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.
Like last season, 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.
Picks to Click contributors for the 2016 season include: John Baetz (Kansas Pregame Magazine); Dion Clisso (PrepsKC.com); Matt Gilmore (Kpreps.com); Chet Kuplen (Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas); Conor Nicholl (Kpreps.com); and Mark Schremmer (Kpreps.com).
Check back next Thursday to see our picks for Week 4, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Alex Barton, WR, Central Plains (Nicholl)
Alex Barton has played significantly in his three-year career, including as a freshman on the Oilers’ state title team. Central Plains is 24-2 in his career, including a 2-0 start this fall heading into Friday’s key Central Prairie League road game versus Otis-Bison. Barton was instrumental in the Oilers’ 48-22 season-opening road win versus Victoria and last week’s 54-8 victory against Ness City for new sophomore quarterback Devin Ryan. A junior captain, the 6-foot-3, 177-pound Barton caught a leaping touchdown pass over the secondary in the end zone and also caught a score off a halfback pass against Ness City. In Week 1, he helped end the Knights’ 24-game winning streak with nine catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns. and helped Central Plains hold a 264-17 edge in passing yards. In his first two seasons, he caught 24 passes for 317 yards and five scores.
Tate Becker, RB/LB, Herington (Gilmore)
Becker has been a standout player on a struggling Herington team for his entire high school career. After posting a 1-26 record in Class 2-1A the past three seasons, the Railers made the move to 8-man football this fall and have started the season 2-0. Becker is a big reason why. He’s rushed for 413 yards and six touchdowns, passed for 102 yards and a score, and been the same tackling machine he’s been throughout his career. Becker has received Kpreps All-District honors as a linebacker in each of the past two seasons after earning honorable mention as a freshman in 2013. He’s registered 390 career tackles, including 20.5 tackles for loss. His tackle totals have improved each season from 96 as a freshman, to 121 his sophomore year, and 150 last fall. He already has 23 tackles including three for loss this season. He’ll need another big game to lead the Railers past Centre-Lost Springs and to three wins in a season for the first time since 2011.
Blue Valley Offensive Line (Kuplen)
The Tigers are perhaps the most consistent program in Kansas over the last 25 years and a big reason is line play. They return division-one recruit Kirrian Kirby on the line, one of Kansas' best for the Class of 2017. Blue Valley is averaging 320.5 passing yards per game and another 168.5 on the ground in 2016. Matthew Dercher has emerged as a playmaker at quarterback, and Will Evans is back again to carry the load at running back. They have EKL opponent Blue Valley North on Friday, a game they want bad to make up from last years’ one point loss to the Mustangs, 28-27 in Week 5.
Davis Dubbert, QB, Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (Baetz)
Dubbert is a talented athlete that excels as a quarterback for the Blujays, and is also one of the best all-around basketball players in the state. The Blujays opened the season with a 56-32 win over Chase, a game in which Dubbert completed 12 of 15 passes for 162 yards, four touchdowns, and two rushing scores. Last week the Blujays fell 50-18 to 8-Man I's fifth ranked Osborne Bulldogs, but even in the loss Dubbert was 22 of 35 passing with 187 yards through the air. This week St. John's plays host to a Bennington team that has given up 118 points over the first two weeks of the season.
Ben Hartman, WR, Mill Valley (Clisso)
Hartman (6-0, 175) seems to be developing into the go-to receiver for new Mill Valley quarterback Brody Flaming. The senior has 16 catches for 341 yards and five touchdowns in the Jaguars’ first two wins. Last week against Blue Valley Northwest, Hartman hauled in eight receptions for 236 yards and three scores. He has already surpassed his receiving totals from his junior season where he caught 12 balls for 207 yards. Hartman and the Jaguars host Blue Valley Southwest this week.
Carter Putz, QB, Bishop Miege (Schremmer)
The junior quarterback has thrown for three touchdowns in each game for Class 4A Division I’s top-ranked Bishop Miege Stags (1-1). Last week, Putz was an accurate 16-of-23 passing for 231 yards during a 38-7 win over Gardner-Edgerton. He added 44 yards and a touchdown on six rushing attempts. For the season, Putz has completed 66 percent of his passes for 585 yards and six scores. He will need another strong outing this week as the Stags will be tested against 5A’s second-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas Saints.
Week 2 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Austin Anderson, QB, Wichita Northwest – Anderson completed 13 of 27 passes for 269 yards and four touchdowns in the Grizzlies 53-33 loss to Wichita Heights. (Gilmore – 50 pts)
Matt Dercher, QB, Blue Valley – Dercher completed 19 of 28 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ 49-7 win over Blue Valley West. He also rushed for a touchdown although he finished with minus-5 rush yards. (Clisso – 51 pts)
Brody Flaming, QB, Mill Valley – Flaming passed for 431 yards and three touchdowns during a 38-19 win over Blue Valley Northwest. He also rushed for 108 yards on 17 carries. Flaming, who took over for graduated All-State quarterback Logan Koch, already has 742 passing yards and eight touchdowns after two games.. (Schremmer – 71 pts)
Hutchinson Offensive Line – The Hutch OL paved the way for 448 rushing yards and 89 passing yards in the 46-21 win over Newton. The Salthawk offense scored five touchdowns in the game. (Baetz – 25 pts)
Jace Ruder, QB, Norton – Ruder accounted for both of Norton’s touchdowns in a 20-14 loss to Plainville. He completed just 6 of 22 passes for 132 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 69 yards and a score. (Nicholl – 31 pts)
Dalton Sporing, QB, Burlingame – Sporing passed for 179 yards and two touchdowns and added 156 rushing yards and five more scores in the Bearcats 62-12 romp over Hartford. (Kuplen – 74 pts)
Standings for the 2016 season through Week 2:
- Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 121 points
- Chet Kuplen, Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas 115 points
- Mark Schremmer, The Joplin Globe 85 points
- Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 73 points
- Conor Nicholl, Kpreps contributor 44 points
- John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 37 points
2016 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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