Two seasons ago, the Chiefs football team was winless. With multiple big losses, the Chiefs turned to a new head coach with a fresh perspective on how to turn the program around. The coach was Brian Coe, a coaching veteran since 1991, who most recently coached at John I. Leonard.

“I always thought this was a good school, good players, good atmosphere,” Coach Coe said about taking the job. “If we can keep our kids here, if they buy into believing in each other, good things can happen.”

The idea was simple: turn the culture around by making sure the players know the faculty and everyone involved believes in the team, regardless of winning or losing.

“The biggest thing in trying to change anything is having all the people involved believing. The staff is tremendous, they support the kids regardless of if we win or lose,” Coach Coe said. “It takes a village to raise a child. With everyone being on board, now it’s getting the kids to believe in each other.”

This season, the story is different from the past. Despite starting the season with two losses, the Chiefs have won three straight and turned a poor start into a 10-8A division lead in the beginning part of the season.

The season’s turnaround has been kickstarted thanks to the defense, which has been hot since the beginning of the season. So far, the Chiefs have shut out two opponents and have allowed fewer than 20 points in each of their wins. In the Boca Raton game, the defense turned it on in the second half and helped cap off an 11-point comeback in the second half.

“We have to put together a game plan so that the kids are in the right position. After that, everyone knows defense is heart,” Coach Coe said about his defense. “Our defense is senior heavy and they really put in the time to understand what they’re doing. They’re watching film and they’re getting after people.”

On the offensive side of the ball, the Chiefs have scored more than 20 points in two of their wins and 19 points in the other win. The offense is primarily lead by junior running back Val Carnegie, though the Chiefs have had strong performances from the offensive line, which has opened up running lanes for Carnegie and the other Chiefs running backs.

The Chiefs season will continue with a gauntlet of competitive teams, including an away game against Atlantic, who is undefeated to begin this season. While the games will be tough, the Chiefs will look to carry the momentum and their culture to new heights and compete for a playoff spot.