The Kpreps Picks to Click feature is back for the 2024 season!
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 2024 season include: Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Brent Maycock (KSHSAA Covered); and Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com).
Check back next Thursday to see our picks for Week 2, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Banks Bowen, QB, Lawrence (Clisso)
Bowen (6-3, 200) had a great junior season in 2023 leading the Lions to a 7-3 mark and a playoff win over Dodge City. Expectations are high this year in Lawrence as both the Lions and rival Lawrence Free State open the season ranked in the Class 6A poll. In addition to Bowen, Lawrence returns three starters up front on the offensive line as well as Jaxon Becker and Gabe Wingerd at receiver. Bowen, a Tulsa-commit, is coming off a season in which he passed for 1,675 yards and 13 touchdowns and added more than 1,000 yards and 13 scores on the ground. The Lions open with a home game against Sunflower League rival Shawnee Mission South.
Josh Burdick, QB, Cheney (Nicholl)
Burdick (6-0, 180) returns after a prolific junior season in which he helped lead the Cardinals to the first state football championship in school history. Burdick, a three-year starter, passed for more than 2,600 yards and 37 touchdowns a season ago and returns a capable receiving group despite the graduation of 3A All-State pick Jackson Voth. Cheney opens its title defense against a Holcomb team that they eliminated, 37-8, in the second round of the 3A playoffs last season.
Nate Johnson, QB, Jayhawk-Linn (Maycock)
Perhaps no player in the state is chomping at the bit to get the season started more than Jayhawk-Linn quarterback Nate Johnson. The senior quarterback was well on his way to a monster junior season last fall, throwing for 1,174 yards and 18 touchdowns in just four and a half games before suffering a season-ending injury. That came against Central Heights, the Jayhawks' foe on Friday night. With All-1A tight end Braeden Nation back and a cast of speedy skill players around him, Johnson is ready to make up for lost time and get some revenge on the Vikings for ending his season a year ago.
Creyo Koop, RB, West Elk (Gilmore)
Koop (5-10 ,190) returns for his senior year as one of the top eight-man football players and wrestlers in the state. West Elk will lean on an experienced backfield that features Koop, quarterback Trent Haag, and Maddex Moreno. The Patriots offensive line took a hit to graduation, but if the new group can play well early, this will be one of the more explosive offensive units in the eastern half of Eight-Man, Division I. Koop rushed for 1,563 yards and 37 touchdowns a season ago and is just 36 rushing yards shy of 4,000 for his career. He has rushed for 85 touchdowns through his three seasons as a starter. West Elk gets a challenge out of the gate from an experienced Argonia-Attica team that finished 5-4 a season ago.
The final standings for the 2023 were:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps 379 points
- Chet Kuplen, Sports in Kansas 343 points
- Brent Maycock, KSHSAA Covered 342 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps 323 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 188 points
- Sean Boston, Eagle Radio 184 points
2024 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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