HOT SPRINGS - The Savage Heat will not back down. Especially not on their home field and especially not on homecoming night in Hot Springs.

Taking charge right after the opening kickoff and never letting up thereafter, the feisty Savage Heat, with only seven players on their side, used a homecoming night for the ages by Samson Jakabosky in racing past Alberton 63-19 Thursday in Western C 6-Man action in the Spa City. Now 4-2 overall, coach Jim Lawson and his Savage Heat next play at Noxon Friday.

Refusing to go down easy, Jakabosky enjoyed a senior night to remember, scoring seven touchdowns, including four in the first quarter, and rushing for a school record 332 yards. Jakabosky scored five of his touchdowns on running plays and the other two on kick returns.

Andrew Waterbury added two touchdowns rushing in the second half and Daniel Slonaker returned a kickoff for another TD to account for Hot Spring’s 10 total touchdowns in the game.

Jakabosky, who has been pushed into a more prominent role due to injuries to a few other Savage Heat players, may have had one of the most prolific performances in Hot Springs football history, but he certainly didn’t do it alone.

“Samson ran well but he had some really good blocking up front, it was a good effort by everyone,” Lawson said. "Everybody made plays. We wanted to run the ball and the boys executed the game plan.”

Jakabosky may have received some quality blocking but he also refused to go down easy at any point in the game, offensively or defensively, breaking numerous tackles on some long runs during his record-breaking night while playing hard-hitting defense on the other side of the ball.

The Savage Heat senior scored his rushing touchdowns on runs of 11, 39, 9, 5 and 46 yards, and returned kickoffs 61 and 78 yards for his other two TDs. Slonaker’s kickoff

return for a touchdown covered 46 yards while Waterbury hit paydirt on runs of two and one yards in the second half.

Playing his first game as starting quarterback, sophomore Chase DePoe also looked good in his first full game as signal-caller for the Heat. DePoe was stepping in for junior Ben Aldridge, who was injured the previous week against Lincoln, and is out for the remainder of the season.

Besides Jakabosky, Bill DeTienne and Odin Max were the other seniors playing their final home games for the Savage Heat in Hot Springs Friday

The Heat built a 49-19 lead by halftime and quickly extended the lead to over 35 early on in the second half to set the clock in constant motion.

This Friday’s game at Noxon is for more than Sanders County bragging rights. “This is a big game for both teams,” Lawson said. "Noxon has some players and their quarterback (Justice Kayser) is a really good athlete.

“This game has playoff implications,” he added. “We will have to be ready.”

Please see other story for detail on Alberton’s efforts in Hot Springs Friday.

    HOT SPRINGS SOPHOMORE quarterback Chase DePoe started his first game at the position Thursday and helped lead the Heat to a 63-19 homecoming game victory. (John Hamilton/VP-MI)
  

    ALBERTON SOPHOMORE quarterback Devin Hill threw two touchdown passes for the Panthers in Hot Springs’ 63-19 win in Hot Springs Thursday. (John Hamilton/VP-MI)
  

    ALBERTON RUNNING BACK senior Tam Doa runs the ball as Hot Springs’ Bill DeTienne looks to make the tackle in Hot Springs Thursday. (John Hamilton/VP-MI)