It's one thing to start a football season a perfect 6-0.
It's another to do it the way eight-man Dove Creek has done it.
The Bulldogs, led by longtime head coach Shane Baughman, are undefeated more than halfway through the season and have outscored opponents 328-92. The team has yet to score fewer that 48 points in a game.
Their winning streak to the season was capped off this past week by their biggest win to date, when they knocked off No. 10 Sanford 50-8.
With the historic start to the season, Baughman has been named this week's Denver Broncos high school football coach of the week.
The Bulldogs are looking to make some more history this season, as they have never made it to a state championship game in program history.
This week they face their biggest test yet this season, when they travel to last season's state runner-up, No. 4 Mancos. With Baughman's teams one-week-at-a-time mentality, he will be sure to have them up to the challenge.
Following is a Q-and-A with Shane Baughman and Dan Whitaker of CHSAANow.com.
Shane Baughman bio
Overall record at Dove Creek: 58-43
Overall record as head coach: 58-43
Previous coaching positions: I was the head wrestling coach here at Dove Creek for 25 years. I have been a coach in football for all 29 years in Dove Creek. Many of those years were as an assistant coach under longtime coach Kenneth Soper. I took the head middle school football position for about 5 years and became the head high school coach in 2012.
Question: Why do you coach?
Baughman: I know that it sounds cliché, but I really enjoy the kids! I find a lot of joy in teaching them how to become respectable young men.
Q: Why do you coach the way that you coach?
Baughman: I am a firm believer in building relationships with the players. We try and live by six team characteristics:
1. Be disciplined.
2. Be unselfish.
3. Be unafraid of mistakes.
4. Be persistent.
5. Be able to overcome adversity.
6. Be classy.
We believe that if our players can live by these they will not only be great players on the field but also, in their adult lives.
Q: What do you think it’s like to be coached by you?
Baughman: I think that players enjoy playing football at Dove Creek HS. I have a great coaching staff that our players like and respect, and the coaches like and respect the players.
Q: What has been your favorite memory from being the HC at Dove Creek?
Baughman: There are so many memories I am not sure if I can pick just one. Big rivalry games are at the top of the list. Also, just being around the players and coaches every day throughout the season.
Q: What does the sport of football and this team mean to the Dove Creek community?
Baughman: Football is huge in Dove Creek. I believe that is because of the great tradition that was built by longtime coach Kenneth Soper. He definitely built a great tradition in the community, and it has been awesome carrying on that tradition.
Q: What has it been like starting this season a perfect 6-0, especially since you have not eclipsed the seven-win mark there yet?
Baughman: We are just trying to take one week at a time. Our players and coaches set goals at the beginning of the season and none of those goals had to do with our record. So, it really isn't something that we even talk about.
Q: What are you and your coaches efforts to keep your team grounded through such historic success thus far this season?
Baughman: We had a team meeting at the beginning of the season and the players wanted to set a goal to take one week at a time and not look ahead. So we really haven't had the need to keep them grounded. The only thing we are focused on is what team we are playing this week. I really don't think any of the players realize that they are 6-0.
