Auburn Riverside coach Bryant Thomas kept his pre-game message simple.

“I told them it’s win or go home,” he said. “They stepped up to the challenge.”

That might be an understatement as the Ravens earned their first shutout of the season with a 28-0 victory Friday night against Auburn in a North Puget Sound League 4A Olympic Division contest at Auburn Memorial Stadium.

They last held an opponent scoreless when they defeated Kentridge 26-0 on Sept. 12, 2013.

“We’ve been trying to get them all year long,” said Thomas, whose team qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2013 with the victory and will play at a to-be determined opponent at 7 p.m. Friday at Monroe. “We would give up some here, give up something there.”

Auburn Riverside (6-3 overall, 5-2 Olympic) did not surrender much of anything against the Trojans, who were limited to 116 yards of total offense.

“We had so many three-and-outs,” said O’Darious Shaw, who plays wide receiver and defensive back. “I was very proud of our defense for holding it down and keeping our offense on the field as much as possible.”

Defensive linemen Trenda Umi-Tuato’o (four) and Eyvar Robles (three) helped their team record a dozen tackles for loss.

“Umi is the player of the game,” Thomas said. “They couldn’t block him.”

Shaw was one of the many beneficiaries of the defensive effort. After Sam Braboy gave the Ravens their first touchdown on a 5-yard carry, Shaw scored on the ensuing possession when he raced down the left sideline untouched into the end zone for 66 yards to give his team a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Shaw finished with 103 yards on 15 carries.

The rivalry win was meaningful for Shaw, who was granted a waiver into Auburn Riverside before his freshman year. Otherwise, he might have played the game for Auburn. Shaw also injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Oct. 14 at Enumclaw but was committed to playing against the Trojans.

“I just wanted to leave my legacy on my field,” Shaw said. “I just wanted to give it all for my teammates.”

And Shaw was not finished there, as quarterback Tiano Malietufa threw a pair of fourth quarter touchdown passes. The first went 51 yards to Jaden Robinson. Shaw, who hopes to walk-on next season at Washington State, later juked three defenders en route to a 66-yard touchdown reception.

“He’s grown so much in a year,” Thomas said of Shaw. “I’m so proud of him. He’s become a team player. I love the kid. He’s doing a great job.”

Meanwhile, Auburn (5-4, 3-4) was shut out for the first time since a 43-0 loss on Oct. 19, 2012, at Federal Way. The Trojans played without starting quarterback Gavin Strojan, who suffered a season-ending knee injury Oct. 21 against Todd Beamer.

Auburn has lost four consecutive games.

“We were hoping with our young guys that we had advanced enough to play like a playoff team, but obviously they’re a lot better football team than us right now,” Auburn coach Gordon Elliott said.

The Ravens dealt with those youthful struggles during the last two years when they finished 1-9 each season. Given that backdrop, Thomas said he was happy to see his seniors rewarded during their last home game.

“We’ve been through some leaner years,” he said. “They give me everything they’ve got every time they come out. They deserve everything they’ve got.”