Yorkville plays spoiler, hands Plainfield North fifth loss in 20-0 shutout

PLAINFIELD – Friday night brought significant postseason ramifications for several teams in the area. The Tigers of Plainfield North were one of those teams, needing a win to be certain they got into the IHSA playoffs.

The Tigers did not get that victory.

North hosted Yorkville, a team looking to play spoiler in front of an opposing crowd.

Yorkville held nothing back in a 20-0 shutout victory at Plainfield North, setting the tone early with a fake punt that went for a first down. The Foxes’ offense, led by quarterback Jack Beetham, followed up the fake with a big gain through the air and eventually a short running touchdown for Beetham for the only score in the first half.

Dyllan Malone picked off North quarterback Justus Byrd for a first-half turnover. After punts by both teams to start the second half, TJ Harland exploded up the middle of the field and into the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown to increase the Foxes’ lead to 13-0 after the extra-point attempt was blocked.

Byrd and the Tigers offense took the field looking to cut into the deficit, but once again was forced into a turnover as Yorkville’s Tristan Whisenaut picked off a pass and returned it to the Foxes’ 40-yard line, setting up a short-field possession for the Yorkville offense. The Foxes scored quickly on a 35-yard touchdown run by Luke Zook, pushing the score to 20-0 late in the third quarter.

With their playoff hopes slipping away, the Tigers needed to get something going to start the fourth quarter. North eventually found itself in a long third-down situation, and once again Whisenaut intercepted Byrd and shut down any momentum the Tigers had.

Plainfield North would have two more chances to score late in the game, but neither possession resulted in points as time likely ran out on their season.

While both teams finish the regular season 4-5 , it is Plainfield North – thanks to its 43 playoff points (opponents’ combined victories) coming into the contest and gaining an additional one from the Yorkville victory Friday – that left with a better, albeit thin, chance at earning an at-large playoff bid. Yorkville entered Friday with 37 playoff points.

Yorkville coach Dan McGuire praised his team for not quitting on the season despite likely being knocked out of the postseason last week after a 34-14 loss to Oswego East.

“We challenged our kids and had some hard talks after last week,” McGuire said. “I can’t say enough good things about our players. It’s easy to play the blame game, and our kids did not do that. They just played as hard as they could.”

The Tigers were in the same spot last year, finishing with four wins and managing to get into the postseason as a rare 4-5 entrant. Coach Anthony Imbordino and his team again found themselves in the same situation, needing luck to be on their side if they wish to keep playing.

“We knew coming in if we lost that our chances would be slim,” Imbordino said postgame. “We are not holding our breaths.”