SALINA - Wildcat tailback Darin Pettit ran for four touchdowns and 151 yards Friday night as Salina overcame a first-quarter deficit to defeat Central 28-6 in the second round of the Class A playoffs.

The loss ended the Tigers’ season at 10-2 while 11-1 Salina travels to Oklahoma Bible (11-1) on Friday in a quarterfinal match-up.

Central received the opening kickoff at Wildcat Field on Friday and the Tigers took the lead when quarterback Shade Kutil scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. Kutil passed to tight end Joe Gibson for the conversion with 7:32 remaining in the first period.

“I was really pleased with our opening drive,” Central head coach Wade Couch said. “We converted on two big third downs and it was a good opening drive and a really nice tone-setter.”

Tailback Ryan Rogers picked up 11 yards on the first third-down conversion, and the junior had a 9-yard run later in the drive. Two other key plays in the series were a 12-yard run by Kutil and an 18-yard rush by tailback Brandon Holt.

The Tigers led 8-0 after one period of play.

A 2-yard touchdown run by Pettit capped a 65-yard scoring drive for the Wildcats with 2:56 left in the second stanza, and Pettit threw to tight end Weston Williamson for the conversion. A pass interference penalty against Central on fourth-and-12 from the 24 aided the Salina offensive series.

The teams went to the half with the score tied (8-8), and Couch was pleased with his Tigers’ first-half performance.

“Many of their fans were expecting a blowout because of the size of their players and the number of players they have,” Couch said. “We had 99 yards rushing at the half and they had 77 yards rushing, and the passing yards were about the same.”

Salina received the second-half kickoff and the Wildcats took their first lead of the night when Pettit found the end zone after a 19-yard run with 8:02 to go in the period. The score remained 14-8 after the point-after kick failed.

After the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers tried to answer Salina’s score with their second touchdown of the game. Thanks in part to a pass interference penalty against the Wildcats, the Tigers had first-and-goal at the 6, but Central’s offense couldn’t convert and the ball went back to Salina.

“Failing to score on first-and-goal from the 6 was a difference in the game,” said Couch.

Pettit had touchdown runs of 1 and 26 yards in the final period for the Wildcats. He entered the contest with 2,077 rushing yards through the first 11 games of the season.

“I was real pleased with our kids’ effort, and they played their guts out,” remarked Couch. “I was so pleased with how hard we played. We didn’t quit.”

Rogers was the Tigers’ leading rusher with 80 yards on 20 carries, Kutil ran for 21 yards on 15 carries and Holt had 20 yards on three tries.

Kutil completed 7-of-12 passes for 54 yards, and his completions were to Holt (four catches for 33 yards), Rogers (one for 9), Z-back Cannon Harrison (one for 9) and Gibson (one for 3).

Manchell followed Pettit with 55 yards rushing on nine attempts for the Wildcats. Through the air, he was 3-of-5 for 24 yards and wide receiver Paul Harvey had a 24-yard reception for Salina..

Central’s leading tacklers were Kutil (15), linebacker Jake Lineberry (11), defensive end Cole Dillard (9) and linebacker Alex Taylor (9). Kutil is a safety on defense.

Harrison, also a safety for the Tigers, had a fumble recovery in the game.