BOONEVILLE – Mike Mattox isn’t planning on changing things now that he is in charge.

Mattox will stay with what has worked over the past two decades after being named the successor to former Booneville High School Head Coach Jim Drewry. The Booneville School District board approved the 1986 Kossuth High School graduate for the position on Tuesday night.

“You can’t replace someone like Coach Drewry or fill his shoes,” said the new head coach. “We (staff) will take what we learned from him and try to put that to use the best we can.”

Mattox, who started his coaching career at Tishomingo County High School in 1992, has been an assistant at BHS since 1993.

“We have a unique situation here at Booneville,” said Mattox. “Any of the assistants would have been well deserving of the job.”

The Booneville assistants are Riley Presley, Rick Coggin, Ray Scott and Kenny Hicks.

“I am blessed to have all of them,” said Mattox of the staff.

“I have known Mike since grammar school and coached him in high school,” said Drewry. “He has done an outstanding job for us since he joined the staff.”

Drewry took over the BHS program for a second time in 1990 when former head coach Andy Greening went to Amory. The Hall of Fame mentor remained at the school until announcing his resignation less than two weeks ago.

“I think Mike will do a great job,” said Booneville School District Superintendent Rickey Neaves. “I feel fortunate that we have the staff we have ... they all have worked together for a long time and know what to expect from one another.”

Mattox will have to replace 16 seniors from a team that went 13-1 and finished as the North runner-up.

“We are going to continue to put the kids first,” said the 1991 Mississippi State grad. “We want them to play hard ... good things happen when they do that.”

The new mentor is appreciative of the trust put in him by the administration and board.

“I am excited and thankful for the opportunity ... it’s a humbling experience,” he said.

Mattox and his wife Amanda have a five year-old daughter Erin.