In the trenches, the Wildcats are very young, predominantly sophomores, but they have been rock solid all season.

Whittier draws on depth that most would salivate over: The Wildcats use 12 to 15 offensive linemen in a game, only one of whom is a senior.

That strength up front has paved the way for an 8-0 start for the Haverhill squad that is outscoring its opponents by an average of 22.5 points per game.

“Our line is a very physical type of line,’’ said Bradley. “They’re big and fast. They’re nasty. They just love the game of football. They love to come out and hit.’’

With plenty of protection, senior quarterback Dillon Ryan has thrown 19 touchdown passes, tied for the second most in Eastern Massachusetts. Senior receiver Steve Surette has 10 touchdowns, and senior back Nate Allen ran for two when Whittier topped previously unbeaten Chelsea last Saturday morning, 34-13.

The offensive linemen “just keep directing and giving leads down the field; you just follow them,’’ Allen said.

According to Bradley, most of the linemen take an honors math course taught by Matty Hayes, the team’s line coach.

“They comprehend everything you tell them,’’ Bradley said. “They’re all students of the game; they have intelligent questions, and can make the adjustments you need them to make. They rise to the competition, and we have to find challenges for them, because they love the challenge.’’

One of the keys to being able to do that, he said, is the depth, which allows Bradley to substitute liberally and compensate for any injuries.

Two of the main cogs in the Wildcat line have been sophomores Rudy Ortiz and Ryan Tragakis, who embody both the size and youth of the Whittier offensive line. Their goal, according to Tragakis, is simple: Just protect the quarterback.

“Don’t let Dillon get hit,’’ he said.

Ortiz added that the line has taken pride in helping Whittier’s high-flying offense take off, giving the ground game room to run and allowing Ryan to develop into one of the most prolific passers in the state.

“We love getting [pancake blocks],’’ he said. “We want to show them you have to work hard to get through our line. It’s not going to be easy.’’

In a matchup against Shawsheen Tech two weeks ago, Whittier built a 14-0 cushion before allowing the Rams to claw back and tie the game before halftime. It was the first time all season, according to Bradley, that the Wildcats had faced any adversity.

The Wildcats responded by driving 70 yards on six plays in roughly 30 seconds, for a 22-14 lead, on the way to a convincing 38-14 victory. That, Bradley said, was when he knew his team was special.

“Coming into the locker room at half, I thought the walls were going to come down they were so loud,’’ he said. “They just learned how to win at that moment.’’

On Saturday Whittier will face its biggest challenge of the season, taking on Commonwealth Large co-leader Manchester Essex (7-1 overall, 3-0 Commonwealth). The Wildcats (2-0 Commonwealth) are eager to return to the Division 4 Super Bowl, where they fell to Amesbury last year, 34-0.

“To go undefeated is very difficult,’’ said Bradley. “The bull’s-eye on your back gets bigger and bigger. They want that opportunity though. Now we have the opportunity to win the conference, and we have to take care of that. That’s what they dreamed about being all summer, to get where we are. It’s expected now.’’

Later, athletic director Ed Harrison was informed that Moon’s kick had actually gone 39 yards - so Frissore kicked a 39-yarder in the next game against Pentucket to add his name to the record book. He also has a team-leading 16 receptions, and defensively paces the team in passes deflected.

“He’s just gotten better as the years went along,’’ said Wilmington coach Mike Barry. “He’s been a very good player for us, has a permanently good attitude.’’

Frissore nearly never made it to this point, either; he quit football his freshman year after the coaching staff attempted to make him a quarterback. He didn’t like the pressure of the position. He came back sophomore year as a receiver, and eventually took to pressure situations enough to hit game-winning field goals as the clock expired. “You wonder at how things come full circle,’’ said Barry.

Jonathan Raymond can be reached at jraymond@globe.com.