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Bishop Fenwick Crusaders Football '07

Bobby Tarr » File Photo

Tarr taking his records in stride

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Thursday, November, 01 By Matt Jenkins

In his three years as a member of the varsity football team at Bishop Fenwick, only Matt Morrison has been able to contain Bobby Tarr.

Every week teams line up 10 and 11 defenders in the box defensively, with two or three shadows focused solely on stopping Tarr, Fenwick's star running back. And every week through two football seasons, Tarr has piled on the yards. It was Morrison, Fenwick's starting tailback in 2005, who kept the Crusaders' record-breaking back from routinely surpassing 200 yards per game.

"I was just talking to Mike O'Brien from the local radio station (104.9 FM) and he had asked Matt Morrison if Bobby was really that good. Matt said that he should have been starting in front of him as a sophomore," Fenwick coach Dave Woods said.

"We saw flashes that Bobby would be pretty good (then), but we never would have dreamed that he could rush for 2,500 yards (in a season). We never thought we'd give the ball to one person that much, either. You'd have to be crazy not to give it to him, though."

Tarr has carried the ball an average of 17.5 times per game since sophomore year, and more than 23 carries per game in the last two years. Amazing results have followed.

Last week, with a 230-yard, four-touchdown performance in Fenwick's 33-22 victory over St. Mary's of Lynn, Tarr became the North Shore's all-time leading rusher, surpassing Ipswich's Bernie Adell (1974-77).

Tarr has now run for 4,862 yards with three games to play. He also stands as the seventh-place rusher in Massachusetts state history. He will, in all likelihood, breeze into the top five, and he could end up as high as second.

Cedric Washington, a former Boston College standout, set the standard with 6,688 career yards for Holyoke. But Springfield Commerce's Julius Walker and his 5,486 yards are not out of reach for Tarr | especially if Fenwick finds a way to advance to the postseason.

Tarr dreams of getting an extra game or two this fall, but not because he wants to add to his prolific rushing legacy. Added games on the schedule would mean Fenwick found a way to capture the Catholic Central League after suffering a crushing league loss at Arlington Catholic two weeks ago.

"I'd rather have zero yards and win the game," Tarr, a Byfield native, said. "I said that after we lost to Arlington Catholic. I don't care about yards; I just want to win."

To put Tarr's accomplishments in perspective: of the team's in our coverage area, only Gloucester has more team rushing yards (2,261) than Tarr has individually (1,862). Even Masconomet, a very prolific running team, has nearly 100 fewer yards.

Tarr has managed to do it this season with an offensive line that has been constantly changing due to injury. He's also seeing defenses that are strictly designed to stop him. "They're looking at him almost every play, knowing he's going to run the ball," Fenwick junior guard Chris White said. "Even watching him, I don't know how Bobby does it." Tarr's unique combination of speed and power have made him a virtual lock to run for 200 yards a game. His patience and vision make it look easy to people who watch from the sidelines and in the stands.

Instead of strictly relying on his physical gifts, though, Tarr uses his mind to see a run before it develops. He often glides down the line on a toss sweep, just waiting for a hole to open. When it does, he lets his speed and power take over.

"From his sophomore to junior year, he got much faster and stronger | and he was already pretty fast," Woods said. "As a sophomore, he ran straight up a lot and took a lot of hits. Junior year, he had more of a forward lean. He got lower and delivered more than he took. Now, this year he's got the whole package."

Tarr worked on his strength and speed in the offseason, first at Athlete's Edge in Acton before his junior year, and then at Athletic Evolution in Woburn before his senior campaign.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior is still exploring his college options, looking at a variety of Division 1 Subdivision and Division 2 schools. But his focus at the moment is simply on helping his team win its remaining three games.

Like waiting for a hole to open, Tarr is willing to hold off on thinking about all the stats and accolades he has accumulated.

"Honestly, I didn't even know I was (on that rushing list) until right now. I guess it's something I'll appreciate a little later in life," Tarr said. "The line does a good job every week. I don't think about it. I just run."

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