Farriba just happy to play, but career win 200 is right in front of him
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
There are 11 active head coaches in the state with at least 200 career wins.
Mark Farriba hopes to become No. 12.
His record stands at 199-129-3 entering Friday nightâs home game with Mount Paran, only the Eaglesâ second game of the season, against whom he is 0-2.
Also sitting at 199 is Winder-Barrowâs Ed Dudley, who goes against 0-3 Cedar Shoals.
Naturally, Farriba hasnât thought about it. In 2020, there are other concerns.
âAt this point, itâs just âŠ,â he said. âI told my wife, itâs really just anticlimactic. Itâs been going on last year, and now this year, and cancelling games. OK.
âRight now, I just want to play.â
The Eagles started a week later than most, lost to George Walton, then had the Westfield game erased by COVID issues, and then had another week off. Finally, a game, at home against Mt. Paran Christian.
Farribaâs most victimized? Mount de Sales (14-8), followed by 10-18 against Tattnall and 10-11 against Westfield.
Against teams with at least five meetings, Farriba is undefeated against Brentwood, GMC, Glascock County, Wilkinson County, and Calvary Day.
Farriba went 78-51 in two stints at FPD, was 42-26-1 at Prince Avenue, and is 79-52 in his second go-round at Stratford.
Next on the WinWatch list: FPDâs Greg Moore is 146-94. No. 150? Well, 150 is likely to come against one of the locals. FPD has Calvary Day, Savannah Christian, Tattnall, Mount de Sales, Deerfield-Windsor, and Stratford, in that order.
Trinity Christianâs Jimmy Fields is 97-126.
Recent WinWatch list wins: Taylor Countyâs Mark Taylor cracked 150 with the season-opening win over Crawford County, and is now 151-148.
Farriba has gone down Memory Lane a little bit lately, in part because of work that continues in the refurbishing of the football stadium and complex.
âWeâre doing all this work on the stadium. Been up here with a crane and a light guy. Gotta boom guy out here painting goalposts.
âI walked on the football field for the first football game of my life in 1970 as a ninth-grader at Stratford Academy. I was looking and seeing what all we got now and how far weâve come.
âI think Iâm just more proud of that than anything, understanding what it took. I was there at the very beginning, (Stratfordâs) very first practice. I know what it was, what we had to go through.
âItâs come a long way.â