Hot Springs is a state football champion for the first time in school history, holding off defending champion Elk Point-Jefferson 13-7 to win the 11B title in the Dakota Dome.
The Bison stopped Elk Point on 4th and goal from the 4 yard line with 5:47 to play, then sealed the win when Braden Peterson came up with an interception in the end zone on a pass deflected by Matt Close inside the final minute.
     Elk Point-Jefferson, who clobbered the Bison 47-18 in last year’s semifinals, scored on its first possession, using a 3-yd touchdown run to cap a 10-play 77=yard drive.
Hot Springs answered with a 6-play, 70-yard drive of its own that ended with a 34-yard TD run by Cameron Maciejewski
     Both teams missed field goals in the 2nd quarter, Hot Springs from 30 and Elk Point from 40, before Collin Iverson found Braden Peterson for a 79-yard touchdown with 4:34 left in the 1st half. A bad snap kept the score 13-7 and it stayed that way for the rest of the game.
     Both teams had their chances in the 2nd half. A 55-yd interception return by Maciejewski gave Hot Springs the ball at the 18 midway through the 3rd period, but Elk Point returned the favor with a pick of its own.Â
A bad snap midway through the 4th quarter that saw the punter’s knee touch the ground gave Elk Point a 1st down on the Hot Springs 16, but the Bison held on downs.
     They failed to pick up a first down, but pinned Elk Point inside its 25. A double-pass gained 40 with a facemask penalty tacking on 15 more move the ball to the Bison 24 to set up the drama of Peterson’s interception.
Cameron Maciejewski rushed 17 times for 99 yards and a touchdown while also adding the long interception return was named the Joe Robbin MVP of the title game
Branden Anderson was the Offensive Back of the Game after gaining 71 yards on 13 carries and adding the 79-yd touchdown catch, his only reception of the game.
Hot Springs also boasted the Lineman of the Game in Caleb Rickenbach.