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Princeton Packet Athlete of the Week

Record-setting opener for Farrell

By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
 Connor Farrell has been impressive since moving into the starting quarterback role for the West Windsor-Plainsboro South football team.
   Nothing he’d done in the last two seasons, however, could have predicted such a record-breaking start to his senior season.
   ”In the preseason, he was real sharp,” said WW-P South head coach Todd Smith. “It was kind of like we didn’t know about the quality of the competition with what we were doing. We didn’t know if we’d be ready for a team like Lawrence. He was very accurate. He’s always striving for perfection. He was getting on kids if they were running the wrong routes. He was very sharp.”
   Farrell carried his focus and accuracy into the Pirates’ season opener and delivered a performance for the ages. Farrell completed 18 of 28 passes for a Colonial Valley Conference record 457 yards and five touchdowns. He was a perfect 7-for-7 in the second half. The Pirates needed the gaudy showing to stop Lawrence, 48-32, but no one, not even Farrell expected that big of a showing. He was shocked to hear the total when told by a reporter after the game.
   ”I was in complete disbelief,” said the Pirates senior. “It was such a long game. Conditions were brutal. We tried to keep our focus on the game and not let anything else bother us.”
   Farrell spread his touchdown passes to four different receivers. Jeff Riemann had two of the scores. He was forced to go the air when Lawrence put its focus on stopping running back Dave Twamley.
   ”They pretty much shut down our running game,” Farrell said. “We still got 128 yards or so, but I don’t think Dave had the game he wanted to. Just his presence, him being all-state, having that in the backfield, Lawrence tried to shut him down. We countered with play action and going spread.”
   Relying on plenty of play-action passes, the result was something special. Farrell’s output far exceeded his previous best of 338 set last year against Notre Dame, as well as the old CVC record of 342 yards set by Notre Dame’s Jay Graber in 2002, it made quite a starting point to his 2008 season.
   ”I really had no idea how many yards I was throwing for at the time,” Farrell said. “Obviously it was a lot. I didn’t expect it.”
   Connor Farrell is the Princeton Packet Athlete of the Week.
   ”In the summer, with the complement of players he has around him and the running game we have, we realized we could have a special season on our hands,” Smith said. “He’s unselfish too. He’ll audible out of a pass to a run. He’ll do whatever is best for the team. He’s playing with confidence and we’re going to go with it.”
   Farrell threw for a WW-P South-record 1,877 yards and 22 touchdowns last year. He is well on his way to snapping those marks. Hard as it may be, he is looking to better his single-game mark of last week when the Pirates play Hightstown next.
   ”I think it just sets the bar for what I want to do every single game,” Farrell said. “Having 450 yards in one game, I’m not satisfied. I want to throw for 500 and I want to throw for 600. I don’t want to just be satisfied with Saturday’s performance.
   ”I know it might be tough to get more than 450, but I’m still going to aim for that. Why not throw for 1,000 in a game?”
   Even Madden ‘08 quarterbacks don’t produce stats like that. The biggest stat isn’t even a throwing one, though the Pirates’ success will have a lot to do with his own performances.
   ”I just want to win every game,” Farrell said. “That’s a team goal. And complete every pass I throw. It’s a tough job. But if you aim high, if you don’t follow through, you still have a good day.”
   Farrell has a full complement of weapons at his disposal, like Twamley, running back Henry MacQueen, Riemann and fellow receiver Jack Dennehy as well as tight end Max Merkovitz.
   ”It’s been a lot different,” Farrell said. “We put in a lot more in our offense. We’ve all been able to grasp it. Everyone feels as comfortable as I am in running plays. I could tell Coach what I want to run and he’s fine with that.”
   Farrell’s confidence is something that jumps out to Smith. Farrell isn’t afraid to suggest a play in any situation.
   ”That’s the biggest thing,” Smith said. “He knows the plays he wants to run in certain situations. He’s taken the offense and gone with it.”
   He also has all the physical tools and the development that have come from years of playing as well as a full summer of football camps. Farrell helped sell the run to Lawrence to open up the passing game.
   ”The play action killed them in the second half,” Smith said. “He’s a complete quarterback. Has great ball fakes. He has a great three-step. He’s great out of the gun. He’s great on the move.”
   Farrell has made quite a jump since moving into the lineup for Colin Dampier as a sophomore. With almost two full seasons starting under him, Farrell has seen just about anything a defense can throw at the Pirates.
   ”I’m a lot more comfortable this year than I was two years ago and last year. I’m a lot more comfortable with the offense and lot more confident with my arm and what I can do with the ball.”
   Connor Farrell has the record to prove it.