Defensive Heat pound Valley Christian; to host Lima

Defense is not normally the name of the game in Montana 6-Man football.

After all, how do you find enough bodies to cover everyone when there are only six players on each side and the field is so wide open?

As a result, 6-Man games are often high-scoring affairs where racking up a lot of points and not allowing quite as many is the way to win.

Coach Jim Lawson and his Hot Springs Savage Heat have been busy setting that conventional wisdom about all-offense and no-defense on its ear this season. Witness the Heat’s 67-0 shutout win over Valley Christian in Alberton Friday as proof.

Drawing comparisons to some of the great Hot Springs teams of the past – including the 2012 State C championship squad – the Heat have been getting more defensive by the week this season. The shoot-down of the Eagles last week in Alberton is only the latest example of the shutdown tactics the Heat seem capable of.

“Our defense played really, really well against Valley,” Lawson said. “We have been making some changes as the season has gone along and feel like we are still improving. I like the way we are playing right now.”

Maybe Lawson likes it but the Heat’s opponents certainly do not.

The Heat took control before their offensive unit even took the field in Alberton.

Brandon Knudsen opened the scoring for Hot Springs by taking a punt and streaking 64 yards for the touchdown. Then Brandon’s older brother Tyler recovered a fumble for another quick six points on Valley next possession, and Jack McAllister passed to Brandon for the one-point conversion to make the score 13-0.

“We had run no offensive plays and were up 13-0 already,” Lawson offered. “Our defense has become a strength; we have actually gotten to the point that if we win the flip, we will defer because we want our defense out there first to create something for us.”

Just like they did against Valley Christian.

Continuing with that lockdown defense, the Heat then added in some offense. Luke Waterbury scored before the first quarter ended on a two-yard run and McAllister again passed to Brandon Knudsen for the conversion for a 20-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter, Tyler Knudsen scored on a four-yard run, followed by a 14 yard run by Waterbury for another touchdown, followed by a three-yard run by Kyle Lawson and, before halftime a 19-yard pass from Brandon Knudsen to Tyler Carr for yet another score. Tyler Knudsen added the two-point kick after-touchdown points after Waterbury’s second TD for a 46-0 Hot Springs halftime lead.

Tyler Knudsen scored on runs of three and 21 yards in the third quarter, and McAllister on a 15-yard run in the fourth to complete scoring. Kyle Lawson ran in the one-point conversion after McAllister’s touchdown.

The Heat, 5-1 in league play and 7-1 overall, have clinched a State C playoff spot and have the inside track on claiming the Western C Division regular season championship this week when they host the winless Lima Bears.

The league race is a three-way one between the Heat, West Yellowstone and White Sulphur Springs. If the season ends in a three-way tie between those teams, and it looks like it will, Hot Springs would be awarded the title based on point differential.

“The division title is on the line, we cannot afford to lose to Lima,” coach Lawson said. “We are in good shape but have not won anything yet, we need to take care of business this week.”