School: Chatfield Chargers, Class 5A Big 8 League, ranked No. 4 in The Denver Post/9News poll.
Record: 4-0 overall, 2-0 league; 20-16 career.
Coaching resume: Assistant at Columbine, 2000-03, and Green Mountain, 2004-05; in fourth year heading Chargers.
Lifelines: Age 32, native of Wheat Ridge. Graduated from Green Mountain (1995) and Adams State (2000); earned degree in physical education; earned master’s in school administration (2003); teaches PE at Chatfield.
Back in his day: Wide receiver-free safety at Green Mountain, 1991-94, second team all-Jefferson County as a senior; wide receiver at Adams State, 1996-99, two years all-academic.
Last week: McGatlin admitted that “it was weird.”
After the Chargers’ Josh Fralick powered through a 46-yard field goal, his third of the game, into the wind with 9.7 seconds to play Thursday, the Chargers, arguably 5A’s hottest team, had all but sealed a 16-13 victory against Columbine, their nearby rival that had beaten the Chargers in every meeting since 2001.
“One of coaches was jumping up and down and telling me that we had won,” McGatlin said. “I had my hands on my knees and I couldn’t bring myself up. I knew there was time left, and we hadn’t won yet.”
Chatfield soon withstood two long incompletions by the Rebels to secure the key Big 8 victory, then McGatlin relaxed.
“We put a lot into that game, and our school, kids and community wanted it so badly,” the coach said. “To win like that was pretty cool.”
Columbine led 13-0 in the first half as the Chargers were ineffective on offense and beaten on defense.
“We were shell-shocked early and it was bugging me, so we challenged the kids at halftime,” McGatlin said.
It worked. Two key Rebels turnovers led to 10 Chatfield points to tie it in the third quarter, then the Chargers’ defense forced punts on four consecutive possessions.
“We knew we had to get turnovers to get a chance,” McGatlin said. “Even with our mistakes, the bottom line was that we couldn’t turn it over and we won the field position.”
Danny Newkirk, Aaron Norris and Kyle Slavin led the Chargers on defense, and Shaw Gifford ran for 146 yards and scored his team’s only touchdown.
“We made (the Rebels) punt late, and that’s very uncharacteristic for them,” McGatlin said. “In past years, we couldn’t do that.”
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week award, in its 14th year, will have 10 honorees during the regular season. NFL Charities will present $1,000 to the school’s program. McGatlin joins Manzanola’s James Lopez, Eaglecrest’s Tom Doherty and Liberty’s Jaron Cohen as winners in 2009. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ final home game, against the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 3 at Invesco Field at Mile High, and receive $2,000. Coaches are selected by a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; and Andy Lindahl, KOA 850 AM.
