Opening the season with a loss isn’t ideal.

For Falcon football coach Andy Davis, it’s just a bump in the road to something better.

After the South Whidbey School District staff reductions, former co-head coach Mark Hodson chose not to return as one of the team’s two top coaches.

“It’s business as usual,” said Davis of the change. “Not a big change at all.”

South Whidbey High School started its new campaign with a 21-3 loss at home

Sept. 3 to Bellingham. Davis, now in his 11th year with the team, said the score didn’t tell the full story of how his Falcons played.

“I thought we competed pretty darn well,” Davis said. “We messed up some assignments, but that’s on me.”

Still, he found positive signs in the game. He pointed out the pass defense, which kept Bellingham under 100 yards. He also pointed out senior defensive end Tyler “Chuck” Norris’ three sacks, seven tackles and two fumble recoveries.

Norris is a first-team all-conference defensive player and team captain. Other players coming up big against Bellingham included junior quarterback Avery Beuchner and tailback Sam Lee.

“Sam’s an elusive back,” Davis explained.

Seniors Austin Bennett, Zeke Spalding and Evan Thompson are also team captains, who Davis called an invaluable part of this year’s crew.

The players emphasize “ohana,” which means family, a Hawaiian word the team has used for years, according to Davis. Fifty players fill the depth charts for the varsity and junior varsity squads, down from 65 only three years ago.

“There’s no dead weight,” Davis said.

The small team means a shallow depth chart and led the varsity and junior varsity squads to scrimmage.

A shallow backfield and the loss of an experienced receiving core was not ideal, but Davis said he appreciated seeing the underclassmen jumping into drills with the seniors and being challenged.

“Everybody worries about depth,” Davis explained. “That’s the nature of high school football.”

According to Davis, three players are also coaches’ sons, and have been the most visible in the weight room and have attended every practice.

“Initially going into the season, I thought the [offensive] line was going to be an issue,” Davis said. “But I’ve been pleasantly surprised.”

His staff emphasize playing with effort, enthusiasm and having fun.

“They’re goofy,” Davis said. “They’re laid-back. We’re a relaxed group. We’re more level than the peaks and valleys of some other programs.”

Goofiness was one of Hodson’s best qualities, according to Davis. The players respond well to that regimen, and Davis likes to coach that way.

“We take care of what we need to at practice and work hard, but laugh at things when we need to,” Davis said.

Davis highlighted the games against Archbishop Murphy, Cedarcrest and Granite Falls, and the rivalry game with Coupeville. But he noted he doesn’t look game-by-game, or encourage his team to take that view.

“Every week the game you’re playing is the most important,” Davis said.

After finishing 4-6 last season, and 3-2 among the conference’s class 2A teams, Davis hopes to finish top three in 2A to play a district playoff game, instead of a crossover game.

“We hope to play a meaningful game 10,” Davis said.

In a league with state contender Archbishop Murphy High School, winning the conference is an uphill battle.

“I don’t know how good we’re going to be in terms of wins and losses,” Davis said. “But they’re easy kids to practice with. There are no egos.”