BUTLER TWP — While a WPIAL playoff berth is unlikely for Butler, the Golden Tornado football team isn't ready to call it quits.

Butler (2-6, 1-5) hosts Central Catholic (7-1, 5-1) at 7:30 p.m. for Senior Night. The game marks the end of the Northern Eight schedule as well.

“We asked the kids if they were interested in playing a 10th game next week and they definitely are,” Butler coach Rob Densmore said. “No one on this team wants to see this season come to an end just yet.

“We've been calling around looking for an opponent, but teams keep turning us down. Those games can be hard to find.”

If the Tornado finds a way to upset Central Catholic, they would stand a good chance to enter the Quad-A playoffs as the wild-card. Pine-Richland, Central, North Allegheny, North Hills and Fox Chapel have sewn up the automatic spots out of the Northern Eight.

“Hey that possibility is still there,” Densmore said. “We don't concede anything. We're going to play hard and play physical Friday night regardless of the situation.

“That's what this team does.”

Butler will be playing without senior quarterback Jamison Smith, who suffered a broken wrist last week. Sophomore Alec Bayer, who completed three passes for 27 yards at Fox Chapel, will get the nod behind center.

Lucas Dubyak will line up in the Wildcat formation from time to time as well.

“We have to change it up on occasion, try different ways to move the football,” Densmore said. “But Alec has been our JV quarterback all year and he knows the system. He'll be getting a lot more reps with the first team this week and that will help him.

“This was a challenging season for Jamison. I know he's a senior, but he was a first-year starter in a totally new system. Experience-wise, he might as well have been a sophomore.”

Butler's running game has produced 1,406 yards this season. Central Catholic has run for 1,588, averaging only 23 more yards on the ground than the Tornado per game.

“They've thrown the ball better than we have, but we have basically the sane philosophy on offense,” Densmore said.

Damien Pickett has rushed for 568 yards for Butler, roughly half of that total coming against Baldwin in Week 2. He has been battling an ankle injury this year. Dubyak has run for 354 yards and a pair of scores.

When Butler has put the ball in the air, tight end Robert Kunst has been their most effective option. He has seven catches for 134 yards.

“We've been under-sized most of the year, but we do have some size coming up from the lower levels for next year,” Densmore said.

“Central will be much bigger than us, so our line play has to be all about movement and angles, shooting the gaps, slanting and pinching. We have to out-quick people.”

Butler has an 11-6 lead in the all-time series between the schools, but Central defeated the Tornado last year, 55-0, and 31-0 in 2012.

“It's a football game, another opportunity to show people what we're all about,” Densmore said. “We're at home. It's Senior Night. We'll be ready.”