CHERRY TWP — James Parenti isn't a big fan of pancakes.

“I'm a bacon and sausage kind of guy,” says the 6-foot-2, 270-pound senior offensive and defensive lineman on the Moniteau football team with a chuckle.

On the field, however, Parenti is a big pancake guy.

As in pancake blocks.

He had 17 of them in the 32-21 win over Punxsutawney Friday. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Warriors rushed for 432 yards as a team in that victory.

Parenti is an anchor on an offensive line that has produced a 1,000-yard rusher in Cody Wise and 2,401 yards on ground as a team in nine games this year.

As far as pancakes go, that's a stat that the Moniteau coaches began keeping just this season.

“I don't know how many I've had in the past, but I don't think I've had that many in a game before,” Parenti said. “You feel great when you do that. You feel great to line up against a guy and know you're going to dominate him.”

The line as a whole has been dominant this season — and in the last three games in particular.

The Warriors have rolled up 1,133 yards rushing in the last three games alone.

Parenti and 6-3, 245-pound senior Bobby Matthews are the guards. Donnie Thomas, a 6-foot, 210-pound junior, is the center. Isaiah Usselman, a 6-1, 250-pound sophomore, and mammoth 6-5, 340-pound senior Donavan Francois are the tackles.

“Our line has been dominant,” said Moniteau coach Bob Rottman. “And then we have a fullback like Nick Martino leading the way.”

Martino, a 6-foot, 210-pound junior, has been a force as a lead blocker this season.

“We all have played together and known each other for a long time,” Parenti said. “Cody and I have been playing together since the second grade. We're just very close-knit.”

And the group up front enjoys imposing their will on the opposition.

Parenti said he can see it in the eyes of the defense when the Warriors have broken them.

“Oh, you'll see it,” Parenti said. “They get up a little slower. They won't fire off the ball as fast.”

Moniteau's offensive philosophy has played to the line's strengths this season.

Moving the pile. Opening holes. Grinding out yardage and wins.

“We want to run the ball right down their throats,” Parenti said. “Six, seven yards at a time.”

Moniteau also has a distinct size advantage up front.

Francois in particular is difficult to handle for most teams because of his strength and deceiving quickness.

Francois actually played some fullback two years ago as a sophomore.

“No one wants to go up against Donavan,” Parenti said. “No one wants to see him coming. He's an imposing figure, that's for sure.”

Parenti said the offensive line's success often translates to the defensive side of the ball.

“In a league like we're in where everyone usually plays both ways, if you're beating a guy on offense, it gives you confidence you can beat him on defense, too,” said Parenti, who is also a defensive tackle for the Warriors.

Parenti is eager to see how much more damage the Warriors can do up front in the regular-season finale at home Friday against Keystone and then in the District 9 playoffs.

“The focus is on keep doing what we're doing,” Parenti said.