Hot Springs bulks up for return to gridiron

Players and coaches at Hot Springs High are looking for a rebound season after they went 8-1 last year. 

Might not sound like a rebound season, but the sad and untimely death of a teammate, classmate and most importantly, friend, took a toll as the season was nearing completion. 

Their only loss of the season was in the second round of the state 6-player football championships, and that was to eventual state champion Harlowtown/Ryegate/Judith Gap.  Their game with Sanders County rival Noxon was canceled because of the tragedy. 

But like Noxon, Hot Springs has been nurturing a talented group of players, many of whom are entering their senior seasons. 

“We anticipate a good season,” said head coach Jim Clawson as he watched a group of players take part in voluntary off-season weightlifting activities at the school last week. “The only graduating senior was Quincy (Styles-Depoe) and we have some solid players returning”. 

“I’m wanting to be ready for football,’ said incoming senior John Waterbury, a two-time state wrestling championship placer. “We are working hard to stay in shape and be ready”. 

Waterbury, who wrestled the past two seasons as a member of the co-op team with Plains High, is also planning on going for the “double” when the basketball season comes around, playing basketball for Hot Springs while also wrestling with Plains. 

“It will be interesting,” Waterbury said. 

Coach Lawson is also hoping senior quarterback Nick McAllister’s high ankle sprain which hobbled him last season in several sports, will return to form. 

The 6-4 McAllister is deceptively quick and has a strong arm. 

“We are watching him and it looks like he’s doing much better,” Lawson said of McAllister. 

The team is also loaded with running backs and receivers, among them sophomores Ben Vaughn and Andrew Waterbury, younger brother of John.  They also have a strong backfield returning, led by Weston Slonaker. 

“The idea for these workouts is to keep the guys together and help them however we can,” Lawson said. “They are a hard-working group”. 

And they are counting on conditioning to help them achieve their goals. 

“We’ve been getting a pretty good turnout for these sessions,” Lawson said. “I think we are all anxious to get the season going”. 

And with a team known for running, they will no doubt be exercising the legs as the season approaches.

    Hot Springs sophomore Andrew Waterbury works on arm strength with curls during a recent workout in the gym at Hot Springs High. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)