BOX ELDER — The undefeated Box Elder Bears withstood a stiff challenge from Hot Springs, topping the Savage Heat 57-45 on Saturday in the 6-Man semifinals.
The game featured eight lead changes, including six in the second half with momentum swinging throughout. The Bears will hit the road to face Bridger in the 6-Man title game next week after the Scouts knocked off defending champion Centerville 82-74 on Saturday.
Box Elder opened the scoring in the first quarter with a touchdown pass from Tuarie Stiffarm-Rosette to Dreyden Anderson. On their next possession, Stiffarm-Rosette found Alex Fourcolors on a screen pass to push the lead to 12-0.
Hot Springs found life on the ensuing drive which was capped off by a touchdown pass from Nick McAllister to Ben Aldridge to cut the lead to 12-8. From that point, the game kicked into overdrive with each team trading scores.
The Savage Heat held a 34-31 lead at halftime and pushed it to 42-31 after a third quarter touchdown from Weston Slonaker.
Box Elder answered with two scores of their own from Anderson and Fourcolors to go back on top 44-42, before a Calvin Timmer touchown made it 48-44 Hot Springs entering the fourth quarter.
With 5:44 to play, Stiffarm-Rosette found Anderson for another score to put the Bears on top 50-48 but just 14 seconds later Slonaker took a screen pass 41 yard to give Hot Springs a 54-50 lead.
Hot Springs forced the Bears to punt on the ensuing possession and took control of the ball with 3:06 left in the game. But the Box Elder defense held for a turnover on downs at the 25-yard line, and Stiffarm-Rosette connected with Anderson again for a 55-yard touchdown and a 57-54 lead.
Freshman Kenny Helgeson picked off McAllister on fourth down with under a minute left to ice the game and send Box Elder to their first title game appearance since 2015.
Stiffarm-Rosette threw for eight touchdowns, with Anderson hauling in five scores and Fourcolors with three.
"I'm so proud. This just shows you their character,” said Box Elder coach Thomas Dilworth. “We haven't been behind all season. We got a little behind at Denton-Geyser-Stanford-Geraldine last week and they came out, had a great third quarter. We knew defense was going to win the game today. we weren't perfect. But when it came time, we made the stops when we needed to.”
Box Elder super star receiver Tracen Jilot injured his ankle early in the game for Box Elder and spent the rest of the game on the sidelines with crutches. He is not expected to play in the title game.
It could be a very special season for Box Elder. The Bears won a state basketball championship in March with many of the same players on the football roster.
"We just want to let everyone else know that we can play both sports and dominate either one,” Anderson said. "It's been great. You know, we haven't went undefeated in like 40 years it's great to be in the state championship again for the first time since 2016."
