Farrells provide brotherly shove for Haverford’s defense

Jack was in the fifth grade and Billy was in sixth, both football players for Sacred Heart in Havertown. It was supposed to be their first year playing football together.

Well… that was the idea anyhow.

“We were doing Oklahomas and Billy was running the ball. I was a linebacker,” Jack said. “I didn’t really know how

to tackle back then, so my head was straight down and…”

“…And right into my arm,” Billy chimed in.

Billy went directly to the hospital. The pain didn’t bother him as much as the realization that his football season was over.

“I was more mad at that than anything,” Billy said.

They’re the Farrell boys, and football has been a part of their lives for as long as they can remember. They’ve listened to gridiron glory stories from their dad and former youth coach, Bill, who was a linebacker at Haverford High and played lacrosse at West Chester University. Now the Farrell brothers are starting for the Fords, both as linebackers. Bone-crushing is a term often used to describe tough defensive players such as the Farrell brothers. Sometimes, Jack takes the expression a little too literally.

“I always end up getting hurt around him,” Billy said half-jokingly. Last season was the first time Billy and Jack suited up and played together for an entire season without somebody getting banged up.

“We should have played three full seasons together, but last year was our first,” Jack said.

It was worth the wait. The Farrells helped the Fords to an 8-4 record and a well-earned trip to the District One Class AAAA playoffs. Now a year older and a year wiser, the senior Billy and junior Jack are the unquestioned leaders on the Haverford defense.

Fords coach Joe Gallagher couldn’t ask for a better brotherly duo.

“The culture of what we want our team to be. Those two guys are just the epitome of that as far as dedication, grit, all that stuff,” Gallagher said. “The culture and dedication, that goes all the way back to their dad who played for (Haverford assistant coach) Jack O’Donnell. He was the head coach when Bill was here. Just from what (O’Donnell) has told me over the years, Billy and Jack are like replicates of their dad.”

Gallagher loves the intensity, skill and leadership qualities the brothers bring to the table. He can’t help but look at Jack Farrell and be reminded of Adam Krauter, the 2014 Daily Times Player of the Year and two-time All-Delco linebacker from Springfield.

“Jack’s play is very reminiscent of Krauter,” Gallagher said. “When I watched Krauter play in the 10th grade, I thought, ‘Holy cow, this kid is good.’ Jack had that type of year for us last year, but because he was a 10th grader he kind of flew under the radar.”

The Farrells figured they would one day be high school football players. It only made sense.
“We’re a football family,” Jack said.

Kevin Leyden, an All-Delco running back at Haverford in 2012, is their older cousin. When they were little, they did some crazy stuff to prove who was tougher.

“Me and Kev used to go into our basement,” Billy said. “We would slide on the ground and see who could get the bigger rug burns. And he would juke me out so bad.”

The Fords open their season Friday night at Downingtown West, one of the top programs in District One. In last year’s Week 1 meeting with the Ches-Mont League power, the Fords committed several turnovers and scored their only points off a safety. It was an ugly game for a team that was loaded with inexperienced players making their varsity debuts.

“For us, it was both our first games starting on varsity last year, so that was a challenge for us. We were so young,” Billy said. “They’re returning a lot of the same guys, too, and stopping their offense is about reading keys. I just think we’re a lot better prepared for it this year. We basically had five sophomores in that game last year and a bunch of juniors. We’re just so much more experienced this year at a lot of positions.”

Jack doubles on offense as a tight end, while Billy plays only on defense. That makes for some fun banter in practice.

“I talk a lot of smack to him. He gets so annoyed, but he gives it back,” Billy said. “When I play on scout defense and line up right on him, I like try to get in his head the whole time.”

It’s the type of behavior you would expect from two knucklehead brothers, but the Farrell boys know when to get down to business. They’ll be on the field working together to ensure Haverford’s defense is one of the most feared in Delaware County this year.

“We look at each other as teammates before brothers,” Jack said. “We know we have a job to do.”
And it starts Friday night in Downingtown.