Before the game began, there were notably several Hot Springs High football players limping during warm-ups, testing their season’s injuries as they prepared for their quarterfinal playoff contest against Highwood.

But, as one bystander noted, that was part of the team credo of “next man up”. 

And it was in-line with the team’s rodeo-tough influence, a get back in the saddle philosophy. 

So, when the final scoreboard siren blared its game over song, it was probably no surprise that the numbers read: Hot Springs 46, Highwood 8. 

The Savage Heat, behind the ball-toting contributions of the Slonaker brothers and sophomore wide receiver Ben Aldridge, along with the solid defensive effort from one of those walking wounded, standout senior linebacker Johnny Waterbury, moved on to the state semifinals this coming Saturday against Box Elder. 

Weston Slonaker, a senior running back who was also walking gingerly prior to the start of the game, cashed in two running touchdowns, while his brother, sophomore Daniel Slonaker also ran for two scores. 

Aldridge, also a sophomore, hauled in a pair of 11-yard touchdown passes from senior quarterback Nick McAllister, who is a calf roper during rodeo season and has been dealing with the remnants of a bad ankle dating back to last season. 

Next man up. 

Aldridge’s first TD connection with McAllister got the Heat on the scoreboard first, the 11-yard scoring toss capping a Hot Springs drive.  The point after touchdown (PAT) kick attempt was foiled by a high snap from center, but Aldrige was able to corral the ball and unleash a long throw to McAllister, who hauled it in, giving the Heat a 7-0 early lead. 

A few minutes later, after a pair of long ground gains, Highwood, which knocked off number one seed from the east, Bainville 52-0 last week, struck back with a drive-topping two-yard TD plunged into the end zone.  The Mountaineers converted the PAT kick, which in six-player football is good for two points, giving them an 8-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Both defenses tightened up in the second quarter, with neither offense scoring before the end of the first half. 

Hot Springs, as it did the week before in a 78-51 track-meet of a win over Custer-Hysham, came out after the halftime intermission and owned the third quarter. 

Daniel Slonaker got the Heat attack rolling in the early going of the third quarter when he squirted through the Highwood defense and raced 43 yards for the first of his two TDs.  Brazilian foreign exchange student Pedro Vidotti booted the PAT kick, putting Hot Springs up 15-8. 

On Highwoods next possession, Hot Springs forced a fumble which was recovered by Weston Slonaker on the Highwood eight yard line.  Daniel Slonaker scored touchdown number two a play later with an eight-yard scoring run. Weston then reeled in a McAllister PAT pass for one point, giving the host team a 22-8 lead. 

The Savage Heat defense, paced by Waterbury, who finished with a game-high 16 tackles, forced Highwood to punt on their next possession.  That set up Weston Slonaker who capped a Hot Springs drive with a 13-yard TD scamper.  Vidotti, who before the game was kicking field goals from more than 45 yards out, kicked the PAT, giving the Heat a 30-8 lead that held up through the remainder of the third quarter. 

On Hot Springs’ next possession, Weston Slonaker was on the receiving end of a wide-open screen pass from McAllister, and then raced 26 yards for his second score of the game, giving the Heat a commanding 38-8 lead when Vidotti’s PAT kick was good. 

The Heat added one more touchdown, an 11-yard pass from McAllister to Aldridge with 3:56 left to play.  That score, and another Vidotti PAT kick, produced the final 46-8 margin of victory for the home team. 

Daniel Slonaker racked up 105 yards on 12 carries, while Weston added 79 yards rushing on 13 carries. 

McAllister completed 12 passes of 18 attempts, good for 86 yards.  He also had 29 yards rushing on six touches. 

Aldridge was the Heat’s leading receiver, hauling in six passes for 57 yards. 

The win moves Hot Springs into the semifinals, where they will face Box Elder, an unincorporated population area southeast of Great Falls this coming Saturday at 1 pm.   

The Bears come into the game with a 9-0 record and a top-seed from the six-player north division. Hot Springs and Box Elder had two common opponents this season, Denton-Geyer-Standford-Geraldine, and Big Sandy. 

Box Elder won both games against the common foes, beating Big Sandy 61-32, and downing DGSG 74-64 in last week’s quarterfinals. 

Hot Springs lost to DGSC 22-16 in the first game of the season, falling in the last minute.  The Heat beat Big Sandy 45-0 later in the regular season.

    Highwood quarterback Chase Tinklenberg (9) tries to get off a pass while being pressured by the Slonaker brothers, Weston (22) and Daniel (3) during their game Saturday in Hot Springs.  (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)