The All-State Tylers are gone but the Hot Springs Savage Heat still have big plans for the upcoming 6-Man football season.

One year removed from a 9-2 season that ended only in the second round of the State playoffs with a loss to a team that eventually went on to play in the championship game, coach Jim Law son and his Savage Heat have been busy devising a strategy for the rapidly approaching grid campaign.

Without the All-Conference and All-St at e talents of Tyler Knudsen and Tyler Carr, two of last year’s star players who have now moved on, the Heat appear to still have a lot of quality players back for yet another run at the playoffs.

Leading that list of returnees are senior co-captains Brandon Knudsen and Luke Waterbury, who are also Hot Springs’ only returning Western C All-conference performers. Lawson expects production and leadership from the pair this fall.

“Those two are the last ones on the team that played on our 2016 State C championship team,” he said. “Our other kids will be following their lead this season.”

Senior Bert DeTienne, junior Jesse Uski and sophomores Kyle Lawson, Jack McAllister and Benedict Waterbury are the other Heat players expecting to have an impact this season.

One of the most promising young players in western Montana, McAllister, who played defensive back and a little quarterback last fall, suffered a broken thumb at his summer job recently and will be at least limited early on.

Brandon Knudsen will be one of the top quarterbacks returning in the conference and Luke Waterbury will be counted on to take on more of a load in the running game.

“We are going to be small but quick,” Lawson said. “We have some good, experienced players.

“Our Tylers had good size and muscle and we will have to compensate,” he added, “but I think we can do that.”

The Heat will open the season hosting Harlowton Aug. 30.

With the Western division losing West Yellowstone (that school moved up to 8-Man football) and Lincoln (which will play a junior varsity only schedule), the schools on this side of the stat e have had to scramble to fill their schedules.

The Savage Heat will go on one of their longest road trips of the season for the Sept. 6 game at Sunburst.

Long-time assistant coach Andrew Leichtnam will again be on the sidelines for Hot Springs.