Olathe East appears to be the Goliath of Class 6A state high school football this fall.

The Hawks (11-0) became the state’s only 6A unbeaten when they trashed once-beaten Shawnee Mission West, 37-7, in last week’s quarterfinal.

“We didn’t play either team during the season,” Lawrence High coach Dirk Wedd said, “but we’d seen (SM) West on film, and I felt they were a team that could handle all those (Olathe) East weapons.”

Instead, SM West became just more grist for a mill that has scored at least four touchdowns in every game.

“(Olathe) East was far superior,” Wedd said, “and that definitely opens your eyes.”

Now, it’s the Lions’ turn to try to rope the O-East tornado. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Haskell Stadium, with the winner earning a berth in next week’s 6A championship game at Topeka’s Hummer Sports Park.

Olathe East’s linchpin and the odds-on choice for the most outstanding performer in the Sunflower League is senior quarterback Derek Miller.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Miller has thrown for 19 touchdowns with just four interceptions, has rushed for five TDs and does all the Hawks’ punting and place-kicking.

“It all starts with the Miller kid,” Wedd said. “They probably have the best passing attack we’ve seen all season, and maybe the best running back in Demetrious Bell.”

The 5-7, 165-pound Bell has rambled for 1,635 yards and 22 touchdowns. Bell, who finished third in the Class 6A 100-meter dash at last spring’s track meet, averages 7.5 yards per carry.

“He’s faster than anyone we’ve seen,” Wedd said.

Even faster than Olathe South’s Devin Cummings, who ran for 127 yards in the Lions’ 21-10 quarterfinal victory over the Falcons on Friday in Olathe.

“Cummings is quicker maybe,” Wedd said, “but Bell runs a 10.6 or 10.7 in the 100 meters.”

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Throw in wide receiver Adam Parks, who has 30 receptions – six for touchdowns, and the Hawks have all the skill areas covered.

“The Parks kid is arguably the best receiver in the league,” Wedd said.

O-East is averaging 35.9 points a game, but Lawrence isn’t that far behind at 32.8 points per game. Nonetheless, the Lions can’t match the Hawks when it comes to offensive skill players.

The Lions’ primary threat is Nolan Kellerman, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound running back who isn’t fast and isn’t shifty, but has a knack for shedding tacklers. Kellerman leads the Lions in rushing yardage (1,298) and in touchdowns (14).

In knocking off Olathe South for the first time in four meetings over the last two years Friday, the Lions were outgained and out-first downed, but they avoided turnovers and they didn’t lose a single yard to a penalty.

“Right now, we’re playing our best football,” Wedd said, “but (Olathe) East is a ticking time bomb, and they’ll explode at any time.”

Tuesday’s rains soaked the Lions’ grass practice fields, so Wedd conducted drills on the artificial turf at Memorial Stadium. KU’s facility was available because the Jayhawks are idle this weekend and didn’t practice Monday or Tuesday.