Kole Fager scored four rushing touchdowns and Palatine earned its fourth win of the season as the Pirates (4-3, 2-1) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 35-21 road victory over Hoffman Estates on Friday evening.

“Everybody knows that we’ve had the most grueling schedule through the first five weeks out of anybody in the state of Illinois. So that’s galvanized us,” said Palatine coach Corey Olson.

After starting the season strong with a road win over Rolling Meadows, followed by a thrilling overtime victory against Prospect, the Pirates dropped three straight ballgames and briefly fell below .500 to close the month of September.

“Never did our kids ever waver, never did they lose belief, never did they stop working hard,” Olson said. “Their attitudes have always been great. And tha

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