'We just never quit': Blaze Baugh runs McAlester past McGuinness in Class 5A football semifinals

JENKS — McAlester knew an unlikely hero would need to emerge in order to make its second straight Class 5A state championship game appearance. 

With star tailback and defensive back Erik McCarty Jr. suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in McAlester’s quarterfinal win over Piedmont last week, the Buffaloes were left with several questions leading up to their next game. 

They had to have someone solidify himself as their main workhorse as the OU commit was sidelined. 

Senior tailback Blaze Baugh became just that when the Buffaloes faced McGuinness. 

Sixth-ranked McAlester defeated the second-ranked Irish 39-29 Saturday night at Allan Trimble Stadium to advance to the championship game against No. 1 Carl Albert, and Baugh was a big reason why. 

He torched the McGuinness defense as he ran for 243 yards and three scores on 24 carries and led an offense that finished with 54 attempts for 419 yards. 

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“Gutsy,” McAlester coach Forrest Mazey said. “Found a way. You know you got a workhorse. You’re going to try to run that clock. Got to try to find a way to move the chains. His yards after contact — unbelievable. That’s all you can say. 

“The O-line did a great job of pushing even after we’re getting contact — push, push, push. Super proud of them. Super proud of the whole team.” 

McGuinness (10-2) was dominant early. 

Star tailback Mike Taffe had touchdown runs of 13 and six yards in the first quarter, and a 27-yard rushing score from JP Spainer gave McGuinness a 22-7 lead with 10:08 left in the second quarter. 

But McAlester (11-2), the defending state runner-up, scored 25 unanswered points after that. 

Brayden Bumpus tossed a 14-yard touchdown to Malachi Wrice on a jump pass out of the wildcat formation, quarterback Caden Lesnau ran for a 23-yard score, Trenton Greer made a 26-yard field goal and Baugh had a 23-yard rushing score during that span. 

“We just never quit,” Baugh said. “We’ve been down before. We know we can win.” 

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Taffe ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:06 left in the third as McGuinness cut McAlester’s lead to 32-29, but the Irish were held scoreless after that. 

McGuinness had a chance to put together a game-winning drive, but Bumpus intercepted a River Warren pass at the McGuinness 32 with 2:18 remaining. 

Baugh fittingly sealed the victory on an 18-yard touchdown run with 1:11 left. 

“He’s a Talihina kid,” Mazey said. “Moved in because they dropped football. His brother is a defensive tackle at the University of Minnesota. He’s a stud.” 

McAlester’s offense finished with 539 yards, while McGuinness had 282. 

Lesnau was 12-of-22 passing for 106 yards and ran for 68 yards on 15 carries for McAlester. Dakota Moton had 10 carries for 85 yards. 

The Buffaloes forced three turnovers with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. 

They’ll try to have similar success on both sides of the ball when they play Carl Albert (11-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond. 

“Hopefully, we win,” Baugh said. “We’re going to try our hardest.”

Reporter Nick Sardis covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @nick_sardis. Support Nick’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at oklahoman.com/subscribe or by using the link at the top of this page.

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