Hot Springs handed a tough defeat in first game
<p>Anthony Byrns is swarmed by Geraldine-Highwood defenders during the season opener in Hot Springs on Friday. The Savage Heat lost the game despite a valiant effort 59-51.</p>
HOT SPRINGS – The defending Montana class-C state champion six-man football team from Hot Springs were handed a loss to start the season on Friday. The Savage Heat led through most of the game before giving up the lead on a converted turnover in the third quarter to Geraldine-Highwood.
The team known as the Rivals withstood a last minute offensive onslaught from Hot Springs who managed to get to within one score of tying the game with less than a minute on the clock. The opponents managed to hold off the Savage Heat beating them 59-51 on their home turf.
Hot Springs started off on the offensive led by quarterback Tanner Hoff. A fumble in the first quarter allowed Hot Springs to jump out to a 12-0 lead with four minutes left in the first period.
The opposing team managed to get their offense going late in the quarter, driving down the field on two long rushing plays eventually scoring their first touchdown of the game. With two minutes left in the period, Hot Springs again worked their way down the field scoring another touchdown and hitting the two-point conversion to drive the lead up to 19-6.
With eight seconds left in the quarter, the Rivals answered back scoring their second touchdown leaving Hot Springs leading 19-12 at the start of the second period.
It was back and forth in the second quarter with Hot Springs holding onto a tentative lead as the challengers attempted to keep the game from getting away from them. Both teams struggled with penalties in the first half.
The Savage Heat capitalized on an interception late in the second period by Tanner Hoff, ending the quarter with a pass for another touchdown with .4 seconds on the clock leaving the score 26-18 at the half.
Hot Springs would manage to hold off an effort by the opposing team to close the gap in the third quarter. It appeared briefly that the tide shifted late in the third quarter for Hot Springs when the Rival’s center overthrew the punter. The player attempted to pass the ball forward but it was intercepted by Hot Springs and the team managed to convert another turnover into a score.
The Rivals ended the third period down 45-34.
Early in the fourth quarter, the away team began to build up steam in their offense. Aided by an earlier touchdown pass, the Rivals took the lead with 7:41 minutes remaining in regulation.
Despite a last minute offensive surge that saw the team from Hot Springs bring the game to within one touchdown and two-point conversion of tying things up, the Rivals managed to hold them off winning the thriller 59-51.
According to Hot Springs Assistant Coach Chris Clairmont, the team played hard against a tough opponent.
“We did some good things and some bad things but the kids played as hard as they could,” said Coach Clairmont. “Offensively we were amazing. A couple more catches here and there and the outcome may have been very different.”
In the two weeks the Savage Heat have to work with because of a by, coach Clairmont said the team will be practicing primarily on their defense before facing Lincoln.
“We will be working on our run defense and making a few tweaks to the pass defense,” said Coach Clairmont.