School: Cornerstone Christian Academy Bulldogs, Class 1A, Metro North League
Record: 3-3 overall, 1-0 in league in 2011.
Coaching resume: Assistant coach at Cornerstone Christian in 2010, first year as head coach for the Bulldogs.
Life lines: Age 36. Born in St. Paul, Minn. Graduated from Rocky Mountain High School in 1994 and Northern Colorado in 1999, owns Impact Sports Performance in Broomfield.
Back in his day: Linebacker and fullback at Rocky Mountain from 1991-93, all-Front Range League in 1992 and 1993 and honorable mention all-state in 1993; two-time all-North Central Conference linebacker at UNC, playing on two NCAA Division II national championship teams, and All-American and Academic All-American as a senior; went to camp with the Tennessee Titans; played in NFL Europe and XFL, and with the Colorado Crush.
Last week: Growing pains in football can go away with benchmark victories.
The Bulldogs earned theirs Saturday night by outlasting Denver Christian 17-14 on a field goal with no time on the clock.
“I mean, it was unbelievable,” Heiner said.
In its second season — Cornerstone Christian was 1-8 a year ago — the Westminster school won its third game in four outings and downed its first foe that has won a state title (the Crusaders won in 2A in 2004).
“Now, they understand,” Heiner said of his players. “Our program could have collapsed a year ago, we have a lot of kids who hadn’t played.”
But the Bulldogs have regrouped. Down the stretch against the Crusaders, there was a key block of an extra point, the teams traded interceptions, and then Cornerstone Christian got a break on an unsportsmanlike penalty on a running play as time expired. It moved the ball to the Denver Christian 15-yard line.
Add some irony — Nathaniel Ruble, who was 0-for-7 passing and was struggling because he told Heiner that his hands were freezing in the unusually early cold conditions, lined up for a field goal.
Ruble had just enough to convert a 33-yarder.
“We hadn’t kicked one all year,” Heiner said. “No time left, a 33-yarder into the wind, and it just barely comes over the crossbar. We win the game.”
Ruble and Adam Van Eaton scored touchdowns for the Bulldogs, who practice in a city park and earned their first home victory at Five Star Stadium.
For Heiner, seeing his players get rewarded was as good as anything he has seen.
“I won two national championships, but this ranks right up there,” he said.
About the award: The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week award, in its 17th year, will have 10 honorees during the regular season. The NFL Youth Fund will present a check for $1,000 to the school’s program. Cornerstone Christian Academy’s Jamie Heiner joins Denver East’s Ron McFarland, Grandview’s John Schultz, Florence’s Mark Buderus, Trinidad’s Randy Begano and Grand Junction’s Robbie Owens as winners in 2011. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ Jan. 1 game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority 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.
