PHOTO - Jennifer Heist
Friday was going to be an even more special night for Boyle County senior lineman Jacob Heist than he even realized. It was Boyle’s final home game, so it was the traditional Senior Night with player/parent introductions before the game with Madison Southern that Boyle won 53-7 to improve its record to 6-0.
Boyle has now outscored opponents 300-42 this year going into Friday night’s scheduled game at Bourbon County that will end regular season play. After that Boyle starts pursuit of the Class 4A title it lost to Johnson Central in last year’s state championship game.
Heist knew about the pregame ceremony — or least most of it. What he didn’t know is that ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale had sent a special video message to Heist and the Rebels wishing them good luck. Vitale knew about Boyle football because this year the senior class’ charitable endeavor was the Kentuckiana Epilepsy Foundation in honor of Heist, who had epilepsy and at one time was not allowed to play football in middle school. Vitale made a donation to the fundraiser after seeing Heist’s story.
Unfortunately for Heist, he won’t be playing again this season. He tried his anterior cruciate ligament blocking. He’s waiting now for the swelling to go down so his range of motion can be measured before surgery plans are made.
“He knows he played his last game as a BC Rebel Friday night,” Jennifer Heist, Jacob’s mother, said.
How did he take the news?
“Want to know what he said? ‘Better me than one of my brothers,'” his mother said.
He also added that “not everyone retires with a special message from Dicky V.”
After he got hurt, Jacob Heist was yelling for his teammate to keep running even while he was laying on the field. He would not stay down, either. He got up and tried walking to the sideline with the help of first-year coach Justin Haddix after the coach saw he was tying to do it on his own.
“Jacob said, ‘Coach you see my momma standing up looking scared? You got to get me off the field before she jumps down here and storms the field,'” his mother said.
His teammates rallied around him on the sideline when he could only stand and watch while on crutches. His mother said that was just a “testament to how this team is one family” and that was a major reason the seniors always knew their charitable endeavor this year would be in honor of Heist.
No doubt he’ll be on the sideline for this week’s game if Boyle gets to play and for every playoff game the Rebels had. Probably the same way with practice unless surgery might keep him away.
The lesson here, though, is that rather than feel disappointed and sorry for himself, Heist was appreciative of what he has experienced this season and happy for his teammates. With all the pandemic-related issues we all face, that’s a message we all should appreciate.
“Mark my words as my granny would say, Jacob is going to do big things and change the world,” Jennifer Heist said.
Actually, seems to me this young man is already doing that with his positivity.
