BRENTWOOD — When new Heritage football coach Dave Fogelstrom called his first team meeting last week, 107 players showed up.

In this era of declining participation in high school football, that turnout was almost like the first win of the 2020 season for the new coach.

When incoming freshmen arrive this fall, there could be upwards of 130 players between the varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams. That will include some students already on campus who haven’t gone out for football.

“We want to recruit our own campus,” Fogelstrom said. “Then we want to get guys in the weight room.”

Fogelstrom replaces Don Sanders, who stepped down after seven seasons. His best year was 2016, when the Patriots were 8-4. Overall, Heritage was 28-47 under Sanders.

Kevin Hartwig, who had a hugely successful run at Freedom, will be the Heritage offensive coordinator. Sam Arnold will direct the defense and former NFL player Ron Rivers will coach special teams, running backs and defensive backs. In the spring, Rivers coaches softball.

Heritage athletic director Nate Smith said he was looking for a coach who was well-known on campus. Fogelstrom has been at the school since 2005, when it opened. He teaches English.

As for his coaching experience, Fogelstrom has worked all over East Contra Costa County. He started as the quarterbacks coach at Antioch, spent time as the offensive coordinator at Deer Valley, was the co-offensive coordinator at Heritage, then coached quarterbacks at Los Medanos College and on Hartwig’s staff at Freedom.

“I’ve coached in all three of the big rivalries in East County,” said Fogelstrom, meaning the Big Little Game between Antioch and Pittsburg, the Liberty-Freedom Bell Game and Deer Valley-Antioch.

Fogelstrom graduated from Clayton Valley in 1987. He played quarterback for the Ugly Eagles under longtime coach George Smiley. His favorite receiver was former A’s outfielder Damon Mashore.

His dad, Larry Fogelstrom, coached Clayton Valley’s 1978 softball team that is now part of the school’s Hall of Fame.

Fogelstrom knows he has his work cut out for him, especially after the past two years when Heritage was a combined 3-17.

“I considered applying for the job seven years ago,” said Fogelstrom, who declined because he wanted to have plenty to spend with his own son and daughter. “Now I’ve got a lot of time, and I’m ready to invest it to build something at Heritage.”