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Bitre, Hoffman Estates edge Fremd in OT

In the postgame interviews following Hoffman Estates' 25-24 OT win over Fremd on Friday night, a phrase spoken by the losing team's head coach actually proved central to the winning Hawks' homecoming effort at Garber Stadium.

"You can either fold up the tent and pack it in - or fight and come back," Fremd coach Lou Sponsel said.

The outcome ended a three-game losing streak for Hoffman Estates, which kept its playoff hopes alive by winning this MSL West Division battle.

The Hawks (3-4, 1-2) raced out to a 17-3 lead on a 16-yard touchdown by Chady Bitre with 1:57 left in the third period.

Meanwhile, the Hoffman Estates defense kept Viking running back Charlie Kaye to 63 yards on 18 carries after a prolific performance the prior week against Palatine.

But Sponsel, in his fourth season at Fremd, saw his squad fight back with consecutive fourth-quarter touchdown drives led by junior quarterback Tommy Josten (20-for-33, 170 yards) of 61 and 52 yards. The first score came through the air on a 15-yard pass to Zachary Goodman with 43 seconds left in the period. It was followed by a 4-yard run from Kaye that knotted the score at 17 with 5:11 left in regulation.

Hoffman Estates got one last chance in regulation to win as the Hawks took the ball from the Fremd 47 to the Vikes' 27 before a 44-yard field goal try by Keegan Pierce fell short with 4 ticks left.

Pierce would get another chance at redemption.

Fremd (5-2, 1-2) scored on its opening possession of overtime on a 1-yard keeper by Josten, and the PAT gave them the lead for the first time at 24-17.

Hoffman Estates answered as Pierce (16-for-31, 178 yards) found Bitre on a second-and-goal pass from 10. Bitre finished with 111 yards combined rushing and receiving yards.

That set up the game-winning 2-point conversion try. The Hawks' attempt fell short on a Pierce pass attempt to 6-foot-6 Brandon Hall, as Hall could not come down with the ball in the corner of the end zone.

But Fremd was for defensive pass interference, giving the Hawks another crack.

This time, Hoffman Estates offensive coordinator Tim Heyse called Bitre's number, who took Pierce's toss to the other side of the end zone for the winning points.

Bitre refused credit for the game-ending and possibly season-saving heroics.

"The credit for that 2-point play goes to both coach Heyse and our offensive line," Bitre said. "They did the hard work all night long for us. Because of it we're still alive in the playoff hunt."

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