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07/22/2022 11:39 AMJack Farrah exemplifies all the qualities that come with being a true team player. Throughout the past two seasons, Jack has made a considerable impact as a member of the Guilford baseball team with the personality, leadership, and character that he brings to the Grizzlies. Jack helped Guilford achieve a bounceback season in 2022 and feels eager to continue playing a key role on the team when he’s a senior captain next year.
After seeing his freshman campaign get canceled, Jack made immediate contributions for Guilford’s JV and varsity squads in his sophomore year. The Grizzlies only won 2 games when Jack was a sophomore, but he helped them turn things around to record 12 victories and earn a pair of playoff berths during his junior campaign. Jack feels that the friendships everyone on the team formed prior to attending high school helped steer the team’s ship to a great destination.
“We have a really good group of guys. It’s seven or eight guys that have been playing together well before 12-U and Little League,” says Jack. “We have good connections, and everyone is friend. It creates a very team-like mindset where everyone competes for one goal. Having those friends has really built up the high school program.”
Jack’s love for baseball started with tee-ball as a youngster. Jack’s dad inspired him to play and also helped form a 12-U travel team, the Guilford Braves, in order to get Jack as much playing time as possible. The program took off as Jack soaked up as much baseball as he could get. Jack’s passion for baseball had been sparked, and his love for the game only grew stronger during the subsequent years.
“My dad has always been a big baseball fan. We used to fool around in the backyard,” Jack says. “Being surrounded by the game, with it always being on television in the house, I really didn’t see how I wouldn’t be playing baseball when the time came.”
Following a disappointing 2021 season for the Grizzlies, Jack wanted to take on a larger role in his junior year. Jack, the second baseman, emphasized the importance of bringing his teammates together and building chemistry with one another in order to see better results in 2022.
“Just picking up the chemistry and everybody working in the offseason by themselves, with the team, and other things just set us up for success,” says Jack. “I think we accomplished a lot as a program. It was a much-needed bounceback season.”
Guilford finished the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 12-11, clinching berths in both the SCC Tournament and the Class L State Tournament. Jack’s favorite moment of season came when Guilford had a showdown against Amity on May 18. The Grizzlies came into the game as underdogs and wound up defeating the Spartans by a 4-3 score. The excitement of celebrating such a big win was an exhilarating feeling for Jack that gave the team a lift as it prepared to compete in the postseason.
“It was really nice to beat them at home by one run. I just remember we had everybody just running out onto the field,” Jack says. “That was really great, because nobody carried about their stats or whether they were 0-for-3 or 3-for-3 or how many runs they gave up on the mound. It was all about the team win and keeping it rolling into the playoffs.”
Jack completed his junior year with a .286 batting average and a .410 on-base percentage to go with 14 runs scored, 12 RBI, and 5 stolen bases for Head Coach Nick Merullo’s club. Coach Merullo appreciates Jack’s steady contributions on the ballfield and looks forward to working with him for one more season.
“Jack has a quiet leadership style. He goes about his business the right way and leads by example. He works hard on and off the field and is constantly trying to improve his game,” says Merullo. “Looking ahead to next season, we are hoping he will build off the fine junior season he had and carry some confidence coming into the season. His leadership on the infield will be paramount as he is a strong fundamental player with good intangibles.”
After helping the Grizzlies take a huge step forward this year, Jack feels excited about taking on an instrumental role as a senior captain alongside Carter Williams and Andrew Shosho in 2023. Jack prides himself on his ability to rally the troops and help his team become a cohesive unit. In his senior season, Jack will continue embracing the time spent with his teammates and try to help Guilford follow up this year’s success with another memorable campaign.
“I was honored to be named captain with two other guys that I’m close with and have been friends with going back awhile,” Jack says. “We just talk about keeping the guys connected throughout the offseason, whether that be helping out with community service with the Little League or just getting everybody together for offseason workouts or just going to hang out or eat pizza with everybody. It’s just to keep them connected and carry over what we’ve did this year and make it even better next year.”