We are proud to have SureFire Ag Systems on board as the primary sponsor of our “SureFire Picks to Click” feature for 2015. Our SureFire Picks to Click feature six players or units from across the state that we feel will have breakout performances on Friday night.
SureFire Ag Systems provides solutions for the control and application of liquid and anhydrous ammonia fertilizer. SureFire Ag is proud to support Kansas high school football. Learn more about these products, and other industry leading agriculture technologies by visiting www.surefireag.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
We have 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.
Picks to Click contributors for the 2015 season include: John Baetz (Kansas Pregame Magazine); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Chet Kuplen (Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas); Conor Nicholl (Kpreps contributor); and Mark Schremmer (The Joplin Globe)
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.
Will Bruna, QB, Hanover (Gilmore)
Bruna has been exceptional for the fourth-ranked Wildcats this season. The junior quarterback has completed 72.6 percent of his passes for 1,239 yards and 19 touchdowns. He’s thrown only two interceptions. Bruna has also rushed for 277 yards and eight more scores. Despite returning just two defensive starters from last season’s state runner-up team, Hanover is 5-0 and has already picked up key district wins over Wakefield and Mankato-Rock Hills. The Wildcats host Lincoln this week; a team averaging 45 points per game.
Mason Eilert, WR, Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (Nicholl)
St. John’s-Tipton has a key district game at Victoria this week. The Blujays are a pass-heavy team and Victoria has a great defense, especially against the run. However, 6-foot-3 junior Mason Eilert has put together a standout year with 28 catches for 318 yards and seven scores. Junior Davis Dubbert (6-4, 190) has thrown for 13 touchdowns versus five interceptions in his first year as the starting quarterback. For SJT to win, the Blujays are going to likely have to pass. Last season, Victoria won a shootout, 68-56, and Eilert had seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Riley England, RB, Osawatomie (Baetz)
After five games this season, England leads the state in rushing with 1,386 yards and 14 touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior is averaging 12.3 yards per carry and 277 yards per game this season. England rushed for 2,005 yards and 23 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2013, and was an all-state selection after rushing for 1,845 yards and 19 scores a season ago. He has 5,236 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns for his career. Most importantly, the Trojans are 4-1 and ranked No. 4 in the latest Class 4A-II poll. Osawatomie hosts winless Central Heights on Friday.
Brandon Mlekus, QB, Frontenac (Schremmer)
Mlekus (5-10, 170) has shown a lot of promise in his first-year starting as quarterback of the Raiders. The junior is a dual threat, having completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 911 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He also rushed for nearly 300 yards and four more touchdowns on limited carries. Last Friday, Mlekus completed 18 of 27 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-21 loss to rival St. Mary’s Colgan. The Raiders managed only 26 rush yards against the Panthers, but look for Frontenac to be more balanced this week when they host Girard.
Bryce Steffens, LB, St. James Academy (Clisso)
Steffens (6-0, 220) is the middle linebacker and leading tackler for the Thunder defense which is allowing only 11 points per game. Just a junior, Steffens has registered 30 tackles in just four games, has two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a blocked field goal. As a sophomore last fall, Steffens totaled 43 tackles including six tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions in eight games. The Thunder are unbeaten, ranked No. 5 in Class 5A, and host winless Coffeyville this week.
Caden Walters, QB, Dodge City (Kuplen)
Walters is on track to surpass 2,000 passing yards again in 2015. He has passed for 1,253 yards and 14 touchdowns, while contributing another 278 yards and ten touchdowns rushing for the Red Demons. He will need to continue to pile up a lot of yards and get in the end zone if Dodge City is to get a win over Hays on Friday.
Week 5 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Jafar Armstrong, WR, Bishop Miege – Armstrong had ten receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown in the Stags’ 56-20 win over Blue Valley West. (Clisso – 18 pts)
Columbus Offensive Line – The Titan offensive line paved the way for 445 rushing yards, five touchdowns, and 89 passing yards and two more scores. That’s 534 total yards and seven offensive touchdowns for Columbus in the 47-20 win over Riverton. (Schremmer -- 31 pts)
Wykeen Gill, QB, Atchison – Gill completed 9 of 15 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, and added 28 yards rushing and another score as the Redmen beat Schlagle, 39-18. (Gilmore –27 pts)
Clayton Herdman, QB, La Crosse – Herdman rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns an passed for 71 more yards and a score, but the Leopards fell 20-18 to Ellis. (Nicholl – 42 pts)
Christian Ozores, LB, Junction City – Ozores registered two tackles and intercepted a pass in Junction City’s 36-13 win over Washburn Rural. (Baetz –8 pts)
Darraja Parnell, WR, Andover Central – Parnell had two receptions for 41 yards in the Jaguars’ 37-13 win over Goddard-Eisenhower. (Kuplen – 4 pts)
Standings for the 2015 season through Week 5:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 200 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps contributor 170 points
- Mark Schremmer, The Joplin Globe 138 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 134 points
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 127 points
- Chet Kuplen, Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas 122 points
2015 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, TFL, sack
- 4 points for every INT or fumble recovery
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