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 seven, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Luke Avila, WR, Goodland (Gilmore)
Avila is one of the state’s leading receivers this season. The junior has caught 34 passes for 553 yards and six touchdowns. Luke had 170 receiving yards and three scores in the Cowboys 31-28 over Hugoton. He also had 100-yard receiving games against Wray (Colo.) and Scott City. Avila may be in line for a big receiving night when the Cowboys travel to one-win Russell.
Zack Melius, RB, Wakefield (Schremmer)
The junior running back for the Bombers has rushed for more than 1,000 yards, as well as 24 touchdowns this season. He's averaging more than 12 yards per carry and has two receiving touchdowns. Wakefield will likely go to Melius early and often as the Bombers travel to face Lakeside-Downs on Friday.
Grant Raleigh, QB, Hesston (Kuplen)
Raleigh, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior, is having a breakout season for Hesston after being injured most of last year. He’s made the move to quarterback from receiver and has 983 passing yards (13 TD) and 803 rushing yards (12 TD) through the first five games of 2014. Not only a standout this football season, as an all-state selection, he helped lead the Swathers to the 3A state basketball title last March.
Robert Steck, RB, Chapman (Baetz)
While the Irish were manhandled by Abilene in the battle of Dickinson County last week, Steck, a junior running back, posted another 100-yard rushing game with 112 yards on 25 carries. He tallied 134 yards on 25 carries in a Homecoming win over Clay Center. He should find more room to run this week against a winless Marysville team that has allowed at least 39 points in each of their last four losses.
Tyler Waggoner, QB, Quinter (Nicholl)
Waggoner has enjoyed a breakout season in his third year as a starter. He has completed 38 of 79 passes for 736 yards with 17 scores against four interceptions. Quinter, 3-2, 1-2 in Eight-Man, Division I, District 8, has averaged 41 points per contest. Quinter faces Logan-Palco for Homecoming in a virtual must-win for both teams. Logan-Palco (3-2, 1-1) has allowed an average of 55 points per contest in back-to-back losses.
Javeon Williams, RB, KC Washington (Clisso)
Williams (5-11, 215) has been a workhorse for the Wildcats all season long. The senior has especially shined in league play and could have another 200 yard performance against KC Sumner Academy this week.
Week 5 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Riley England, RB, Osawatomie – England rushed 29 times for 283 yards and three touchdowns as the Trojans shutout Anderson County, 48-0. England has rushed for 1,010 yards and 11 touchdowns this season and surpassed 3,000 yards for his career. The junior has 3,015 career rushing yards and 34 touchdowns. (Kuplen – 46 pts)
Gunnar Englund, QB, Shawnee Mission East – Englund helped the top-ranked Lancers to a dominating 42-14 win over Free State. He completed 3 of 6 passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 50 more yards on just five attempts. (Clisso – 23 pts)
Dean Masters, DE, Natoma Masters’ stats were not available for this week. Natoma fell 50-0 to Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (Schremmer –?? pts)
Sheldon Schmidt, FB, La Crosse – Schmidt carried 14 times for 53 yards in the Leopards 42-22 win over Ellis. (Nicholl – 5 pts)
Colter Silhan, LB, Oxford – Silhan has a season-high 23 tackles in a 28-24 loss to Cedar Vale-Dexter on Friday night to push his total to 81 stops through five games. On offense, Colter rushed for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns. (Gilmore – 46 pts)
Tristan Speer, QB, Troy – Speer completed 15 of 21 passes for 235 yards and five touchdowns in the Trojans 64-0 win over Jefferson Co. North. He also added 31 rushing yards and a score on five carries. (Baetz – 62 pts)
Standings for the 2014 season through Week 5:
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 249 points
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 217 points
- Chet Kuplen, Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas 212 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 118 points
- Mark Schremmer, The Joplin Globe 103 points**
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps contributor 102 points
**points total from first four weeks.
2014 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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