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The Savage Heat traveled to Gardiner on Saturday, but the long drive didn’t phase them as they came home with a 59-12 win over the Bruins.

“Another conference win is always good for us,” Hot Springs Coach Jim Lawson said after Saturday’s win. “We’re working toward our goals and trying to make the playoffs.”

The Gardiner trip is a two-day event for Hot Springs, as they traveled to Livingston on Friday before making the rest of the trek to Gardiner on Saturday for the game. The Savage Heat hit the field hard and strong, amassing 32 points just in the first quarter while the defense kept Bruins scoreless. “We had a lot of short drives early on, forced some turnovers and had a couple interceptions early that led to some scores,” Lawson noted. He added that six different players scored for Hot Springs in the Gardiner game, including Quincy Styles-Depoe, who scored on two receptions and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Weston Slonaker also had a rushing touchdown and an interception which he ran back for a touchdown.

“Everybody got to play and be involved,” Lawson said of the Gardiner game. Hot Springs had four interceptions as a team, though Lawson noted they had expected Gardiner to run the ball. As the Bruins instead tried to pass the ball for the majority of the game, the Savage Heat upped their pressure and adapted strategies successfully.

This week is Homecoming for the Savage Heat. “This is a big week for us,” Lawson said as he and his team welcome Noxon on Friday. “Noxon is a good team. They have some good speed and it should be a great matchup.” The game will also be key in deciding seeding for the playoffs of the Western 6-Man division.