England has a Ministry of Defense.

America has a Department of Defense.

South Whidbey High School has Damian Greene, the Falcon defensive coordinator, responsible for making sure the other teams don’t rack up points.

So far, the defense is on track — in the first two games this season, North Mason and Port Townsend scored an average of 12 points, low for high school football.

Of course, he’s not alone. Andy Davis coaches defensive backs, Rob Anderson the linebackers. Head Coach Mark Hodson is the offensive coordinator; Rob Knight handles offensive backs and Don Elliott the front line.

Hodson and Davis are teachers, the rest volunteer their time. A lot of time.

“I love football and being with these kids keeps me young,” Greene noted. He’s been a Farmer’s Insurance agent in Clinton for almost 20 years — this is his sixth year coaching, the first on defense.

In his high school days, Greene was a Falcon defensive tackle and a member of the storied team that went all the way to the King Bowl in 1979. Their 7-6 loss to Omak still rankles him.

“A great game; we should’ve won,” he recalled.

Greene and Hodson decided to take a new tack this year by making life on the field a little less complicated.

“We want the kids to just go after the ball, to let them be athletes and use their instincts to get the job done,” Greene said.

Senior linebacker James Jones has noticed the difference.

“They tell you where to go with your first move off the line, then you do your own thing,” Jones said. “Get in to that guy, see where he’s going and stop him. I like being on defense, being aggressive.”

Against Port Townsend on Saturday, the Redskins attempted a sweep to their right. Big mistake.

“The job is to keep their guys on the inside,” Jones explained. “This one guy broke my ‘contain’ and almost got around me. I grabbed his jersey and pulled him down.”

Wasn’t pretty but it was pretty effective.

“I am so relieved after 12 losses in a row,” Jones said. “We’re seeing the results of all the hard work. Lots of hard work.”

It isn’t totally about hitting hard — coaches also teach the importance of being good citizens and the value of sportsmanship on and off the field.

Greene looks for three essential qualities when a student shows up for practice the first day:

• The desire to play a contact sport.

• Evident pride in playing for South Whidbey High School.

• Ability to bond with others, as a team.

Creating havoc on the field for the opponent’s offense is what Greene and his players live for.

On Monday after the victory, there was nothing but good vibrations on campus.

“Everyone was excited for us,” said senior Matt Long. “The team was just stoked; there’s not a better feeling in the world.”

Yesterday, the Falcons opened conference play at Lakewood. At 7 p.m. on Friday, they welcome Granite Falls to Waterman Field. Greene noted that on Oct. 6, long-time fans might want to join the team as they travel to former Cascade League opponent Coupeville.

Jeff VanDerford can be reached at sports@southwhidbeyrecord.com.