FARMINGTON, Oct. 15 – Farmington High coach Chris Machol saw the difference a few years ago. The Indians were struggling in the Central Connecticut Conference and players on the football team had stopped wearing their game shirts and t-shirts in school. That’s not a problem this season.For just the third time in school history and first time since 1999, the Indians have won their first five games. Farmington (5-0, 2-0 CCC Div. II West) remained undefeated with a 41-0 victory over Fermi-Enfield Saturday afternoon at the high school.
“There is a pride about being on the football team again in Farmington,” the third-year head coach said. “Winning helps. But they have a sense of purpose.”
Defense has been the mainstay for the Indians, led by linebackers Sean Fern and Mitch Berlandy. In five games, the Indians have allowed just 31 points. “They’re playing well,” Machol said of his defense. “They are disciplined and physical. It’s the strength of the team.”
Offensively, the challenge has been consistency. Much of the offensive line returned but the Indians had to replace nearly every skill position player. “We have two quarterbacks who came into the season with no varsity experience,” Machol said. “They’ve had some great moments and moments that show their inexperience.”
Junior starter Brian Logan is a more experienced passer who can play out of the pocket while sophomore Jeremy Buck is more a scrambling QB at this point of his varsity career. Against Fermi, Logan tied a school record with four TD passes in a single game to four different players.
Farmington has handled Bristol Central, 38-13, and Maloney, 28-6 while outlasting E.O. Smith, 21-7 and RHAM, 16-6. But the real tests lie ahead.
The Indians host Windsor, who has been ranked in top 10 in several state football polls, on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m., followed by a game at old Northwest Conference rival Middletown High on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. After five weeks, Windsor is 5-0 and Middletown is 4-1.
“We need to start to prepare for that perfect game because the farther you go the more perfect you need to be,” he said. Machol didn’t say it but he was alluding to the CIAC Class L playoffs where the top eight teams earn a berth in the tournament.
Farmington last earned a CIAC playoff berth in 1999 when they went 10-0 in the regular season and won a semifinal game before falling in the Class L championship game to Fitch-Groton.
A year ago, the Indians won four of their first five games before stumbling on a three-game losing streak. However, they finished with a pair of victories, including its first-ever win over New Britain. Farmington’s 6-4 record was its first winning season since 2004.
“We were making strides at the end of last year,” Machol said. “We weren’t looking at the record but how the kids were progressing and growing as players.”
The only other time that Farmington won its first five games was in 1936 when the Indians went 7-0 on the way to a 7-1 campaign. That 1936 team was voted as the Class C-D state champions by state coaches. … Four other Farmington quarterbacks have thrown 4 TD passes in a single game. The first was Mike Shimeld against Woodrow Wilson in 1978. The most recent was Todd Marsh with 4 TD passes against Vinal Tech/Coginchaug in 2001.
Farmington 41, Fermi 0
At Farmington
Fermi (0-5)
0 0 0 0 – 0
0 0 0 0 – 0Farmington (5-0) 28 6 0 7 – 41
First Quarter
F: Max Spracklin 39 pass from Brian Logan (Steve Davids kick), 8:39
F: Adam Buono 30 run (Davids kick), 7:03
F: Kenny Jones 27 pass from Logan (Davids kick), 4:56
F: Robert Turnbull 24 pass from Logan (Davids kick), 2:24
Second Quarter
F: Brendan Lane 22 pass from Logan (kick failed), 9:27
Fourth Quarter
F: James Donald 15 run (Davids kick), 3:11
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