Paul Farnan played three sports and earned
eight letters before graduating from Midland High School in 1952.
After a stellar career at quarterback for St Vincent College and in
the Navy as a backup to George Welsh, Paul returned to his high
school alma
mater and was content to bide his time as an assistant football
coach with the Leopards. That didn’t happen, so Paul accepted a
football position at Pius X High School in the eastern part of the state.
Playing an independent schedule that included teams from different
classifications, Pius X compiled an impressive 40-14-3 record over
six years. Paul was also athletic director all six years at Pius X
and head basketball coach for four seasons. Paul then went to Warren
Hills High in Washington, New Jersey, where he won the Delaware
River Conference championship and Group 11 State co-championship in
1973. Paul returned to the Keystone State in 1975, taking a head
coaching position at Bangor in the football-mad Lehigh Valley. He
stayed there 23 years, compiling a 173-79-6 record. Paul was named
Easton Express Area Coach of the Year three times and Colonial
League Coach of the Year once. His teams won four Colonial League
titles, one District 11 AA championship, and had two District 11 AAA
runners-up finishes. His coaching career ended in 1997 with a
lifetime record of 231-107-13, which earned him a spot in the
Pennsylvania Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998. Paul was also
elected to the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Football
Foundation Hall of Fame. The Eastern Express newspaper published the
Top 100 sports figures in the Lehigh Valley, and Paul was placed
along the likes of Larry Holmes and Mario Andretti, making #61 on the
exclusive list.
Paul Farnan played three sports and earned
eight letters before graduating from Midland High School in 1952.
After a stellar career at quarterback for St Vincent College and in
the Navy as a backup to George Welsh, Paul returned to his high
school alma
mater and was content to bide his time as an assistant football
coach with the Leopards. That didn’t happen, so Paul accepted a
football position at Pius X High School in the eastern part of the state.
Playing an independent schedule that included teams from different
classifications, Pius X compiled an impressive 40-14-3 record over
six years. Paul was also athletic director all six years at Pius X
and head basketball coach for four seasons. Paul then went to Warren
Hills High in Washington, New Jersey, where he won the Delaware
River Conference championship and Group 11 State co-championship in
1973. Paul returned to the Keystone State in 1975, taking a head
coaching position at Bangor in the football-mad Lehigh Valley. He
stayed there 23 years, compiling a 173-79-6 record. Paul was named
Easton Express Area Coach of the Year three times and Colonial
League Coach of the Year once. His teams won four Colonial League
titles, one District 11 AA championship, and had two District 11 AAA
runners-up finishes. His coaching career ended in 1997 with a
lifetime record of 231-107-13, which earned him a spot in the
Pennsylvania Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998. Paul was also
elected to the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Football
Foundation Hall of Fame. The Eastern Express newspaper published the
Top 100 sports figures in the Lehigh Valley, and Paul was placed
along the likes of Larry Holmes and Mario Andretti, making #61 on the
exclusive list.