{
  "id": 17176647,
  "title": "From end zone to sideline, Roger Bacon was always 'home' to Mike Blaut",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/from-end-zone-to-sideline-roger-bacon-was-always-home-to-mike-blaut-17176647",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-30T04:30:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/end-zone-sideline-roger-bacon-043048087.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mike Blaut grew up playing football in the end zone of the field now known as Bron Bacevich Memorial Stadium during his time at Roger Bacon. After graduating in 1988, Blaut spent 12 seasons as the head coach, leading the Spartans to a regional championship in 2020. This marked the first time a regional title was won at home since the playoff games were not held at neutral sites during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Blaut, who became head coach in 2015, retired after a 68-61 record from 2015-2026. The coach, who was known for his faith in the team and the community, emphasized the importance of family and the connections he made with the players. Blaut hopes that his players remember more than just the victories and championships, but also the strong bonds built through faith, family, and football.",
  "summary": "Mike Blaut led Roger Bacon to the school's first regional title on the same field he used to play on as a kid during varsity games.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}