Noxon takes care of business at Gardiner

The Devil went down to Hot Springs, he was looking for a 6-player title to steal.

With apologies to Charlie Daniels, that is a quasi-description of the upcoming battle between Noxon and Hot Springs for a possible seat atop the Western 6-player football championship pursuit. 

That meeting, which will take place this Friday when the Red Devils from Noxon head down to Hot Springs should be a fan delight. 

Noxon kept the upcoming rivalry game doubly important with its 68-25 dismantling of Gardiner this past Friday in Noxon. 

The Red Devils scored early and often in beating the Bruins, as Noxon coach Lucas MacArthur’s crew continued with their prolific scoring run this season. 

The 68 points piled up against Gardiner was a season high, they scored 59 points in a win over White Sulphur earlier this year, and had 55 in their epic 55-53, last second win over league co-leader Lincoln the week before that. 

The win over Lincoln was the Lynx only league loss of the year and was hugely responsible for creating the three-way, 4-1 record standoff that upped the crucial nature of their upcoming game with Hot Springs, a long-time rival and often nemesis of the Red Devils. 

The loser of the Noxon-Hot Springs game, Devils and Savage Heat, may well jeopardize their chances of advancing to the post-season playoffs, which begin the weekend after this coming one. 

A Noxon win would put them in the driver’s seat for a Western 6-player regular season title based on their win over Lincoln, which handed Hot Springs its only conference loss so far this year. 

The win over Gardiner boosted the Red Devils to 5-2 overall with their only two losses being to Power-Dutton-Brady in their season opener, and to Western 6-player foe West Yellowstone on the Wolverines home field October 5. 

Lincoln, which would clinch the title outright with a Hot Springs win and a win over Alberton, this Friday night in Lincoln. 

With all that, the outcome of the Western 6-player conference regular season champion could come down to a defending, last-second pass that allowed Noxon to hang on for their win over Lincoln. 

The Noxon-Hot Springs game could, in one scenario, be for all the marbles, including post-season play. 

Kickoff is at 7 pm Friday (Oct 25) on the Savage Heat home field.