Savage Heat notch road win at Gardiner

The good teams, football purists note, are the ones who bounce back from disappointment and take it out on their next opponent.

By that assessment alone, the Hot Springs Savage Heat are a good football team. 

After losing their Homecoming game last week to Western 6-Player conference co-leader Lincoln, the Heat took it out on Gardiner Saturday afternoon, routing the home-standing Bruins 55-12. 

The win, which boosted the Heat’s conference record to 3-1, keeps Hot Springs in contention for another conference regular season title. They are currently tied with Lincoln and Noxon, both of which have 3-1 league marks. 

Lincoln holds any potential title advantage over Hot Springs should they win their final two games of the season, while Hot Springs and Noxon will meet in the last game of the season (Oct 25) in Hot Springs with the title possibly on the line. 

Noxon beat Lincoln earlier this year to hand the Lynx their only loss. 

In their game versus Gardiner, senior running back David Chapman capped the Heat’s opening drive with a five-yard blast into the end zone for six. The point after touchdown (PAT) try was no good, but early in the game, Hot Springs led 6-0. 

On Gardiners ensuing drive, Heat sophomore Andrew Waterbury picked off a Bruins pass, giving Hot Springs the ball on the Bruin 22 yard line. On the next play, Heat running back Weston Slonaker broke through the Gardiner defense and out-sprinted everyone to the end zone on his way to a 22-yard touchdown.  The PAT pass was good, giving Hot Springs a 13-0 lead. 

Gardiner mounted a long drive following the Hot Springs kickoff, moving to the Hot Springs three.  On what looked like a touchdown run for the home team, Hot Springs sophomore Ben Aldridge stripped the ball from the Bruins’ running back and raced 77-yards down the sideline for a touchdown, putting the Heat ahead, 19-0. The PAT attempt failed due to a high snap. 

Gardiner wasted no time striking back.  Following the Heat kickoff, the Bruins connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Hot Springs lead to 20-6.  The PAT failed. 

A short kickoff by Gardiner set the Heat up on the Gardiner 37.  A long pass from senior quarterback Nick McAllister to Aldridge moved the ball to the Gardiner 24.  A few runs by Slonaker pushed the ball to the 1-yard line, where Chapman blew through the defensive front and into the end zone for another Hot Springs TD. This time the PAT kick by Pedro Vidotti was good, putting the Heat up 27-6. 

Gardiner marched steadily downfield on their next possession, but the drive was halted when Aldridge intercepted a Bruins’ pass.   

The second quarter began with McAllister hooking up with Chapman on a 37-yard touchdown pass.  Vidotti kicked the PAT, boosting Hot Springs’ lead to 35-6. 

Later in the second quarter, Hot Springs defensive lineman Calvin Timmer pounced on a Gardiner fumble, giving the Heat the ball on their own 33.  From there they moved to the Bruins’ three-yard line, where Slonaker waltzed into the end zone with his second TD of the game.  A successful PAT kick increased the Heat lead to 43-6. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Gardiner returned the ball 77 yards for a score with time running out in the first half.  The PAT failed, and with time running out in the second quarter, Gardiner trailed, 43-12. 

On the Bruins kickoff, Hot Springs returned the ball to the Gardiner three, where on the next play, senior running back Wesley Adams stepped into the end zone for a touchdown.  The PAT kick was no good, but at the half, Hot Springs led 49-12. 

With reserves seeing lots of playing time in the second half, the offensive fireworks came to a halt, with the lone touchdown coming on a 13-yard TD pass from McAllister to Chapman.  The PAT try was no good, but with the Mercy rule in effect and time running nearly non-stop, the game ended with Hot Springs on top, 55-12. 

On defense, Chapman and McAllister tied for the team lead in tackles with six each. The Heat recovered six Gardiner fumbles, including three by Aldridge. 

Slonaker and McAllister both rushed for more than 50 yards in the game to lead the Heat, while Aldridge hauled in six passes for 92 yards. 

Chapman had four touchdowns in the game, two rushing and two receiving, while Slonaker scored twice on the ground. 

Next on the schedule for Hot Springs is a trip to Alberton this Thursday (Oct. 17) for a game with the Panthers, who are looking for their first win of the season. 

Hot Springs closes out the regular season with the game versus Noxon, Friday (Oct. 25) in Hot Springs.