It wasn’t too long ago that Michael Badgely was kicking field goals for the Summit Hilltoppers.
Badgely set numerous kicking records at Summit and as a senior in 2012 helped lead the Hilltoppers to a perfect 12-0 season that included a North 2, Group 3 state championship.
After one year at prep school Fork Union (Va.) Military College Badgely then became the all-time leading scorer at the University of Miami.
Now he’s two wins away from playing in the Super Bowl.
Badgely, a free agent rookie, kicked five field goals in six attempts for the Los Angeles Chargers in Sunday’s 23-17 AFC playoff win at Baltimore. Not bad for his first playoff game.
He was 4-for-4 in the first half, including a 53-yarder, and scored all of the game’s points in the initial two quarters to give Los Angeles a 12-0 lead at intermission.
After having his fifth attempt blocked, Badgely came back and kicked a fifth field goal to give the Chargers a 23-3 advantage.
In December, Badgely set the franchise record for longest field goal by kicking a 59-yarder.
The Chargers next play at two-time defending AFC champion New England this Sunday, Jan. 13.
The winner advances to the AFC championship game, which will be played on Jan. 20.
The Super Bowl is Feb. 3 in Atlanta.
Badgely first reached the roster of the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent before being cut.
More to come.