Submitted photo Mathews’ Matt Polta, right, coaches during a game this past season.

Over the last 11 years, Matt Polta has been there for every high and low with the Mathews football program.

Playoff appearances, 1-win seasons and everything in between.

After 11 seasons serving in a handful of different assistant roles, including offensive line coach, defensive line coach and a stint as defensive coordinator, Polta replaced former coach Bill Bohren as the leading man of the Mustangs program.

Bohren helped put the program back on the track, now it’s Polta’s job to keep things rolling.

“(The transition’s) been really good,” Polta said. “The kids have been great in the weight room and since we started practicing the last month or so, it’s been really fantastic. We got a good group of kids and I’ve got some good coaches on staff too.

“I’m in contact with Coach Bohren, we still talk. It is a little tough going after a legend like him, but he’s been really supportive of me and the kids have been great. I’ve coached these kids last few years, so it really hasn’t been too bad of a transition.”

A solid roster has been cultivated over the last few years at Mathews and the seeds are starting to bloom. This year’s junior class has been hyped up over the last couple of years. Now it’s their turn to help push the program to new heights.

Booster Field has never been home to a playoff contest and the Mustangs have yet to win a playoff game.

They’re hoping those things change.

“I’m really excited because I think you know, especially with the expanded playoffs. In the next two years, we have a chance to maybe host a playoff game, which is something we’ve never done, and possibly win one, which is also something we’ve never done,” Polta said. “I’m really excited and I think that was such a great thing to be able to give back to the school that I played for.”

There was almost never a chance for that playoff dream to happen. Just a few years ago, it looked like Mathews was on the path to folding its program. Due to a sharp drop in numbers in the late 2010s, the football program wasn’t going to be able to sustain itself unless some things changed.

That’s where Bohren stepped in. The longtime coach revitalized the program, left it better than he found it, and now it’s Polta’s job to keep things going.

“We’ve definitely had our ups and downs,” Polta said. “Right before (the numbers started dropping), we had gone into the playoffs three out of four years, and then for whatever reason, we just had a real issue keeping kids around, and it was really getting bad there but seeing it come back has been awesome.

“I’m so happy that Coach Bohren came in and it gave us a fresh breath. It really jump started everything. We had a really good class coming up and it was like perfect timing. Everything just really worked out.I’m happy to be here. I’m glad I’m part of it.”

Polta isn’t stepping in to be a carbon copy of his predecessor either. While sticking to the foundation Bohren laid that revitalized the Mathews program, Polta is putting his own stamp on things. The Mustangs will change offensive and defensive schemes and Polta is bringing an added bit of energy to the team.

“I’m quite a bit younger than Coach Bohren,” Polta said with a laugh. “The energy is definitely up. The kids have responded to it. We’ve got a lot of younger coaches on staff now and we’re definitely pumped up. The kids seem to be responding very well to it in practice. It’s been great. You know, so really just a new breath of energy, and it’s, I think the kids are really enjoying it.”

The newest era of the Mathews Mustangs will suit up for the first time on August 17 against Jackson-Milton.

byauger@tribtoday.com