Oh, the miles you'll go

Six-player football teams put on the miles during the season.

With the trip to Box Elder this weekend, Hot Springs will have racked up over 3,500 miles this season on a bus.

They started the season in Centerville (514 miles round trip), then went to White Sulphur Springs (532 miles), Gardiner (711), Alberton (176), Hysham (991) and now are headed to Box Elder (658). Add it all up and that's 3,582 miles.

If Hot Springs wins this weekend and goes on to the state championship game, they will play in either Centerville again (514 miles) or Bridger (a 842-mile round trip).

Coach Jim Lawson joked Sunday that the trip to Alberton, which was just an hour and a half away, felt like nothing compared to some of the other treks the team has made this year.

To put that into perspective, the United States, from its furthest points, is roughly 2,800 miles from east to west and 1,650 miles from north to south. If Hot Springs wins and ends up traveling to Bridger, that would result in the team covering more miles than if they had crossed the country in both directions, all without leaving the state.

Where can you go in 3,500 miles? From Hot Springs, Montana, you could be in Guatemala City, or the Florida Keys (with 500 miles left before you run out of road), or False Pass, Alaska, in the Aleutian Islands.

Even more impressive is the number of fans who make the trek to away games. Lawson has commented throughout the season at the support they've had on the road. That's quite a commitment for families and fans.

Even though they will be going more than 325 miles to Box Elder this weekend, you can bet the Savage Heat will be ready for their next challenge. And they will have a convoy of fans supporting them, as well as many more cheering from home.