Carroll advances to championship

HELENA – Chance Demarais rushed 24 times for 119 yards and a touchdown, and Jon Camino rushed 29 times for 128 yards as second-ranked Carroll College defeated third-ranked St. Xavier of Illinois 27-5 Saturday in the semifinals of the NAIA football playoffs.

Carroll College (13-0) took a 13-3 lead into the break and used its ground game to grind out a win in the second half while handing St. Xavier (13-1) its first loss of the season.

Carroll will meet Sioux Falls (S.D.) for the title on Dec. 18 at Rome, Ga.

Carroll College rushed for 292 yards.

Gary Wagner completed an 11-yard TD pass to Corey Peterson to put the Saints ahead 20-3 with 3:45 left in the third quarter. Demarais’ 17-yard run early in the fourth made it 27-3.