NAIA Football Playoffs: St. Xavier Advances to Championship Game

Clayton Fejedelem made a game-saving play on defense.

Oak Lawn's Nick Pesek chipped in with hard-earned yardage on the ground. And Lincoln-Way East's Tom Lynch kicked an all-important field goal.

Fejedelem, Pesek and Lynch all had a hand in St. Xavier University's 30-27 victory over Marian (Ind.) in the semifinals of the NAIA football playoffs Saturday at St. Vincent Health Field in Indianapolis.

Fejedelem tipped and intercpeted a pass thrown by Marian's Adam Wiese on a third-and-goal play from the 11 as the Cougars staved off a last-ditch bid by the Knights in the final 30 seconds. The Knights had a first-and-goal from the 1 with under 1 minute to play, but a bad snap and an illegal procedure penalty pushed the ball back to the 11 with :18 left.

St. Xavier (13-1) moves on to play in its first NAIA championship game on Saturday, Dec. 17, in Rome, Ga. The Cougars will face Carroll (Mont.). Carroll whipped Georgetown (Ky.) 35-3.

St. Xavier scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Jimmy Coy to Wes Gastel early in the fourth quarter. Gastel finished with a team-best six catches for 109 yards.

He was named the NAIA Outstanding Player of the Game on offense. Teammate Michael Prosser earned the defensive honor. Prosser finished with 16 tackles (six solos) and had a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Pesek rushed for a team-leading 46 yards, while Lynch booted a 21-yard field goal for the Cougars, who avenged an earlier 27-9 loss to Marian.