St. Thomas defeated postseason newcomer Eureka 47-8 in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs on Saturday in St. Paul.

The Tommies (10-1), who are in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year and eighth time in the past nine seasons, built a 40-0 lead en route to the victory. The Tommies will play Berry (Ga.) in the second round. The site will be announced on Sunday. Berry defeated Huntingdon 34-20 on Saturday.

The loss ended an eight-game winning streak for the UMAC champion Red Devils (8-3) of Eureka, Ill.

Leading 19-0 at halftime, the Tommies broke the game open with three touchdowns in a five-minute span in the third quarter.

The Tommies scored on their first possession of the second half to open a 27-0 lead with 10:58 left in the third quarter. Less two minutes later, the Tommies' Adam Brant returned an interception 28 yards for a score to make it 33-0.

On the Red Devils' ensuing possession, the Tommies' Jack Dummer blocked a punt and Andrew Inserra returned it 4 yards to give the Tommies a 40-0 lead. It was the ninth touchdown by the Tommies defense or special teams in the past five games.

The Tommies, who lead Division III in overall defense and rushing defense, limited the Red Devils to 46 rushing yards and 155 overall yards. The Red Devils had one first down and 24 yards in 26 plays in the first half.

Eureka running back LeAnthony Reasnover, who went into the game with 1,834 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns, was limited to 41 yards in 27 rushes.

Josh Parks rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown and Jacques Perra threw two TD passes to lead the Tommies offense.

North Central 17, St. John's 7: Dominick Muoghalu rushed for 180 yards and a TD to lead the host Cardinals past the Johnnies in Naperville, Ill.

Muoghalu's 16-yard TD run midway through the first quarter staked the Cardinals to a 6-0 lead. The Cardinals added a third-quarter field goal and a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to open a 17-0 lead.

The Johnnies, in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, got on the scoreboard with 6:15 remaining on Jackson Erdmann's 17-yard TD pass to Dan Harrington.

The Johnnies had two possessions in the final six minutes. The first possession ended with a missed field goal. The second began with 19 seconds remaining and the Johnnies ran only one play before time ran out.

Dusty Krueger rushed for 119 yards for the Johnnies (9-2).

The Cardinals (10-1) advanced to play Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which beat Lakeland 63-0 on Saturday, in the second round.