PALMER —Throughout the years the Palmer Moose have had the reputation of planting some big boys across the line of scrimmage.

It’s become a tradition for the Moose, and basically an expectation for a program that has produced three state linemen of the year and 16 all-state front-liners in the last 16 years.

But every once in a while, a program which typically features more than its fair share of 250-plus pounders, sees an influx of athletes of the smaller variety.

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This is one of those years.

But regardless of size, the Moose are having success. And led by its small, but quick front set, Palmer is one win away from its fifth trip to the large-schools state championship in program history.

“This year it’s all about quickness,” Palmer senior offensive guard and defensive end Evan Parsons said of his team, which will play Chugiak Saturday at 1 p.m. at Anchorage Football Stadium in the large-schools state semifinals. “We’re small, but we’re fast.”

The Palmer regulars on the offensive line average about 200 pounds each, while the Moose average about 185 on the defensive line.

Palmer does feature a left tackle with size, 6-foot and 275-pound sophomore Ben Self.

But take Self away, and the Moose are left with only four linemen who reach 6-0 and two who hit the 200-pound mark. And those two, seniors Wes Jansen and Mike Daniels are listed at exactly 200 pounds.

Parsons, the only returning starter from the 2008 season, is at about the average size for a Moose lineman this season, 5-11 and 195.

Jansen also stands at 5-11, while Daniels, a starter at tight end and defensive end, is the tallest at 6-4.

Juniors Kyle Scheibe and Collin Christiansen are both 6-0, but at 190, Scheibe is a bit bigger than the 175-pound Christiansen.

Shayne Sawyer, a regular at nose guard, is 5-11, 190.

The two smallest Palmer lineman, center Danny Konkler and guard Chris Bailey, are starters on offense. Bailey sits at 5-9, 175, while Konkler is 5-8, 160.

Longtime head coach Rod Christiansen admitted it was strange to enter the season with such a small crop of linemen.

“It was definitely a concern,” Christiansen said Wednesday afternoon. “But they’ve been learning how to use their bodies to their advantage. (Learning) what to do and what not to do.”

And when it came to learning, the 2009 edition of the Palmer line quickly discovered, everything came down to their technique.

“If you don’t have your technique, you’re not going to get anywhere,” Konkler said. “You have to get low on them, you have to work the right steps. If you don’t have (technique), it’s not going to work.”

The Palmer players give much of the credit to Moose line coach Tim Popowski, a former four-year letterman at Division I-AA North Dakota State University.

“It’s all coaching. The coaches are great,” Parsons said.

This season, the Palmer linemen have helped the Moose advance to the playoffs for the 15th time in the last 16 seasons.

On offense, Palmer has amassed more than 2,300 yards on the ground, a total that includes a season-high 441 yards during a 48-12 quarterfinal win over South Anchorage last week.

Senior fullback Coleman Ahrens rushed for a career-high 236 yards and five touchdowns in the win. Ahrens now has 382 yards and nine touchdowns in the last two weeks.

He has a team-high 15 scores this season.

Senior Brennan Bohman sports a state-high 1,038 yards on the ground.

The Moose defensive line helped contain a South Anchorage rushing offensive that averaged more than 275 yards per game on the ground during the regular season. The Wolverines finished with only 59 yards rushing against the Moose.

Saturday, the Moose will play for their third trip to the state championship game since 2005.