Double teamed
<p>Jarod White (left) and Jimmy Holland (right) pose with the 6-Player Football State Championship trophy along with teammate Trevor Paro (center).</p>
Best friends and teammates share high school memories
HOT SPRINGS – They competed together in football, basketball and track as teammates but were much more. They were best friends. Jimmy Holland and Jarod White made it through the blood, sweat and tears of high school sports but they did it with lots of laughter and good moments to be shared.
The crowd caught a glimpse of their relationship at the Savage Heat Senior Night. When it came time for Jarod’s turn, the announcer read the scripted bio stating his talent for light saber dueling and his favorite memory of seeing the dapper Jimmy every day.
The duo had everyone in the gym roaring with laughter without knowing the mischievous Holland had written White’s bio for him. It was a light-hearted night to remember.
“You only get to do [Senior Night] once, so why not have fun with it,” Holland said.
With humor in tow, the friendship that has lasted from before kindergarten to 12th grade will carry on into adulthood. Both Holland and White will be attending Montana State University together in the fall.
Holland plans on studying engineering and White wants to major in wildlife management.
Their college plans are set for the most part but the boys said they are really going to miss the quiet of their home towns, the fun of high school sports and most of all their teammates.
According to White and Holland, all of the basketball team members are good friends and spend a lot of time together outside of practice. They are so close, White and Holland worry that college could not possibly be as much fun as high school.
“I just feel like the group of friends we have now – it can’t get any better than that – we got lucky in high school,” White said.
Holland and White have had the time of their lives in high school. They will take many great memories with them, mostly sports-related.
“The best moment by far was when we won State in football,” Holland said. “Making it to Divisionals in basketball was pretty cool too.”
The Savage Heat has had a very successful athletic year so far and White and Holland are partially to thank for that. They never failed to work hard or step up in their roles as seniors to motivate the others.
All of the efforts of the boys paid off when the Savage Heat got further in the basketball tournament season than they have in several years. They also beat their rivals Charlo for the first time in a very long time.
“No one really expected us to make it far this year because we lost three really good athletes last year and Hot Springs hadn’t made it to Divisionals in about 19 years,” White said.
The Savage Heat boys had to fight tooth and nail for the triumph. According to Holland and White, they had to play a grueling eight games in nine days in one of the most competitive conferences.
All in all, Holland and White are pleased with the outcome of their last basketball season but are saddened it has come to an end.
“It was a good run,” Holland said.
Track and field is up next for the boys with practices starting on Monday, March 17 after school. It will be their last first high school practice. Track season will possibly be the last time they compete with each other and their group of friends.
Holland and White are set to start college in the fall but first they plan to enjoy the summer cutting hay and playing golf with their friends.
“It’s been a pretty good place to grow up,” Holland said.