MINOOKA - Minooka dominated defensively and connected on several big plays on offense to pull away for a dominant victory Friday night against Plainfield North.

Nathan Maul threw two long touchdown passes and ran for another score as Minooka rolled to a 27-3 Southwest Prairie West win.

“It makes a huge difference,” Maul said of the long touchdowns. “Those big plays put 27 on the scoreboard. It’s huge.

“All those dudes are just playmakers. If I get the ball in their hands, they’re going to make a play for me. Our offensive line’s blocking up front sets up a lot of run plays, which eventually opens up pass plays, we play-action off that.”

Maul completed 7 of 10 passes for 200 yards for Minooka (5-2, 2-1), which became playoff eligible. Carson Jacoby had two catches for 100 yards and a score, while Joey Partridge ran for 82 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Plainfield North (3-4, 2-1) was held to 118 yards of total offense, led by 37 yards rushing on seven carries for Devan Draughon. Andre Deal had a sack and Eli Liapis contributed two tackles for loss for the Tigers.

Leading 13-3 at halftime, Minooka stretched its edge to 17 when Partridge scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, set by his own 26-yard dash, just under four minutes into the third quarter.

Maul iced the win with a 14-yard touchdown run to make it 27-3 with five minutes left.

“Our run is setting up our pass really well, and when we pass it, we move the ball really well,” Maul said. “Getting the ball in my receiver’s hands is really helpful for me.

“Our defense was amazing. They kept us on the field, we kept them off the field. It was just us working together.

After a first quarter dominated by the defenses, Minooka hit on two long pass plays in the second quarter to take command.

Maul threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby on the first play of the second quarter. Maul then hit Troy Hudak, who broke open over the middle of the field and raced 71 yards untouched to make it 13-0.

“We had a game plan coming in that we wanted to run the football, but if they’re going to put nine guys in the box, we’re going to lull you to sleep and then it opens up downfield,” Minooka coach Matt Harding said. “It was a good dosage of both the run and pass.”

Plainfield North got on the board on the final play of the first half when Omar Coleman kicked a 20-yard field goal.

That was all the offense the Tigers could muster against a dominant Indians defense.

Senior Cayden Garcia led the defense with a sack and a fumble recovery and was in the face of Plainfield North quarterback Nic Darwish seemingly all night.

William Mutz, Tristian Parish and Chuck Puracchio each had a sack, while Adam Ghouleh had an interception for Minooka.

“When I’ve got the other two guys on the defensive line, Tristian Parish and Chuck Puracchio, they draw a lot of attention,” Garcia said. “It helps me get home sometimes. Everyone on that D-line is a dog, so everybody’s going to be in (Darwish’s) nightmares tonight. All three of us.”