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. Check back next Thursday to see our picks for week five, and how the players performed that we picked this week.
Isaiah Franklin, RB, Wichita Collegiate
Wichita Collegiate has one of the more exciting offenses in Class 4A. While Markus Phox gets a lot of the attention of opposing defenses, the speedy senior Franklin (5-8, 165) is the workhorse out of the backfield. Franklin has rushed for 334 yards in his first three games including four touchdowns. He’s averaging more than seven yards per carry this season. Franklin should add to his career totals of 1,625 yards and 20 touchdowns against Wellington this week.
Kip Keeley RB/LB, & Levi Morss RB/LB, La Crosse
When you talk La Crosse football you can't really talk about the duo of Levi Morss and Kip Keeley separately. Keeley, entering his third-year as a full-time starter, doesn't post the numbers that Morss does from his tailback spot, but his blocking and receiving skills at fullback are an essential part of the Leopard offense. The duo provides a kind of one-two punch of sorts, but both players are athletic and powerful. On defense they are the team leaders from their linebacker spots. If the Leopards are to win their fourth straight over a Plainville team that fought to the bitter end in last year's semifinal loss to the Leopards, Keeley and Morss will be the difference.
Stanton Krone, FB/LB, Beloit
Sticking with the great players make big plays in big games mantra, Stanten Krone should be counted on in this week's league contest with rival Sacred Heart. Whether it be the offense, where he has rushed for 226 yards on only 16 carries, a whopping 14.1 yards per carry, or defense, where he leads the team with 23 tackles and two fumble recoveries for touchdowns, he can be count on to perform for a Trojan team that is expecting to make another deep playoff run.
Lyndon defense
Through the first three weeks of the season, the Lyndon Tigers have surrendered just six points. Those six points came on a 91-yard kickoff return in the third quarter of a 55-6 win over Mission Valley. The Tiger defense has been stout thus in posting consecutive shutouts over Osage City and West Franklin. Four Tigers have already registered more than 20 tackles led by Dylan Sloop (30) and Skylar Farwell (25). Lyndon has recorded 9.5 sacks and forced 11 turnovers. This week Coach Stallbaumer’s group will be faced with slowing a Council Grove offense that has averaged more than 30 points per game in their 2-1 start.
Ethan Spore, QB/LB, Oswego
Spore (6-1, 190) has been a key contributor for the Indians for the past three seasons. This season, the senior quarterback has thrown for more than 440 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for six more scores as Oswego is off to a 2-1 start. The Indians travel to Humboldt (2-1) on Friday night, and Spore will need another big performance for the Oswego to get its third win.
Dylan Wissman, RB, Otis-Bison
Good players also rebound from tough losses with a vengeance and that will be Cougar running back Dylan Wissman's motivation this week after Otis-Bison allowed 24 unanswered points to Hoxie to suffer their first loss of the season last week. Wissman is one of the top 8-Man players in Kansas and already has 574 yards rushing on a workhorse-like 95 carries. He also has 19 tackles and an interception on defense and he'll be looking for more Friday night.
Last week’s Picks to Click (Week 3):
Alex Barnes, RB/LB, Pittsburg – Barnes rushed 17 times for 91 yards and a touchdown in the Dragons 41-20 loss to Fort Scott. He did not play defense in the second half after being banged up before halftime.
Dalton Buelher, RB, Scott City – Buehler rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries as the Beavers held off a solid Holcomb team 21-7. The senior back has now rushed for 578 yards and eight scores this season.
Tony Chavez WR/DB & Clayton Wetter LB , Sacred Heart – Chavez and Wetter each recovered a fumble and combined for five tackles in the Knights 31-28 overtime win over Sedgwick.
Alex Deaver, QB/RB, Clifton-Clyde – Deaver did not play in the Eagles 34-14 loss to Pike Valley.
Dimonic McKinzy QB & Antonia Moore RB, KC Wyandotte – McKinzy rushed for 102 yards and threw for 214 yards in Wyandotte’s 44-20 win over KC Sumner, but it was Moore who stole the show. The sophomore totaled 344 total yards and four touchdowns on the night. He rushed for two touchdowns and returned a kickoff and punt for a score.
Tanner Sipe, QB, Waverly – As anticipated, Sipe put up big numbers in the Bulldogs win over Yates Center. The senior quarterback rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns, and threw for 107 yards and two more scores in the 56-6 win.
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