Mike Matson and the 1960 Lakewood High School football team were pioneers of sorts.
With Matson playing quarterback, Lakewood won the Class AAA state championship 55 years ago, defeating George Washington of the Denver Prep League 35-20 at All-City Stadium.
At the time, the suburban area around Denver was pretty quiet in terms of winning state championships in the highest classification, but Lakewood’s triumph opened the door. Over the next decade, Lakewood and Wheat Ridge each won two Class AAA football titles, and Arapahoe of Littleton won one.
Matson was a special player on a special team. He recently lost a battle with Parkinson’s disease at age 72 in Olympia, Wash.
A memorial service for Matson and his wife, Linda Matson, is July 27 at Crown Hill Cemetery, 7777 W. 29th Ave. in Wheat Ridge.
Coach Tom Hancock said Matson was the leader of the 1960 Tigers.
“Mike was a natural at quarterback,” Hancock said. “He was a big, strong kid. He was my punter too. He could run, and he had all the athletic equipment needed to be successful.”
After an unbeaten season and the state championship, Matson was named to a high school All-America team. The list of quarterbacks on the team included Joe Namath of Beaver Falls, Pa.
The Matson family was good to Hancock’s program, with five brothers winning titles.
Pat Matson joined Mike on the 1960 state championship team. John Matson and Steve Matson were on the 1964 state championship team, and Mark Matson played in 1968 when Lakewood won the state title again.
“You get lucky now and then, and good people seem to just come your way,” Hancock said.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296, imoss@denverpost.com or
