Bearcats escape Hot Springs with win

If this is how the Montana six-player high school football season is going to go, fans should bring Velcro to the games they attend.

After leading the Denton-Geyser-Standford-Geraldine, four-town co-op Bearcats for nearly the entire game, the visitors came up with a last-minute touchdown pass to escape Hot Springs with a 22-16 win over the host Savage Heat. 

The game was the season opener for both teams and it appeared to be in Savage Heat control after they rolled up a 16-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Hot Springs had a shaky opening minute of the game when they fumbled the ball to DGSG a few plays after receiving the opening kickoff. 

However, a jarring hit by the Hot Springs defense knocked the ball loose and into the arms of Savage Heat senior Nick McAllister, who returned the ball to the Bearcats’ 11-yard line. 

Shortly thereafter, Savage Heat running back Johnny Waterbury blasted into the end zone from 11 yards out, giving the home team a 6-0 lead.  That TD led to the debut of Brazilian foreign exchange student Pablo Vidotti, who booted the point after touchdown (PAT) attempt through the uprights on his first play of American football. 

In six-player football, PAT kicks are good for two points and successful running or passing PATs count as one point. 

Vidotti’s soccer background in his native country gives the Heat an extra weapon on offense. 

In the end, they would need it. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Hot Springs’ defense smothered the Bearcats and forced them to punt.  That punt gave the Heat the ball on their own 15-yard line. 

Hot Springs moved steadily downfield, reaching the Bearcats’ 16-yard line.  On the next play, Waterbury broke through the DGSG defense crashed into the end zone, leaping the final five yards ala Superman. 

Vidotti blasted another two-point PAT, putting Hot Springs ahead 16-0 with 10 seconds to go in the opening quarter. 

The visitors showed they were still there early in the second quarter, marching downfield quickly via some long passing gains.  They capped the second quarter-opening drive with on a 19-yard scoring pass hauled in by 6-3 sophomore wide receiver Blaze Becker. 

The PAT kick attempt was blocked by Hot Springs, leaving the Heat with a 16-6 lead with 7:24 remaining in the first half. 

Both teams' defenses played shutout ball the rest of the second quarter. 

Offensively, neither team could sustain a drive and turn it into a score throughout the third quarter.  Heading into the final 10 minutes of play, Hot Springs clung to its 16-6 advantage. 

The fourth quarter changed all that. 

After marching downfield in the early moments of the final quarter, Bearcats’ junior running back Kameron Myllymaki powered his way into the Hot Springs end zone from 14 yards out.  The Bearcats then kicked the PAT to cut the Savage Heat lead to 16-14 with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation play. 

During the third quarter, Waterbury went down with a leg injury and had to be helped off the field.  He was later taken by private vehicle, presumably to seek medical attention. No update on his injury was immediately available. 

That loss would come back and haunt the Savage Heat, as Waterbury had been instrumental in sustaining drives as well as scoring both Hot Springs touchdowns. 

The game would remain 16-14 until the final minute.  A bobbled Savage Heat punt attempt led to DGSG taking control of the ball at the Hot Springs 25 with 59 seconds remaining. 

After the Bearcats dropped the go-ahead touchdown in the end zone with 35 seconds left, they scored on a 25-yard pass via a quarterback roll out. 

That gave the visitors a 20-16 lead.  Once again, the Bearcats booted a successful PAT, putting them ahead 22-16 with 26 ticks left on the clock. 

The ensuing kickoff was a touchback and gave possession to Hot Springs on their own 15. 

With the clock ticking toward zero, the Bearcats came up with an interception, sealing Hot Springs’ fate and spoiling their 2024 home opener. 

Hot Springs travels to Centerville this coming Friday at 6 p.m. 

    Hot Springs senior quarterback Nick McAlliser rolls out and looks downfield for an open receiving during the Heat's season opener with Denton Friday night in Hot Springs. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)