Farrells living up to their legacy at Haverford High
For Haverford High football assistant Jack O'Donnell, watching brothers Billy and Jack Farrell play is like being placed in a time machine and going back to the mid-1980s. "He's always telling us how much we remind him of our dad," Jack Farrell said.
In 1985, when O'Donnell was in charge at Haverford, Bill Farrell was a tough-as-nails linebacker with a burning competitive drive.
"That came from growing up in Havertown and trying to hold your own in a neighborhood with a lot of sports-loving kids," said Farrell, who doubled as a center on offense.
Billy Farrell, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior outside linebacker and defensive end, and Jack Farrell, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior middle linebacker and offensive guard, are key contributors for a Haverford squad that is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Central League action.
"The common thread is that they both love sports and lay it all on the line," longtime Haverford boss Joe Gallagher said.
Bill Farrell does his part as well. The father of three is president of Haverford's football booster club and often spends evenings watching film of the Fords' upcoming opponent.
"Yeah, he's pretty involved," Billy Farrell said. "It's almost like he's another coach. And, as a family, football is usually the subject of conversation."
Bill Farrell, a mortgage consultant, played football, basketball, and lacrosse at Haverford. He concentrated on lacrosse at West Chester.
Billy Farrell, 17, and Jack Farrell, 16, are also teammates in lacrosse. Following directly in the footsteps of his father, Jack's third sport is basketball.
The boys' uncle, Joe Farrell, was a member of the 1980 Haverford squad that claimed a Central League football crown. Their cousin, Kevin Leyden, shined in football, ice hockey, and lacrosse at the school from 2010 to 2014.
In football, the Farrell brothers are trying to help the Fords earn their first Central League title since 1995. Last year's squad went 8-4 overall, 7-2 in the league, and gained a berth in PIAA District 1 Class AAAA playoffs.
After being dealt a 41-3 loss by Downingtown West in this season's opener, Haverford has won four straight. Next up is Saturday's Central League showdown vs. Garnet Valley (4-1, 3-0). Originally scheduled for Friday night, it was postponed to Saturday (site and time to be determined) because of issues with the Fords' turf field.
"This game is huge for us," Billy Farrell said. "We've been talking about it for a long time, especially after what happened against them last year."
In Week 9 last season, Garnet Valley scored with 29 seconds remaining to eke out a 44-41, come-from-behind win. The Jaguars were aided by a controversial call in the late going.
"We thought it was a bad call, but you can never blame the refs for a loss," Jack Farrell said. "Our defense wasn't able to come up with a stop at the end. We've got to find a way to get it done this time."