2023 football preview: York County Tech's new coach determined 'not to lose'
Scott Mathena didn't mince words when he met with the York County Tech administration after getting hired as head football coach.
"I told them: 'I didn't come here to lose,'" he said. "I mean that. If I'm sounding cocky, I just have confidence in what I'm seeing from these young men."
It's rare to hear that confidence from someone at York County Tech. The Spartans haven't had a winning season since 1983. They lost 35 straight games from 2017 to early 2020. While they won just one game in each of the last three seasons, it was seen as a positive that they were playing teams closer.
But the 53-year-old Mathena said he doesn't care about what happened in the past or the typical hurdles the vocational school has faced.
"We're not going to be the old York Tech," he said. "We're going to set the bar high and change. We're going to be competitive and win a lot of games.
"I know what it takes to get things shuffled up a bit."
YAIAA football: What fans need to know heading into the 2023 season
Mathena has spent 27 years as a high school football coach — mostly in Maryland apart from six seasons as an assistant at Susquehannock. He spent four seasons as the head coach at Towson High School and said he went 7-3 his first season when the school was coming off a 4-36 stretch.
The New Freedom resident has followed York County Tech football in recent years because his son attends the school.
While Tech doesn't have a feeder program, it's a 6A school and easily the largest in YAIAA Division III. Mathena said around 45 players have been attending offseason workouts — many who didn't play in the past.
The Spartans will need some new players to emerge on offense following the graduation of running back Anthony Torres, who rushed for a school-record 1,933 yards and was named co-YAIAA Division III Offensive Player of the Year. Senior KingZion Matai will move from quarterback to a slot back, and Trent Nafe will step under center.
The biggest change will be the offensive system. Tech ran the triple option under Matt Glennon in an effort to beat teams with ball control. Mathena uses the Gun-T — a mix between the old-school Wing-T and the modern spread offense.
"I like it because with the triple option everyone knew what was going to happen. It was an inside run or an outside run," lineman Pearce Alleyne said. "This has a lot more plays so you can't predict it."
"I don't think anyone runs anything like it around here," Mathena added.
There's reason to believe Tech can take a step forward this season. The Spartans lost by two points to James Buchanan and one point to Biglerville last season. The last time they won multiple games was a 4-6 season in 2016.
"My goal is turn York Tech football around where we're not doormats," Mathena said. "Where we're not 1-9 and constantly getting beat. I see this as an opportunity."
York County Tech Greatest Athletes: Who's No. 1 on our all-time list?
Key returnees: KingZion Matai (QB/DB, jr.); Pearce Alleyne (OL/DL, jr.); Trent Nafe (QB/S, sr.); Evan Moore (OL, sr.); Carsyn Mentz (WR, sr.); Colton Nafe (WR, jr.)
Key losses: Anthony Torres (RB), Harry Meadows (OL), Nate Lankford (DB), Bailey Eberwein (RB/DB), Peyton Van Valen (DB)
Inside the Spartans' huddle
Head coach: Scott Mathena (first season)
Last season: 1-9
Offense: Gun-T
Defense: 4-2-5
Classification: 6A
Last YA division title: 1976
Last District 3 appearance: none
Last District 3 playoff win: none
District 3 titles: none
Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: York County Tech High School football preview 2023
