Playoff eligible.

That’s sweet music to the ears of football players and coaches.

Hoffman Estates earned that status Friday night at Schaumburg, scoring 28 unanswered points in the final three quarters of its 28-7 victory to improve to 5-0.

“It sounds great,” said Hawks coach Tim Heyse after the Mid-Suburban League West opener for both schools.

And it isn’t even October 1.

Hoffman Estates senior wideout/defensive back/kick returner Torey Baskin had a September game to remember in all three phases, catching two touchdown passes from senior quarterback Austin Lesniak, intercepting a pass in the fourth quarter and returning a kick to the Hawks’ 47-yard line that preceded his 8-yard TD grab in the second quarter.

“It’s special (getting to 5-0),” said Baskin, who snared a combined four TDs in two playoff games last year. “The morale of this team is high. Our chemistry is amazing.

“No chaos, anywhere,” he added.

Baskin finished with eight receptions for 112 yards, and sophomore wideout TJ Bond --- another reliable target --- came down with six catches for a game-high 135 yards.

Lesniak completed 16 of 24 passes for 247 yards, including the pair of scoring tosses to Baskin that covered 8 and 44 yards.

Each connection was on a crossing pattern.

Each featured a Lesniak fastball that nailed the middle of the 5 on Baskin’s jersey.

“Austin,” Heyse said, “made great reads on those plays.”

Hoffman Estates (5-0, 1-0) displayed its balance offensively, getting 161 yards rushing on 24 carries from senior running back Landon Ford.

Hawks RBs Jacquan Fields (11 carries, 54 yards) and JMari Jackson (5-46, all in the fourth quarter) rushed for a 1- and 6-yard TD, respectively.

Hoffman Estates led 8-7 at the break, with 2 points coming on a safety after a high punt snap at 7:11 of the second quarter.

Schaumburg (3-2, 0-1) got on the board first, thanks to a 45-yard, up-the-middle TD run by junior RB Vince Heydecker (11 carries, 99 yards).

“Hoffman had a good game plan and executed it well,” said Saxons coach Mark Stilling, who got a blocked extra point from senior Cam Anderson and an interception from senior Ray Black, who also serves as the team’s starting QB.

Among Hoffman Estates’ other highlights Friday night in warm conditions: senior lineman Tony Carlson’s sack on the first play of the game; a 36-yard Lesniak-Bond connection in the first half; a successful onside kick after the Hawks’ penultimate TD; Baskin’s pass breakup in the second quarter; and linemen swarming to drop a ball carrier for a 1-yard gain on a 4th-and-2 from the Hawks’ 5 at the 1:58 mark of the second quarter.