In our Picks to Click, we feature six players or units from across the state that we feel will have breakout performances on Friday night.
We’ve assembled a team of six 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.
Check back next week to see our picks for week four, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Kyler Alderson, QB, Wamego (Gilmore)
Alderson is coming off of a huge junior campaign where he passed for 2,133 yards and 23 touchdowns against only four interceptions. He also scored 11 touchdowns rushing a season ago. Thus far this season, Kyler has passed for 397 total yards and thrown four touchdowns in each of the Red Raiders first two games. Alderson has also added 115 yards and three scores on the ground and is a key reason Wamego is a top five team in 4A-II. Look for Alderson and the Red Raiders to pick up another win against Marysville this week.
Dylan Becker, WR, Salina South (Schremmer)
Through his first two games of his junior season, Becker (6-2, 158) already has 10 catches for 309 yards and five touchdowns. He has quickly become the favorite target for Salina South quarterback Dalton Wassenberg, accounting for than 50 percent of his completions thus far. The Cougars (2-0) will look to Becker often in a big game at Hutchinson.
Centralia-Wetmore OL (Kuplen)
The Panthers have racked up 484.5 rushing yards per game and 14 rushing touchdowns over the first two weeks of the season. Division-one recruit and two-time all-state selection, Joey Ferron, anchors the offensive line for the Panther backfield that features running back Darrian Turner (196.0 yards per game) and quarterback Wyatt Vandorn (151.5 yards per game). Many expected a drop off with the loss of several key players to graduation and a move up to class 3A this season, but the ball is still rolling in Centralia.
Kyler Kinnamon, QB, McPherson (Baetz)
The Bullpups have started the season 0-2 against stiff competition in Salina South and Andale, and Kinnamon has struggled as the primary target of opposing defenses. Kinnamon had a strong rushing effort in week one against South with 94 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, but was also picked off four times. Last week, Andale held him to just 10 yards rushing on 11 carries and forced his fifth interception of the season.
Kinnamon and his teammates will be hungry to break into the win column this week against a much improved Augusta team that is 1-1 under first year coach Jason Filbeck, and while the Orioles will likely be no pushover, the Bullpups should get into the win column behind a breakout game by Kinnamon.
Colton McCumber, QB, Blue Valley (Clisso)
The Tigers signal caller was a true dual threat QB in the big win over Blue Valley West as he ran and passed for over 100 yards and scored on the ground and through the air. McCumber has rushed for 182 yards and passed for 242 yards already this season. Blue Valley will need a similar performance from him this week as the Tigers take on another high-flying offense in Bishop Miege.
Jace Ruder, QB, Norton (Nicholl)
The hype is starting to grow for Norton freshman quarterback Jace Ruder, who has completed 17 of 24 passes for 356 yards with a 5/0 TD/INT ratio in two impressive wins against Ellis and rival Phillipsburg. Ruder spent time at an elite quarterback camp in California this summer and dunked as an eighth grader on the basketball court. Ruder has helped Norton defeat Ellis 46-0 and Phillipsburg 34-7. This week, the Bluejays travel to Oakley in a key MCL contest. Oakley, the No. 1 scoring defense in all of Kansas last season, struggled last week in a 35-8 loss at Smith Center.
Week 2 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Colton Beebe, LB, KC Piper – Beebe made 19 tackles and forced a fumble in Piper’s 20-0 shutout of Baldwin. The senior linebacker has now registered 30 tackles in the Pirates first two games. (Kuplen – 38 pts)
Dawson Downing, RB, Bishop Miege – Downing rushed 22 times for 159 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Stags’ 29-0 win over Gardner-Edgerton. Dawson now leads the EKL in rushing with 394 yards and five touchdowns after two weeks. (Clisso – 27 pts)
Devontae Goldsby, RB, Quinter – Goldsby pulled off the trifecta – scoring touchdowns via the pass, run, and catch – during a 38-34 win against Hoxie. Goldsby completed a 23-yard touchdown pass, rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.. (Schremmer – 38 pts)
Dylan Haas, LB, Ellis – Haas registered 12 tackles in the Railroaders’ 26-21 victory over Thomas More Prep. (Nicholl – 24 pts)
Jake Tiernan, QB, Osborne – Tiernan completed 14 of 19 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 71 yards and two more scores as the Bulldogs beat Beloit St. John’s-Tipton 42-22. (Gilmore – 50 pts)
Zac Walter, QB, Lincoln – Walter had a huge night in Lincoln’s 60-14 win over Sylavn-Lucas. Zac passed for 121 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 207 yards and five touchdowns. (Baetz – 74 pts)
Standings for the 2014 season through Week 2:
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 108 points
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 82 points
- Chet Kuplen, Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas 78 points
- Mark Schremmer, The Joplin Globe 73 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps contributor 54 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 42 points
2013 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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