FARGO - Fargo South's return man returned the Bruins to the state football championship game.

Junior Adam Boe set South up for three first-half scores with big plays on special teams in a 38-21 victory against Century in the Class AAA semifinals on Saturday at the Fargodome.

"I just follow my blocks and run as hard as I can," said Boe, whose team will face Bismarck next Saturday in a rematch of last year's title game. "The guys blocked very well up front."

Boe began his game-changing work after Century took a 7-0 lead on its opening drive.

Boe returned the Patriots kickoff more than 30 yards to the Century 49.

South (9-2) tied the game on a 32-yard run by Julius Midell on its fourth play from scrimmage.

A 47-yard punt return by Boe gave the Bruins the ball at the Patriots 20 late in the first quarter.

Griffin Neal scored on a 2-yard run to help South to a 14-7 advantage.

Boe's 52-yard punt return to the Century 30 set the Bruins up to make the score 21-7.

"That was the difference in the ballgame, it really was, the play of the special teams. I don't know what to say about that," Century coach Ron Wingenbach said. "We practice every day, and we just didn't make the plays out there.

"I'll take the blame for that. I thought we had people in position to make the plays, and we didn't make the plays."

The Patriots (8-3), who lost to South 28-14 in the regular-season opener, made Boe a non-factor the rest of the way by kicking away from the shifty junior.

Century used a pair of big plays to cut the Bruins lead to 24-21 with 47.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Bruce Govig hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass and scored on a 50-yard run to give the Patriots a chance.

However, South answered with a pair of lengthy scoring drives to seal the win.

Jesse Kartes threw the touchdown pass to Govig and also connected with Garret Jacobs for the first touchdown of the game from 16 yards out.

Govig had 114 total yards, 82 rushing, for the Patriots.

Now, the Bruins turn their attention to upending the defending state champion Demons. Bismarck defeated West Fargo 42-14 on Saturday.

The Demons, who stopped South's two-year reign as Class AAA champs last season, defeated South 35-7 earlier this year.

"We had goals to be in this game from Day 1," South coach Kevin Feeney said. "... We know that this was not the final bit for us. You don't get too many opportunities for second chances. We did not feel like we played the style of football we were capable of when we went there (this year), and to get an opportunity like this on a stage like this, you can't ask for anything better."

Century 7 0 14 0 - 21

South 14 10 0 14 - 38

First Quarter

C - Garret Jacobs 16 pass from Jesse Kartes (Zack Haakedahl kick)

FS - Julius Midell 32 run (Kyle Roesler kick)

FS - Griffin Neal 2 run (Roesler kick)

Second Quarter

FS - Joshua Hooey 19 pass from Neal (Roesler kick)

FS - Roesler 22 field goal

Third Quarter

C - Bruce Govig 20 pass from Kartes (Haakedahl kick)

C - Govig 50 run (Haakedahl kick)

Fourth Quarter

FS - Matthew Achter 30 run (Roesler kick)

FS - Patrick Duncan 9 run (Roesler kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: C - Kartes 11-4, Govig 7-82, Mitch Ohlhauser 1-5, Zach Emil 9-25, Cody Willits 1-17, Kam Wingenbach 1-(minus-9). FS - Adam Boe 4-16, Achter 8-50, Spencer Larson 10-32, Midell 13-90, Neal 10-11, Sam Callahan 1-0, Duncan 2-5.

Passing: C - Kartes 6-16-0, 74, Wingenbach 3-9-1, 42. FS - Neal 3-6-0, 32, Larson 3-5-0, 44.

Receiving: C - Jacobs 3-49, Carson Wentz 2-14, Govig 2-32, Taylor Stein 1-4. FS - Matthew Wawers 4-59, Hooey 1-19, Boe 1-(minus-2).

Records: C 8-3, FS 9-2.