Michael Bostrom
It was a celebration of life at Klein Field in Northfield on Sept. 20. Eight days following the deadly shooting of Matthew Lee ’27, a junior Linebacker on the St. Olaf Football team, the Oles defeated Concordia College 17-16 in an emotional game.
Lee was honored throughout the day. St. Olaf entered the field carrying Lee’s jersey. Coaches and fans wore white “42” shirts — Lee’s number — which were handed out before the game. A banner honoring Lee was also hung on the fence of Klein Field, where people were encouraged to place flowers.
A moment of silence was observed before the game, and the public address announcer recognized members of Lee’s family in attendance. After winning the coin toss, St. Olaf deferred the opening kickoff, choosing to start the game on defense. On Concordia’s opening play, the Oles lined up with only ten players, leaving an empty spot at linebacker, and causing a delay of game penalty. Concordia declined the penalty.
It was a back-and-forth game, with both teams trading field goals to start the game before trading two touchdowns each. Running back Gus Gartzke ’26 ran into the endzone to give the Oles a 10-3 lead in the third quarter. After a Concordia touchdown, Will Skemp ’26 caught a 61-yard touchdown thrown by quarterback Michael Gonzales ’29, which was the freshman’s second career collegiate passing attempt.
St. Olaf’s defensive unit stepped up, forcing three turnovers, including an interception by defensive back Alec Mahoney ’28 with less than one minute left to seal the win.
St. Olaf played with an additional purpose. This game was to honor Lee, which was the message all week.
“Our coach [James Killian] kept saying we were writing a love letter to Matt by the way that we played and the way that we practiced this week.” Andrew Bonk ’28 said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger.
“Just go out there and do it for Matt,” Nick Rollinger ’27 said in a postgame interview with The Olaf Messenger. “He’s taking care of us.”
Lee was a beloved member of the football team. When asked to describe him as a person, Lee’s teammates emphasized his energy and passion.
“Matt [was] one of the greatest people you could meet,” Antonio Bridges Jr. ’28 said. “He kept you going, kept you smiling.”
“He was just the best guy,” Bonk said. “He cared so deeply about everything. He was always trying his hardest to make something happen, to not waste his opportunity.”
Prior to sharing the field at St. Olaf, Bonk and Lee were teammates at South St. Paul High School.
“[Lee] was so talented”, said Bonk. “His senior year of high school, we went 0-9, but he didn’t care. He was playing like we were a championship-level team every game. Our defense was built around him. No job was too small.”
The number 42 has taken on a new meaning for St. Olaf football.
“It means everything,” Bonk said. “We lost a brother, someone who would light up a room with a smile, [who] was so compassionate.”
As the Oles look towards their Sept. 27 Cereal Bowl matchup against cross-town rivals Carleton College, the message is clear: do it for Matt.
“Keep fighting for Matt,” Rollinger said. “He’ll be watching over us all season. We’re doing everything for him.”
“The rest of the year is 12 vs. 11,” Bridges Jr. said. “We’re gonna keep him with us.”
Matthew Lee was 20 years old at the time of his death. Law enforcement arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the shooting, who is being charged with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and illegal gun possession.