Savage Heat open playoffs with big win

HOT SPRINGS – The undefeated Hot Springs Savage Heat began their playoff campaign last weekend with an opening round game against the Sunburst Refiners.

The 6-man playoff game featured plenty of offensive output from both teams throughout the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 1, and the first half featured several swings in momentum.

Following one quarter of play Hot Springs led Sunburst by a score of 20 to 12.

However, on the team’s first drive of the second quarter the Refiners were able to drive down the length of the field and convert a fourth down play in the red zone to tie the game up at 20.

“The competition level stepped up. Sunburst came out to play. That’s playoff football,” Hot Springs Head Coach Jim Lawson said.

After this drive the Hot Springs offense responded putting up 60 unanswered points over the next three quarters to send the Savage Heat into the second round of the playoffs with an impressive 80-27 victory.        It was the Sunburst team, which found the end zone first on a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tyler Tharp to Jackson Nagy to start the first quarter of play.

Sunburst did experience success throwing the football in the first half and this  prompted Lawson to transition to a man coverage scheme on the defensive side of the ball.

“We tried three different coverages on them and finally came up with soemthing that worked,” Lawson said.

It did not take long for Hot Springs to respond and they answered the Sunburst touchdown with a touchdown drive of their own.

Senior quarterback Tanner Hoff found sophomore running back Trevor Paro for a 28-yard passing touchdown to tie the game up at six points apiece.

The team’s opening touchdown was the first of several for Paro, as the running back would follow up a successful game against Alberton in the final week of the regular season with a seven touchdown performance in the Savage Heat’s first round playoff game against Sunburst.

Paro’s seven touchdowns in one game were a school record and Lawson was impressed with the performance of the team’s young running back.

“He is an all-around weapon. He is a good runner, good receiver and good returner,” Lawson said.

Hot Springs was able to seize their first lead of the game on the team’s next drive, which was capped off by an 11-yard touchdown run by senior fullback Nate Gray.

Following a successful two point kick from senior Anthony Byrns, the Savage Heat led by a score of 14 to 6.

Sunburst would answer this drive on the ensuing position and the score was 14 to 12 when Hoff found Paro open for a 22-yard receiving touchdown to give Hot Springs a 20 to 12 lead to close out the first quarter.

After the Refiners tied the game up to start the second quarter the Savage Heat never looked back en route to their 80-27 victory.

Hot Springs took the lead in the game for good following a 22-yard touchdown strike from Hoff to junior tight end Jack Dolson.

The teams went into the half with the score Hot Springs 54 and Sunburst 20.

The Savage Heat were able to build up their lead thanks to three consecutive touchdowns from Paro in the second quarter on a 26-yard run, an 18-yard run and a 14-yard reception.

The final points of the first half came on a heads up special teams play for Hot Springs.

After an errant snap during a Sunburst punt, Dolson fell on the loose football in the end zone to put the home team up by 34 points.

In the second half of play the Savage Heat continued to move the ball down the field, with touchdowns from sophomore running back Kane Lawson and junior running back Jameson Morigeau.

Lawson scored on a 5-yard run and Morigeau found the end zone on a 4-yard run.

Paro scored his final two touchdowns of the game in the second half with a third quarter reception and a fourth quarter punt return.

In the third quarter Paro was on the receiving end of a 59-yard pass from Hoff and in the game’s final quarter he took a Sunburst punt 62-yards to the house for the Savage Heat’s second special teams touchdown of the afternoon.

In addition to the seven touchdowns, Paro had six receptions for 149 yards and four rushes for 52 yards on the ground.

Hoff went 8 for 12 through the air for 186 passing yards and five passing touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball linebacker Lane Foster was a force throughout the afternoon compiling 10 tackles for the Hot Springs defense.

Foster also picked off a pass from Tharp for a turnover.

With the win the Savage Heat move to 9-0 on the year and into the second round of postseason competition.

This week Hot Springs will face off against Westby-Grenora at home at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Hot Springs High School.

Lawson noted the team from Westby-Grenora has a very good quarterback and an efficient passing attack.  

“They spread the field and it’s a hard offense to defend against so we are going to work mainly on pass defense this week,” Lawson said.