Booster Field

Mathews High School plays a full schedule of football games on a well-lit football field, complete with seating capacity for 2,100 spectators. Booster Field contains a press box, public address system, electric scoreboard, refreshment stand, and restroom facilities – all enclosed in chain link fencing with ample space adjacent to the field. It is located on the grounds of Baker Elementary School, 4095 Sheridan Drive, Vienna.

A few games were scheduled in 1968, but the team was still very inexperienced. They played hard and spirited football but were unable to defeat their more experienced opponents.  The 1969 and 1970 seasons were much like the first competitive season: these teams, while showing progress, still had not tasted victory. But by now the football program had been expanded to the junior high school, where the younger boys were now being taught football fundamentals.

Meanwhile, the Boosters Club was actively supporting the team, supplying all uniforms and equipment as required, as well as a very vocal rooting audience. In addition, plans were formulated to erect a "home" football stadium. Until such a stadium could be built, fields at Lakeview and at Liberty high schools were rented for "home" games.  The plans required quite a large area. A study of the available land at both the Mathews and Neal schools' sites found both locations to be inadequate. It was finally decided that the fifty or more acres of property next to Baker Elementary School the Board of Education owned would be an ideal location. Plans were drawn up and submitted to the Board of Education, which gave its approval to proceed.

As fundraising activities would permit, the project proceeded in carefully planned steps. First came site preparation. Hundreds of feet of drain tile were buried under the carefully crowned surface, and a sprinkler system was installed. Next came grading and seeding. A quarter-mile running track was constructed around the field's perimeter. The entire site was enclosed with chain link fencing.

In the fall of 1971, the Mathews Mustangs finally won their first football game at Pymatuning Valley. The team and their followers held a wild celebration in the pouring rain! The team's win-loss record gradually improved.

At the same time, bleachers were being provided for the stadium. With a minimum of earth moving, the "home" bleachers could be erected on an elevated terrace, providing ideal spectator visibility of the field and running track. This required a large expenditure of funds at one time, and it became necessary to borrow money from the local bank. The loan was secured by $1,000 notes signed by many individual Boosters and other community members. These notes and the loan were eventually retired by additional fundraising projects by the Boosters. The bleachers were purchased by the Boosters, who then poured foundations and erected the bleachers on the elevated terrace. It was beginning to look like a football stadium!

Other civic groups were getting the football spirit. The Kiwanis Club of Vienna purchased and erected an electric scoreboard. The Mathews Music Boosters provided a refreshment stand. The Football Boosters built a press box atop the bleachers and purchased a public address system. A ticket booth was erected. At long last, the stadium was ready for daytime football.

The first home game in the new stadium was scheduled for October 27, 1973 vs. Jefferson High School. Almost seven years had passed since the idea was first conceived--seven years of determined effort, hard work, diligent fundraising, and hundreds of hours of volunteer labor. It seemed the entire community turned out that beautiful October afternoon. The bleachers were filled to capacity with many more standing on the terrace. A holiday spirit prevailed. The Mustangs responded brilliantly by playing their best game of the year, and winning over Jefferson High School's team by a score of 40-0! It was, indeed, a gala occasion.

The Boosters' job, however, wasn't quite finished. The lighting system had to be installed. General Fire Proofing Company of Youngstown donated the lighting system from an abandoned softball field. With assistance from Ohio Edison, the poles and lights were moved to the field and erected. Finally, the Boosters erected visitors' bleachers that were purchased by the Board of Education. At last, the $75,000 project was complete. On November 9, 1974, the field was formally dedicated and the keys to the field were ceremoniously turned over from the Boosters to the Fowler-Vienna Board of Education at the first night game.

Booster Field has served the community well. It stands as an example of what a small community can do to help itself, by careful planning, perseverance, cooperation, and hard work.

Today Booster field is still used for football, soccer, and track and field events.

Pictures of Booster Field in 2020:
Images courtesy of Christine Novicky

The Louis A. DeMarco Fieldhouse

On football game nights, Baker Elementary School was unlocked and used by the home and visiting teams as a locker room.  There was a need for a building with restroom facilities and locker rooms closer to Booster Field, so a fieldhouse was proposed.  Construction of the fieldhouse began circa 2003 and was initially funded by the Athletic Boosters.  The building was eventually completed and used by the fall of 2007.

The fieldhouse was dedicated on October 13, 2011 as "The Louis A. DeMarco Fieldhouse" to commemorate the longtime principal of Mathews High School.

Booster Field Renovations

Major upgrades for Booster Field were approved in 2021 by the school board.

Renovations began in the spring of 2022 with the removal of the old "Home" and "Away" bleachers. The last of the bleachers containing the press-box were taken down on May 19, 2022.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 4, 2022 to commemorate the project. In addition to Russell McQuaide, Mathews Local Schools Superintendent, Mathews High School Principal George Garrett, Baker and Currie School Principal Michael King, school board members, teachers, athletic coaches, Vienna Township Trustees, Mathews High School band, Girls Scouts, students, parents, and members of the community were in attendance for the dedication. At the ceremony, plans were announced which included 500-person capacity stands, new press-box, upgraded stadium lights and a new sound system. Renovations cost approximately $800,000.

Work on the athletic complex continued through the summer and early fall of 2022 on a new press box, seats, sound system, and lighting.

To mark the beginning of Homecoming week an event called "Light Up the Stands" took place at the newly renovated field on Sunday, October 3, 2022. To kick off the event a "Parade of 'Stangs," consisting of the Homecoming Court, marching band, sports teams marching 1.5 miles from Mathews High School to Booster Field. At the field there was then a ceremonial ribbon cutting by Mathews Local Board of Trustees and other administration to mark the occasion. Coaches then presented fall sports teams and band members. Principal George Garrett presented the Homecoming Court. The event concluded with a bonfire.

There was always a need for the band and auxiliary to be sheltered by the elements during events at Booster Field. The idea of a band shelter was brought to the Board of Education and was eventually approved in December 2023. The Mathews Band Shelter was constructed on the north end of the field for approximately $150,000. It was completed in August of 2024 and first used by the band during the 2024 football season. The shelter seats 150 people.