Football: Big games for Dorsey grad Chris Matthews, Valencia grad Shane Vereen

If the Seattle Seahawks hadn’t thrown an interception on the one-yard line, the Super Bowl MVP on Sunday night might have been receiver Chris Matthews, a 2007 Dorsey High grad who caught four passes for 109 yards and one touchdown.

Former Dorsey Coach Paul Knox was smiling the entire game watching on TV.

“It was great to see him get a chance to play,” Knox said.

Matthews, who went to Harbor College and Kentucky and was undrafted, hadn’t made an NFL catch before Sunday.

“He’s a great kid,” Knox said.

Matthews played tight end at Dorsey, then started to develop his body at Harbor.

“He filled out a little, got a little faster, got a little bigger,” Knox said.

Another Southern California player having a big game was former Valencia running back Shane Vereen, who caught 11 passes for 64 yards for the victorious New England Patriots.

Another player making contributions was former Sylmar defensive back Brandon Browner, who helped shut down Matthews in the second half for the Patriots.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer