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 9, and how the players performed that we picked the week prior. See the bottom of this article for details.
Grant Cantrell, QB, South Barber (Gilmore)
South Barber’s senior quarterback Grant Cantrell has led the Chieftains to a 6-1 record and the top of the 8M-II, District 7 rankings heading into Week 8. Cantrell (6-0, 200) has completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,044 yards and 19 touchdowns this season against only three interceptions. He’s also added 541 yards rushing and 10 scores for the Chieftain offense which averages 49 points per game. Cantrell accounted for seven total touchdowns in last week’s win over Stafford, and will need another big performance this week as the Chieftains travel to Ashland. South Barber can clinch the District 7 championship with a win.
Valentino Degollado, QB, Hugoton (Schremmer)
The 6-foot-1 senior serves as a quality dual-threat for the Eagles. Degollado has passed for 1,458 yards and 17 touchdowns, while rushing for 548 yards and nine touchdowns. He even has one catch for two yards. Coming off a close loss to Pratt, expect a strong performance from Degollado and the Eagles this week against Kingman.
Peyton Duvall, WR, Ellinwood (Baetz)
Ellinwood's 1-6 record is somewhat deceiving thanks to three losses by 10 points or less through the first seven games of the season. The Eagles have lost two games by two points each. While the third season in 8-Man ball has been a dim one for the Eagles, one bright spot has been freshman wide receiver Peyton Duvall. Duvall has hauled in 37 catches for 526 yards on the year, including eight catches for 100 yards against state power Central Plains in last week's loss. Duvall will likely be targeted heavily in the passing game in order for the Eagles to close the season with wins against Little River and Canton-Galva.
J.J. Letcher, RB, KC Piper (Clisso)
Letcher (5-8, 165) is an electric player for the Pirates in all three phases. The senior has rushed for 1,133 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He’s also caught 14 passes for a team-high 244 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, Letcher has registered 45 tackles, eight interceptions, and six pass deflections. He’s also shined on special teams where he’s returned two punts for touchdowns this season. In last week’s 48-34 loss to No. 2 Basehor-Linwood, Letcher rushed 33 times for 231 yards and three touchdowns, and caught three passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. On defense, he had 10 tackles and two interceptions; one of which he returned for a touchdown. It was Letcher’s fourth two-interception game this season.
Jayden Price, QB, Mulvane (Kuplen)
Price has accounted for 1,560 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and another 846 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. The Mulvane junior has been one of the top dual threat QBs in Kansas this season, and will look to lead the Wildcats to their sixth win of the season as they host Wellington on Friday.
Jesse Nunez, QB, Garden City (Nicholl)
Nunez, who first started at quarterback as a sophomore, has led the Buffs to a 7-0 start for the second straight year. The last two weeks, Nunez has helped Garden City defeat Wichita Northwest and rival Dodge City, the two teams Garden City lost to in 2015. Nunez has passed for 843 yards and rushed for 1,013. He ranks second in the conference in both statistics. As well, Nunez has rushed for 19 touchdowns and passed for eight scores. This week, Garden City travels to undefeated Great Bend for the WAC title.
Week 7 Picks to Click results (scoring):
Djimon Colbert, DB, Bishop Miege – Colbert made two tackles in the Stags' 51-0 win over Eudora. (Clisso – 4 pts)
Jacob Jenkins, RB, Chaparral – Jenkins carried 29 times for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the Roadrunners’ 27-6 win over Cheney. (Baetz – 35 pts)
Tyler Lingg, QB, Dighton – Lingg completed 23 of 33 passes for 395 yards and four touchdowns and added 17 rushing yards and a score in the Hornets’ 36-30 win over Otis-Bison. (Nicholl – 48 pts)
Isaac McPherson, RB, Fredonia – McPherson carried 32 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns in the Yellow Jackets’ 26-19 win over rival Neodesha. (Kuplen –30 pts)
Will Schneider, QB, SM North – The senior quarterback led the Indians to a 61-38 win over Shawnee Mission Northwest. Schneider completed 17 of 24 passes for 252 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown. (Schremmer – 58 pts)
Colten Ward, QB, Caldwell – Ward rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 60 more yards in Caldwell’s 56-42 loss at Hartford. (Gilmore – 37 pts)
Standings for the 2016 season through Week 7:
1. Mark Schremmer, Kpreps contributor 319 points
2. Matt Gilmore, Kpreps.com 295 points
3. Chet Kuplen, Kansas-Sports.com & @sportsinkansas 266 points
4. Dion Clisso, PrepsKC.com 245 points
5. John Baetz, Kansas Pregame Magazine 207 points
6. Conor Nicholl, Kpreps contributor 199 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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