Blaine football coach Shannon Gerrety paid Centennial quarterback Chris Anderson a real compliment last week, comparing him to former Bengals standout James Peterson. On Friday, Gerrety watched with despair as Anderson reprised Peterson's role as the key offensive force in a big game.

Anderson passed for three touchdowns and sustained drives with several tough runs. And he led the No. 2-seeded Cougars to a 19-14 victory against No. 1 seed and defending Class 5A, Section 7 champion Blaine (8-2).

He made the game's biggest play, finding Brian Sarvela in the end zone on fourth-and-15 for a 25-yard touchdown after Blaine took a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter.

"It was a broken play that wasn't supposed to go to Sarvela," Anderson said. "But he does whatever it takes to get open."

Centennial (10-1) advances to the Class 5A state quarterfinals and will play the winner of today's Section 8 championship game, either Buffalo or Brainerd.

Anderson finished with 19 carries for 86 yards in a game that looked much different than Centennial's 34-25 victory Sept. 11. Anderson threw for a season-high 214 yards in that game. He threw for 138 yards Friday.

"He's a fighter," Sarvela said. "He is the heart of this team."

Sarvela, who caught eight passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the teams' first meeting, added nine catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns Friday.

Anderson's counterpart, Blaine quarterback Eric Kline, capped the Bengals' opening drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Nate Mortenson. Kline added a short touchdown run in the fourth quarter after hitting Evan Spurbeck for a 44-yard gain deep into Cougars territory.