By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

QUINTER -- Quinter prep football head coach Greg Woolf has seen his veteran linemen grow close throughout the fall. The group, led by seniors Zach Nemechek and Cody Corwin, can provide advice to each other.

"Right now, this late in the season, one of them can go up to another one and say 'hey, this is what I am seeing you do on film,'" Woolf said. "They will immediately correct it. No one is trying to be over anybody else. They take criticism very well from each other. They talk each other up quite a bit. They are getting off the ball and keeping their backs flat."

The cohesiveness and teamwork has yielded strong offensive and defensive fronts. Quinter has rushed for 3,245 yards and collected 37 sacks en route to a 10-1 record in Eight-Man, Division I. The Bulldogs have won their two playoff games by a combined score of 106-6, including a 50-0 win against Macksville last Saturday that yielded 12 sacks.

"That is the best front we have seen all year," Macksville head coach Dan Grizzell said. "They are clicking on cylinders and they should. They are all seniors. They have been two, three-year starters here and they ought to be clicking right now and they are. That's (attributed) to their coaching staff."

On Saturday, Quinter will look to qualify for its first state championship game since they won the Eight-Man, Division I title in 1992. The Bulldogs, on an eight-game winning streak, will travel to Clifton-Clyde (10-1) for a 3 p.m. kickoff. Clifton-Clyde, the reigning state runner-ups, have had just two games within 45 points, a two-point loss to rival Hanover, ranked No. 1 in Eight-Man, Division II, and a first round playoff win against Hill City, 56-24. Senior quarterback Brayden Bloomfield paces Clifton-Clyde with 1,677 rushing yards.

Quinter, though, could win Saturday -- and then could win the state title a week later.

"If they keep playing the way they are right now, they can win a state championship, there is no doubt in my mind. They remind me a lot ... of our state championship team in 2007," Grizzell said. "Great offensive line, quarterback makes great decisions. That's what you got to have. A quarterback that makes great decisions and doesn't turn the ball over and an offensive line up front that can get it done and they can."

Quinter discovered Woolf had cancer after a Week 2 victory against Palco. After a sluggish start and Week 3 loss to Sharon Springs, the Bulldogs, led by the fronts, have had one game within 25 points.

Senior running back Jordon Hargitt is the area's leading rusher with 231 carries for 1,820 yards and 22 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Brady Reed has picked up 1,050 total yards, while sophomore Logan Reed has 827 rushing yards. Senior Matt Bird has 13 total touchdowns behind a line that yields Nemechek; a returning all-state player; senior Thatcher Deaton, senior Skyler Wittman, Corwin, and senior Scott Ochs.

"Their presence is definitely felt," Hargitt said. "These guys have not only bulked up, but they have lost the weight in the right places where their speed has just picked up."

On defense, Corwin has picked up 11 sacks, while Nemechek has nine and sophomore Brian Ochs has picked up six as Quinter has permitted 11.3 points per game.

"Whether we double teamed him or single teamed him, he is a great athlete, has a great first step, a great rip and swim move," Grizzell said of Nemechek.

Quinter has more sacks than Clifton-Clyde (15), Baileyville B&B (26), the top two Eight-Man, Division I teams in the final regular season statewide media poll.

"I think so far, our best pass defense is our linemen getting all those sacks," safety Joe Simon said.

Quinter forced Macksville into 6-of-20 passing and allowed just one long drive for the Mustangs. Last season, they lost a first half lead to Macksville and lost the game, but on Saturday, the line continued to put pressure on in the second half. The game ended by the 45-point rule in the fourth quarter.

"When we went in, the coaches really got on us. ... from the last time we played them and they said we started celebrating at halftime, thought we had them beat, and this time, they just got straight on us," Corwin said. "They said, 'it's not over yet.'"

Early on in the contest, Brian Ochs committed a mistake, but then made a correction and finished with three sacks. Nemechek, who often leads the team in drills and warmups and is a captain and vocal leader, continually put pressure on the Bulldogs' two quarterbacks.

"(Brian) knew what he was supposed to do," Woolf said.

"He did something he wasn't supposed to do, he corrected it, then he ended up getting sacks. Cody Corwin was the exact same thing. Just the pressure that we could put on them could take them out of their passing game. Nemechek had a tremendous game. He is such a team leader on the inside, getting kids going."