When the football program at Talihina High School was canceled, it could have easily been the end of Blaze Baugh’s football dreams. Instead, due to family support and talent, he will be heading to Edmond, OK, to play for the Broncos.
Since he was a little boy watching games on the television with his family, Blaze Baugh had dreamed of someday playing college ball. Those dreams almost came to an end as the young man headed into his pivotal senior year. Due to a lack of interest at his small Talihina High School, the football program was suspended. Things might have ended there, but thanks to the support of family, history was made, and his dreams are coming true.
Luckily for Blaze and McAlester High, he had a cousin who was on the coaching staff of the 5A Buff squad. With the support of his parents and older brother, who plays for the University of Minnesota as a defensive lineman, the decision was made for Blaze to spend his senior year in McAlester.
To say that this was a momentous decision would be a gross understatement. In his first and only season at the school, Baugh scored six touchdowns and rushed for a total of 713 yards. Of particular note was a semi-finals game for the State Championship on Nov. 26th. Playing against Bishop McGuinness, Blaze rushed for 258 yards, scoring 3 TDs. This was the 5th best game ever at a school with a storied football history.
After the game, Blaze gushed, “It feels great. I feel great. I always knew I had it in me.”
Forrest Mazey, McAlester’s Head Coach, openly praised Baugh, saying he was proud of the way the young man rose to the challenge when his team needed him. In his enthusiasm, Coach Mazey alternately described Blaze as a Mack truck and a bowling ball on the field. In his words, when speaking of Baugh, “He is built freakishly. He is a grown man”.
This historical performance was also noticed beyond the local community. Within days of the State Semi-Finale game, Blaze received a call from the University of Central Oklahoma staff. They wanted to offer him a scholarship if he would come to play for the Broncos.
In a year, Blaze Baugh had gone from not knowing if he would ever retake the field to seeing his dreams of suiting up for college ball come true. The story doesn’t end there, though.
Blaze Baugh’s breakout game earned the Buffs a place in the State 5A Championship. That game, the final game of Blaze’s high school career, was played in no other place than Chad Richison Stadium. The home of the University of Central Oklahoma Broncos.
As is often the case, the seeds of success are laid early and at home. When speaking of his journey, Blaze Baugh credits his family and the early support he received.
“I always loved football and watching it, so my mom signed me up for it, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I just love it [football], always have since playing football with my brother and dad in the yard.”
With Baugh signing his letter of commitment, he moved one step closer to his goal and is less than a year from making his football dream come true.
