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Schaumburg gets it done at Fremd

There was a lot at stake in Friday night's matchup at Hale Hildebrandt Field in Palatine between Schaumburg and Fremd.

The Saxons were playing for that elusive fifth win to make them playoff-eligible, while the Vikings were hoping for a sixth win to assure their spot in the 8A playoffs.

Schaumburg hopes to advance to the IHSA playoffs next week after a 24-22 win over Fremd.

"We have plenty of points so I'm not worried about not getting in," said Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling. "We told the kids all week that it was not about them, it was about us.

"I'm very proud of this team."

The Vikings got on the board first with a 29-yard field goal from Brody Martin.

Schaumburg answered the Fremd score with a 12-play, 80-yard drive of its own. Sophomore Jordan Salgado scored from 13 yards out and the PAT from Mason Laramie gave Schaumburg a 7-3 lead with only 40 seconds gone in the second quarter.

The Schaumburg running game continued to pound the Fremd defense. The Saxons needed only 7 rushes to march 78 yards for their next score. Dakari Ferguson found a crease in the right side of the Fremd defense and raced down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown, and Laramie converted the PAT.

The Vikings came back with a quick strike of their own. They needed only three plays to cover 80 yards. Quarterback Tom Josten hit Kenny Lyke with a 61-yard pass down to the Saxons' 19-yard line. He found Lyke two plays later for a 14 yard touchdown pass. The PAT failed after a bobbled snap.

Fremd forced a three-and-out, and a poor punt by Schaumburg gave the Vikes excellent field position at the Schaumburg 31. Josten found Alec Honickel for a 28-yard scoring strike. Martin converted the PAT.

Fremd led at the half 16-14.

Schaumburg held Fremd scoreless in the third quarter while putting up 10 points of its own to regain the lead at 24-16. Laramie made a 35-yard field goal, and Julian Akogu raced 56 yards with a Fremd fumble with what turned out to be the decisive score.

The Vikings cut the lead to 24-22 after a 9-yard run by Honickel. The 2-point conversion failed.

Schaumburg relied on Salgado to carry the load in the fourth quarter behind the offensive line of David Drs, Payton Buchanan, Andrew Sekera, Andres Ortiz and John Serio.

"Our O-line did a tremendous job tonight," said Stilling.

Fremd is optimistic it will have enough points to advance to the 8A playoffs next week.

"We need to start executing on Friday nights the things we work on all week in practice," said Fremd coach Lou Sponsel. "We missed far too many opportunities tonight and Schaumburg took advantage of our mistakes."

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