BUTLER TWP — Five possessions, five touchdowns ... and some early mercy.

Central Catholic found the end zone quickly and often in the first 14 minutes Friday night at Art Bernardi Stadium, grabbing a 35-0 lead during that time en route to a 49-7 Northern Seven football victory over Butler.

“They are just so good,” Butler coach Rob Densmore said. “Talent all over the field.”

The Vikings (6-1, 5-0) were so good that when Central coach Terry Totten offered to have the officials employ the mercy rule during the second quarter, Densmore agreed. The rule, which keeps the game clock running during incomplete passes and when the ball is ready for play, isn't supposed to kick in until after halftime.

“Coach Totten didn't suggest that to be demeaning,” Densmore said. “They didn't want to get anyone hurt and neither did we.

“They have some big, powerful athletes and we were wearing down. We weren't quitting by any means. It just made sense.”

Central scored on all four of its possessions in the first quarter. When quarterback Troy Fisher scrambled for a 39-yard scoring run with 10:40 left in the first half, the Vikings had a 35-0 lead.

And Fisher was done for the night. The junior already has scholarship offers from Boston College and Temple. He threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter.

“It does get awkward when the score jumps out so quickly like that,” Totten said. “We're not out to embarrass anybody. We're a veteran team and Butler is developing a program.

“Their guys never quit playing hard. They fought to the end and I respect that.”

Trailing 49-0, the Golden Tornado (2-4, 1-4) put together a 10-play, 64-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Luke Michalek capped it with a 1-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining.

Michalek rushed for 57 yards and compiled 157 yards on kick and punt returns. But the big numbers belonged to Central.

Justice Evans caught touchdown passes of 65 and 49 yards. The Vikings ran for 207 yards and threw for 217 while limiting Butler to 99 yards offensively.

“We were outmanned on most plays, though we did make some mistakes that we'll go back and fix,” Densmore said. “But a lot of times, their guys simply ran right by us.

“It's hard to imagine anyone in the state being better than them. I know St. Joseph's out east has a lot of talent, too. I don't know of anyone else who might match them.”

Among the Vikings' talent are Butler residents Donovan Slater at center and Cam Laconi at safety. Laconi nailed Tornado quarterback Dallas Hays for a 4-yard loss on third-and-short midway through the second quarter.

Central did take 11 penalties for 110 yards, all in the first half. The Vikings had a 69-yard touchdown run by JJ Younger and a 66-yard scoring jaunt by David Marshall Jr. wiped out by penalties on the same possession.

“Like any high school team, we've got some things to tighten up,” Totten said.

Butler travels to Norwin for a non-conference game next Friday.

“We have games left on our schedule we can be competitive in and that's one of them,” Densmore said. “We're gonna get to work.”