Coe shocks St. John's in D-III playoffs (with video)

Linebacker Calvin Thomas returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown in the first half and a fumble 76 yards for a touchdown in the second half to help Coe College to a 34-27 upset win over fourth-ranked St. John's (Minn.) in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs Saturday in Collegeville, Minn.

Coe (10-1) won a playoff game for just the second time and will advance to a quarterfinal game next Saturday against St. Thomas of Minnesota (10-1), most

 likely in St. Paul, Minn. St. Thomas knocked off unbeaten Monmouth, 43-21.

The Kohawks withstood missing quarterback Brad Boyle, who missed much of the second half with an apparent injury. Boyle was named the Iowa Conference's Most Valuable Player on Friday.

Coe had a 34-20 lead late in the fourth, with St. John's pulling within a score on a touchdown. The Kohawks recovered the Johnnies' onside kick and ran out the clock.

St. Thomas' lone loss this season was to St. John's in overtime, 10-7. In another first-rounder Saturday, Central College lost at home to Mary Hardin-Baylor of Texas, 42-40.

The IIAC champion Dutch (10-1) scored a late touchdown to pull within two, but their two-point conversion try to tie failed.