April 9, 2008

The Undefeated 1975 Westminster Warriors, 25-0

By Stan Dyer

As basketball season rapidly comes to a close, I am reminded of the 1974/1975 High School basketball season and a special team from right in the Denver area. They were Westminster High School's undefeated Warriors who won 25 straight games, won the State Championship and were crowned All-Southwestern United States Co-Champions.

In the era of knee-high socks, and short trunks when "dunking" was against the rules, this team played its games in the little gym of the old school at 73 rd and Lowell Boulevard, (Now Hidden Lake High School). It was the school's final year at that location before moving to the new and present location by the lake, but that team sure left behind a loud roar that still echoes today. It all started in the spring of 1973.

The Warrior team of '72/'73 was also a good one, but Northglenn was the class of the league that year. Nonetheless, Westy managed entry into the State playoffs and drew the State's number one ranked team in the first round. Coincidentally, it was another undefeated team, Bear Creek, whom many thought would easily brush Westminster away in the first round on the road to the State Championship. Played on Bear Creek's home court, the game started out pretty much as anticipated.

The home team jumped out to a quick, 19-1 first quarter lead, and kicked back into overdrive. The game, however, was not over, and Westy was not finished. Westy showed some grit to fight back into the contest, take the lead and eventually leave the gym with a stunning 83-77 victory that ended all championship hopes for Bear Creek. Despite losing to Northglenn, (again), in the next round, that Warrior team not only showed great promise for the future, but also learned a valuable lesson about playing the entire game. It all played out two years later.

In the fall of 1974, Westminster began the season ranked number one in the State and held that position the entire year. In 18 regular season games, they never lost and had an average victory margin of 24.5 points. The closest game of the season came in the first match with another talented team and a rival for Skyline League supremacy, Mullen.

With a naturally biased crowd in attendance, and a disconcertingly biased announcer calling the game, the Mullen basketball team came onto the court. With "Sweet Georgia Brown, (the Globetrotters anthem), playing over the loudspeakers, and players spinning balls on their fingers, Mullen executed a choreographed warm-up that was designed to intimidate opposing teams. That might have worked with other teams, but this Westminster team was just as spirited and they had fan support that was like having a degree of home field advantage everywhere they went. Two excellent teams played an excellent game, but, in the end, not even outstanding outside shooting could save Mullen. In a hard fought victory, Westminster prevailed 64-62. Later that year, the two teams met again on Westminster's court for the League Championship and Westminster prevailed 76-63 before moving on to State.

At State, they defeated Coronado in the first game, 58-53, Pomona in the second game, 65-58, and Golden in the third game, 54-42. Now 24-0, the final game of the year would be for all the marbles against a team from Pueblo South.

Pueblo South, of course, had an excellent team. They were shorter and maybe not as talented overall, but they sure could run. They used the fast break to hang with the taller, larger Warriors, and even looked within reach of a victory near the end, but Westminster again showed the grit and determination they used to defeat Bear Creek two years earlier and Mullen this year. Westy fought back. Frank Meuren sank the free throws that gave his team the lead and Tony Barnett grabbed a crucial rebound before quickly calling time out and sealing the victory, 52-50. As fans raced onto the court, Tony Barnett cut down the net and wore it around his neck for a week. On the Pueblo South bench, a distraught team hung their heads even though everyone in attendance knew there were no losers that night. Unfortunately, only one team could win.

In a tragic turn of events, Frank Meuren lost his life in an automobile accident just a few weeks after the final victory, but he and all of his teammates left a mark on the school's history and on the school's gym that will many will never forget. If you go to the new school today, the trophy and the team picture are still there as well as the banner that hangs in the gym. If you drive by the old school, look at the large triangle over the entrance to the old gym. Under many coats of paint, there is tribute painted there by Westminster seniors shortly before graduation in 1975. Even though it was 33 years ago this year, not one of the members of that graduating class will ever forget the year or the Warrior basketball team that went 25-0.