When the Westside football team defeated Benson 7-0 in 1966 to take state for the first time, a man named Don Johnson was one of the assistant coaches.

When Westside made it to state and lost to Lincoln East in 1979, Johnson had already retired from coaching, but his future son-in-law, a defensive tackle, was on the team. His name was Tom Dobson.

Tomorrow, when the Warriors once again contend for a state title, another Dobson, Henry, will be starting.

Like everyone on the team, Henry wants to win. But for him, playing for Westside at state has a special significance, because he is Don Johnson’s grandson and Tom Dobson’s son — the third generation in a row to play a role in a Westside state football game.

“My grandpa won it, my dad lost it, so hopefully I’ll win it this time around,” said Henry, who plays right tackle and nose guard.

Henry’s family definitely isn’t the only family that’s been heavily involved in Westside football. Sophomore Spencer Jordan’s dad was on the team that won the state championship in 1981, and now Spencer is playing for Westside and his mom is running the Touchdown Club.

But Henry’s family has a unique connection to the program in that it has had not only two Westside players, but also a Westside coach in the family.

Not long after the 1966 win at state, Don Johnson ascended to the head coach position, and stayed in that position until the late 70s. His daughter, Henry’s mom, came to see lots of games when he was coaching.

Johnson has now passed away, but he hasn’t been forgotten.

“There was kind of a cool thing last week going into the game,” Henry said. “Coach Froendt, he knew my grandpa back in the day. He taught with him. He went up to me and was like, ‘Henry, I know your grandpa would be really proud of you.’”

Dobson said he never got the chance to talk to his grandpa much about that 1966 state championship. He has, though, spent a lot of time talking with his dad about the 1979 season and the state title the Warriors almost had.

Four years before that, in 1975, Westside had been the state runner-up, losing 20-9 to Lincoln East. In the next three years, the Warriors had been in the playoffs once, and that time, they’d lost their first game.

In 1979, though, they used the wishbone formation for the first time. Things were looking promising. They beat Burke 23-0 in the first round of the playoffs, then beat Prep 27-7.

Then, at the state championship game, which was held here at Westside, they lost to Lincoln East like they had four years before – but this time the score was 7-0.

“Just think what that would have been, if we’d have won,” said Tom, Henry’s dad. “[Westside] won two years after that [in 1981 and 1982], and it was just seven points away. It doesn’t hurt like it did back then, but for a while after that, it hurt.”

Tom has moved on, but 34 years down the road, he’s still in touch with some of his old teammates, mostly via social media.

“I know him and all his old buddies always talk about it,” Henry said. “They would definitely rather have won it than lost it.”

Recently, Tom posted something on Facebook about how Henry’s team was going to state, and got a lot of comments from his old teammates — directed at his son.

“All the other football players were like, ‘Oh man, tell him to win it,’” Henry said. “One of the guys commented, ‘You don’t want to fall short on this, because you’ll remember it for the rest of your life.’”

Tom might not be a football player anymore, but he’s been there throughout Henry and his team’s journey to state, and said he’s having “a blast.” Henry said at Westside’s semifinal game, his dad stormed the field with the student section, ran up to him, and gave him a hug.

“I think they’ve got a great chance to win it all,” Tom said. “I’m just so excited to see them back there again, playing at state. I’m really excited. I’m so happy for them. I’ve really enjoyed the whole ride.”

He isn’t the only family member who’s enjoyed it. Henry said his grandmother, Don Johnson’s wife before he passed away, still comes to all the games.

“My grandma is very into it,” Henry said. “Last game she wore my grandpa’s wedding ring to the game – thought she’d give us an extra something. I can sometimes even hear her screaming.”

Although Tom and his old teammates do still regret losing in 1979, Henry said he’s sure his dad wouldn’t be at all jealous if the Warriors won in 2013. And Tom said he’s just excited beyond belief to be going to his son’s state football game.

“I’m just trying not to have a heart attack — keep the blood pressure down,” Tom said. “We’re just going to have a lot of fun. I’m just glad [the players] have the opportunity to have the experience, and they should be proud of themselves.”

Tom said “the whole clan” is coming in — some relatives from Kansas City and some from Colorado. Seeing Henry’s team play at state is going to be a family event.

Still, Henry said he doesn’t feel under more pressure to win because of his dad and grandpa’s legacy.

“If anything, it’s more motivation.”