Grove City head coach Don Fee instructs him team during a game last season in Grove City. Fee, who has coached the Eagles for 23 seasons, has Grove City off to an 8-1 start.

GROVE CITY — Don Fee thought it was over.

After 22 years and 404 wins on the bench as the basketball coach at Grove City High School, Fee was facing the fact that he may have coached his last game with the Eagles.

Frustrated with a 5-17 season that had just as much turmoil off the court than on it, Fee wasn’t sure if he’d be back, either from his own decision or someone else’s.

But there he was after practice before Christmas, getting a DVD ready to exchange with an opponent.

He was happy for the first time in more than a year. His Eagles’ are off to an 8-1 start, already well past the win total for a season ago. The things that had made Grove City so successful in his two-plus decades were being done again: defense, teamwork and chemistry.

All were lacking last season.

“It’s a nice start. Very satisfying. But it’s just a start,” Fee said. “These guys have to keep that in mind. Embrace the moment, but realize we haven’t arrived. We still have lots of work to do.”

Grove City is giving up nearly 10 fewer points per game than it did a season ago and have three players averaging in double digit scoring in Danny Torok, Derek Turner and Foster Reznor. The only loss was a region setback to Sharon after a 5-0 start that got the Eagles believing in themselves again.

“We’re playing hard and playing unselfish,” Fee said. “We’re doing the little things.”

Off the court, the team is settled as well.

“It’s like 180 degrees. It’s completely different than last year,” Fee said. “Some of it has to do with some of the guys have grown up. They don’t want to go through what we went through last year. I told them we’re not going to go through what we went through last year.”

Reznor has seen the difference and is enjoying the change, averaging 14.9 points per game this season.

“We had a lot of distractions last year,” Reznor said. “We’re just putting that in the past. I think we’re playing harder this year and it’s starting to click.”

Reznor, one of five captains on the team this season, has taken it upon himself to try to help keep the team together. He said he was happy when Fee returned.

“I felt bad for him with all that stuff,” Reznor said. “It was fair. Coach Fee is a great guy and a great coach. I wouldn’t want to play for anybody else.

“Some people wanted him gone,” Reznor added. “But us starting out well and starting out fast (this year) shows he’s a good coach and he knows what he is talking about.”

Fee also surrounded himself with two new coaches, Anthony Leone and former Karns City boys coach Jeff Loughry.

“Not taking anything away from the guys who were there last year, but they’re new faces,” Fee said. “It’s somebody different telling them the same things we were telling them last year. It’s sinking in better.

“Jeff has a lot of experience,” Fee added. “He’s demanding like I am. I’m no longer the bad guy sometimes.”

The region is not for the faint of heart and Fee said he is well aware that the Eagles must maintain what they have resurrected early this season.

“They’ve been fun to coach,” Fee said. “It’s been fun again with the attitudes they have this year. This start has been fun. I just hope it continues.”