Story By Jason Bowen

A key component in the North Sand Mountain High School golf program’s recent success is set to take his game to the collegiate level.

Recent NSM graduate Blake Maples has signed to continue his golf career at Northeast Alabama Community College.

Maples chose the Mustangs over an offer from Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, saying academic programs, proximity to home and “friends” attending and playing at NACC played a role in his decision.

Maples began playing golf at a young age, saying his grandparents began teaching him how to truly play the sport around the age of 10. Maples, who was also a two-year starting guard for the North Sand Mountain varsity boys basketball team, said he just “fits” on the golf course.

Maples’ brother, Luke, played golf at NACC from 2022-23 and Blake Maples said his brother has been a big help to him throughout his golf career.

“Luke has given me advice my whole life about golf. Whenever I was struggling, I would get my brother to come to where I was to just calm me down, but it meant a lot overall to have family with me the whole way through my high school career,” said Blake Maples, whose mother Danielle was an NSM golf coach. 

Blake Maples helped NSM win two Class 1A-2A Boys Golf state championships during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, post a state runner-up finish in 2025 and play in the state tournament the past five seasons. Maples also helped the Bison win four consecutive sectional and sub-state tournament titles and was part of five consecutive Jackson County Boys Golf Tournament title-winning NSM teams.

Maples was also a three-time Class 1A-2A Boys Section 3 Golf individual champion, was All-Jackson County the past three seasons, was the 2024 Jackson County individual champion, and had two consecutive sub-state individual runner-up finishes. He finished 10th in the Class 1A-2A State Tournament this past season and was also all-tournament selections for the Madison County Season Opener tournament and the Wildcat Cup tournament.

“It means a lot to me to get to be a part of such a great experience,” Maples said of his NSM playing career.

He also is looking forward to testing his abilities at the collegiate level.

“I think it’s going to be a lot more challenging,” Maples said, “but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”