Haverford HS QB's Return Makes Fords A Different Team

There has been a change in the post-practice run around the field these last few weeks at . The player that had been forced to watch, the one who gnashed his teeth together the first five weeks of the season, the one who noticed the down expression the seniors wore after each loss, has been taking command—running in front.

It’s what Eddie Durkin feels compelled to do. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior Haverford High quarterback returned for the first time this season after breaking his right hand, his throwing hand, this summer. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the .

Durkin’s return makes Haverford High a different during this crucial time. The Fords are 3-3 overall and winning the Central League is a faint possibility, but making the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA playoffs is a bigger priority. Without Durkin, the Fords were 2-3 overall without him, they have little room for error.

One more loss could mean the end of the postseason. Durkin doesn’t want it to end. If it were to him, this season will continue into November with meaningful games. 

It looks as if Durkin’s accident may have strong long-term benefits.

“I don’t think you would have seen me leading the pack running last year, and no one told me to do it this year; it feels great to be back,” said Durkin,
who will play with a pad over his right hand. “I feel like I let all my teammates down and I want to be out in front, I just have to get in very good shape. When I go, we all go. I feel I have to be leader. I’m ready for that. I learned my lesson and I can’t wait for the rest of the season. I think I really matured through this process. I am different because of it.

“If this didn’t happen to me, if I didn’t break my hand, we would have had a different year. I think it’s made me more different. I stood there and watched all my teammate’s faces after a loss watching on the sidelines. It made me feel horrible. I did blame myself, to a degree. I said to a few of the guys that I messed up and that I would get us back.”

Someone who is definitely pleased to see Durkin back is Fords’ head coach Joe Gallagher.

“Eddie has been as hard a worker as anyone on our team, in sprints, in plays, whatever,” Gallagher said. “He has matured quite a bit. The injury has forced him to think differently, and he is also a year older. He’s naturally matured, and missing this time has helped appreciate how much he really loves to play. Eddie missed it, that’s for sure.

"He is a great teammate. I know it hurt him the three times we lost. I know he was wishing he could have gone in there to win a game, and it’s for the seniors, too, to help them have the best year they could have.”

Time is running. And there is little of it left. The Haverford High team that entered this season with so many lofty expecations has finally arrived intact during the most important time of the season. Led in the front of the pack by Eddie Durkin.