Heat burn Devils in key Western C tilt

NOXON – The score might have been 64-36 but the effort by both teams seemed more like 50-50.

The Hot Springs Savage Heat registered an exciting 64-36 win over the rival Noxon Red Devils in Noxon Friday to solidify their State C playoff position with a 3-1 record. Still in the playoff hunt, the Devils fell to 1-2 but should still have the time and the talent to make a push for a post-season spot as well.

Coach Jim Lawson and his Savage Heat visit Gardiner Saturday while coach Bart Haflich and his Red Devils will travel to Sheridan Friday night in action scheduled this week.

"That was a very good win for us, a confidence booster," Lawson said. "Noxon is a good team with a whole bunch of good kids. We were able to get our running game going and that may have been the difference."

"Hot Springs came out ready to go and out-played us, and it didn't help when we fell behind early," Haflich said. "We dug ourselves a hole in the first quarter and could never quite get back. But you have to give credit to them, too. That is a good football team."

The Savage Heat grabbed an early lead and fought off several Red Devil runs to finally pull away for the win in the second half.

The Savage Heat got on the board first when Tyler Knudsen sped into the end zone from 33 yards out with 5:48 left in the first quarter, and then booted the 2-point conversion kick through the uprights for an 8-0 Hot Springs lead.

On the very next series, after Noxon took over the ball at their own seven-yard line, Brandon Knudsen (Tyler's little brother) grabbed an interception in the Devils' backfield and lunged into the end zone for another Hot Springs touchdown. After the conversion kick was missed, the Heat led 14-0 with 5:36 left in the first quarter.

On the last play of the first quarter, the Devils got their first touchdown when Jeriko Smith completed a short pass to Levi Brubaker in the flat and Brubaker sped 30 yards down the sideline for the score, and then added the 2-point kick to make it 14-8 Hot Springs.

The Heat answered with a 10-play, 52-yard drive, reaching the end zone on a four-yard run by Luke Waterbury with 7:42 left in the second quarter, Tyler Knudsen's 2-point extra-point boot made the score 22-8.

Noxon answered with a nice drive of their own, moving 49 yards in seven plays, scoring on an 18-yard pass from Smith to Rylan Weltz, who jumped up to make a fine snag in the end zone. With Brubaker's conversion kick tacked on, Hot Springs led 22-16.

Hot Springs moved into position for another score after that, before Brubaker grabbed an interception to end that threat before halftime.

Hot Springs took control early in the third quarter when Tyler K zoomed around left end and raced 71 yards untouched down the sideline for a touchdown with 8:07 left in the period, and then added the 2-point boot for a 30-16 Hot Springs lead.

On Noxon's second offensive play after that, freshman Kyle Lawson recovered a Red Devil fumble at Noxon's 36-yard line. From there, Tyler K picked up 24 yards in three carries and Brandon K completed a seven-yard pass to Tyler Carr to set the Heat up at Noxon's one-yard line.

Waterbury scored the touchdown on a first and goal play to put the Heat ahead 36-16.

The Devils used a 13-yard scoring run and subsequent conversion kick from Brubaker to make the score 36-24 with 2:06 left in the third, before Hot Springs had two more quick-strike TDs to take complete control.

Carr, after grabbing a pass from Brandon K and scooting 25 yards all the way to Noxon's 11-yard line, scored two plays later on a seven-yard run and Tyler K made the conversion kick to up the Heat's lead to 44-24.

The Heat then recovered a Noxon fumble, and three plays later, Brandon K found Bert DeTienne with a 21-yard touchdown pass and, after yet another successful 2-point kick from Tyler K now led 52-24.

Brandon K started Hot Springs' next drive with another interception and Carr finished it off by racing 16 yards for the touchdown. After the conversion run failed, Hot Springs now led 58-24.

Edison VanVleet sparked the home crowd on the ensuing kickoff by zig-zagging his way through the Heat defense for a 55-yard touchdown return, but Hot Springs had the game well in hand by then.

Tyler K scored on a 32-yard run for Hot Springs and Smith hit Brubaker with a 50-yard touchdown pass after that for the final scoring in the game.

Lawson thought the game had a playoff-like feel to it, even if it is still early in the season. "It's too bad we had to play this game so early, it was an important one for both teams," he said. "The teams in the west are just so close in talent this season, it just shook out that way that we had to face them this early."

"We felt like we let an opportunity get away from us but we have to keep our focus these next few weeks," Haflich said. "This loss will make it tougher but we like to think we could still make a push for the playoffs."

Tyler K led the Hot Springs offense in Noxon with 16 carries for 214 yards and all those successful 2-point kicks, Brandon K completed 14 of 17 passes for 124 yards, and Carr finished the game with four rushes for 45 yards and five pass receptions for 42 more yards.

Kyle Lawson led the Heat defense with a team-high 12 tackles and the fumble recovery, Carr made 10 tackles, Waterbury had nine tackles including a quarterback sack and Brandon K had six tackles and two interceptions, including the one for a touchdown.