In a homecoming rivalry game, Plainfield North leaned heavily on its ground game, chewed up clock and played stout run defense to pull away from Plainfield East in a dominant 42-7 victory.

The Tigers (2-4) played a physical brand of football Friday night, racking up 353 rushing yards and holding the Bengals (3-3) to just 19 yards on the ground.

“We knew coming in that our backs were against the wall with how we played the first few weeks,” Tigers senior running back Marriel Macon said. “We worked hard in practice all week, and it paid off tonight.”

Macon certainly did his part, finishing with 14 carries for 107 yards and three touchdowns.

But he wasn’t alone. Three Tigers running backs surpassed the century mark, as junior Julian Rodriguez carried 21 times for 107 yards and a score, while sophomore Aaron Babino added 109 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

Babino was called up to varsity due to injuries in the Tigers backfield and made an immediate impact, breaking off a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give North a 13-0 lead.

The sophomore said he was grateful for the opportunity, but made sure to credit his offensive line for opening holes up.

“I mean, they really did most of the work tonight,” Babino said of his offensive line. “Without them, this whole team wouldn’t be anything. I’m just grateful for the opportunity. Not many people get to do this as a sophomore, so all glory to God.”

The offensive line consisted of seniors Chase Holley, Brady Keane and captain Finn Fuller along with juniors Will Dunn and Steven Wozniak.

Plainfield North head coach Anthony Imbordino noted the Tigers’ injury situation forced guys to step up and essentially change how they run the offense, but he was pleased with how it all worked out.

“We were kind of dealt a poor hand at the beginning of the season with our first- and second-string quarterbacks out, so this isn’t really our traditional offense,” Imbordino said. “But the offensive line plays hard, and we’ve got four backs that can run hard. That showed tonight. ...

“Aaron Babino stepped up and had an outstanding game for us. He really gave us a spark, and I’m proud of him, and we’re looking forward to continue having him in the future.”

Imbordino made sure to praise his defense’s performance, which limited the Bengals to just 141 total yards - mostly through the air, nearly half coming on a single explosive play.

“Defensively, we really liked the matchup with our front four,” Imbordino said. “They’re all seniors, they played last year, and they’ve really focused on improving every week. Tonight they bottled up a good East offense and played a really nice game.”

Plainfield East’s lone highlight came in the first half, when junior quarterback Brady Cloherty connected with senior running back Hugh Callaghan on a 72-yard touchdown reception to make it 21-7 before halftime.

The Bengals struggled to find any rhythm offensively, averaging 1 yard per carry with 19 yards on 19 carries.

Despite the loss, Cloherty turned in an efficient performance through the air, completing 8-of-12 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown. Callaghan led the Bengals in yards from scrimmage with nine carries for 8 yards and two receptions for 73.

The loss drops the Bengals to .500, putting added weight on the final stretch of the season for their playoff chances.

The Tigers will look to build on the rivalry win and keep their postseason hopes alive over the final three weeks of the regular season.

“But now that we’re 2-4, we know we have to win out,” Macon said about the team’s mentality going forward. “I keep telling the guys to believe and trust each other, because if we do that, we can make the playoffs.”