The third-ranked St. Thomas football team led Northwestern of St. Paul 30-0 at halftime of the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs at Palmer Field on Saturday.

St. Thomas (10-0) met the unranked Eagles (9-1) on a cold, windy day with snow flurries falling. The game was the first-ever NCAA playoff appearance for Northwestern, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference champion.

The Tommies had little trouble scoring. Running back Tucker Trettel bulled past Northwestern’s defense for the game’s first touchdown on a one-yard run. Dylan Andrew ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead. Quarterback Alex Fenske hit receiver Joe Reed on a 25-yard scoring strike at the end of the quarter.

St. Thomas took a 23-0 lead on fullback Jeremy Molina’s one-yard run in the second quarter and Andrew’s two-point PAT run.

Northwestern took the opening kickoff and marched down the field, only to have its drive stall inside the 20 and a field goal attempt blocked. That was as close as the Eagles came to the end zone in the half.

Cornerback Michael Alada tied a St. Thomas school record with his 10th interception of the season. Alada’s interception led to a short touchdown run by Molina near the end of the half.

Saturday’s victor will play the winner of the Coe vs. Monmouth game next week in the second round of the NCAA tournament at the home of the higher seed. The Northwestern game was the seventh NCAA playoff appearance for St. Thomas in the last eight years.