Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

The Maple Mountain football program found itself in limbo after a tumultuous and confusing time after the school parted ways with head coach Kalin Hall.

Who would the Golden Eagles find to take on the challenge of moving forward?

Maple Mountain didn’t have to look far.

Last week the school announced it had hired Harry Schwenke — the former Salem Hills head coach who was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach for the Golden Eagles in 2024 — to lead the team.

It wasn’t really where Schwenke expected to be at this point.

Jeff Porcaro, MapleMountainSports.com

“I was actually done with coaching a year ago,” Schwenke said in a phone interview on Monday. “I had spent four years as the defensive coordinator for Spanish Fork after being at Salem Hills for quite some time. But this is the community I live in. I really wanted to help coach Hall build the program and just offer up any assistance that I could to him.”

Schwenke explained that after everything happened Hall encouraged him to apply for the head coaching job.

“We wanted to keep some consistency and keep the boys and the coaches here,” Schwenke said. “I agreed to it, applied and they hired me last week.”

Maple Mountain has experienced some turnover during the transition but Schwenke said he met with the players on Monday and said it was a good start to get things back on track.

“It was a roller-coaster ride they had been on,” Schwenke said. “For about a month they didn’t know what was going on or who was going to coach them. They really wanted Coach Hall back, and we all did, but they just weren’t getting any answers. Meeting with them this morning kind of gave them some solace and a little bit more clarity of what direction we are going.”

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

He said his highest priority is making sure the athletes and their families are ready to progress.

“My direction now is just to make sure that I’m checking in with the boys and their families to make sure that they’re in a good place before we move forward,” Schwenke said.

The silver lining to the whole situation, according to Schwenke, is that the Maple Mountain community has shown how it can come together.

“There have been a lot of emotions involved, but the community is all about being a caring and compassionate community,” Schwenke said. “They want things done the right way. I think they’ve done a good job of voicing their concerns, but I think they’re also doing a great job of kind of moving forward and seeing what the boys’ needs are moving forward as well.”

He believes football is a sport that creates a sense of unity and he looks forward to seeing the Golden Eagles build on that in the weeks and months to come.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

Here is the complete press release from Maple Mountain about Schwenke’s hiring:

“Harry Schwenke has built an extensive and impressive coaching career, marked by a commitment to player development and leadership. His coaching journey began at Fremont High School, where he served as the offensive line (OL) coach. From 2014 to 2019, he worked at Salem Hills, contributing in various roles, including coaching quarterbacks and running backs. His ability to adapt and lead was evident as he served as the head coach at Salem Hills for three years, where he shaped the program’s culture and performance.

“After his time at Salem Hills, Schwenke transitioned to Spanish Fork High School as the defensive coordinator. There, he was instrumental in leading a strong defensive unit that was recognized for its tough, disciplined play. His focus on building solid, well-rounded teams extended beyond just one side of the ball.

“Most recently, Coach Schwenke took on a new challenge at Maple Mountain High School, where he served as the Assistant Head Coach and OL coach. In this role, he brought his wealth of experience and passion for coaching to a new group of players, continuing to develop their skills and teamwork. His leadership, experience, and commitment to improving his players make him an invaluable asset to the Maple Mountain program.

“Congratulations to Coach Schwenke for his outstanding contributions to high school football! His journey exemplifies dedication, hard work, and an unwavering focus on the development of student-athletes.”