 15 stops in all but one game, when he sat the bulk of the game in Lansing's 84-14 rout of Topeka West. Riggi has also forced four fumbles and recovered one. This week's opponent is Class 6A No. 4 Manhattan, which is a run dominant team, giving Riggi plenty of opportunities to make plays for the Lion defense.
St. Mary’s Colgan Offensive Line (Gilmore)
St. Mary’s Colgan has been atop the Class 1A poll for several weeks and remains one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the classification. Colgan features the outstanding backfield combination of Tucker Harrell and Cooper Simmons, but the key for a deep Panther playoff run will be the play of its offensive line. The OL unit features Ethan Hoagland (6-2, 250), John Potusek (5-8, 180), Jade Tenry (6-1, 230), Tristan Voss (6-4, 240), and Konnor Ware (6-1, 205). The group is experienced with multiple year starters and have helped lead the way as Colgan has averaged nearly 470 yards per game through six weeks. In last week’s win over Columbus, the Panthers racked up 572 yards rushing and eight rushing scores. This week, the Panthers host Erie (4-2) with the Class 1A, District 1 championship on the line.
Week 6 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Mason Baker, QB, Thunder Ridge – Baker completed all 12 of his passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 109 yards and three more scores in Thunder Ridge’s 52-6 win over Wheatland-Grinnell. (Nicholl – 62 pts)
Omari Elias, RB, Kapaun Mt. Carmel – Elias rushed for 239 yards and a touchdown as Kapaun beat rival Bishop Carroll (49-20) for the first time since 1999. (Kuplen – 29 pts)
Gus Grote, WR, Jayhawk-Linn – Grote had two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown before leaving with an injury. The Jayhawks beat Pleasanton, 12-6. (Maycock – 9 pts)
Chance Jermark, LB, Beloit St. John’s-Tipton – Jermark registered 18 tackles, including three for loss and a sack, but the Blujays fell 40-36 to Lakeside-Downs. Jermark also rushed for a score, caught a touchdown pass, and returned a punt for a TD. (Gilmore – 40 pts)
Brooks Kappelmann, QB, Liberal – Kappelmann passed for 87 yards and two touchdowns and added 49 rush yards in the Redskins’ 21-14 win over Great Bend. (Boston – 24 pts)
Ashton Moore, RB, Louisburg – Moore carried 25 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 24 yards in the Wildcats’ 30-29 win over Tonganoxie. (Clisso – 31 pts)
Standings for the 2023 season through Week 6:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 299 points
- Brent Maycock, KSHSAA Covered 257 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 222 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 228 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 156 points
- Sean Boston, Eagle Radio 152 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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