Featured Athlete

Latest on ‘Faux’ News: Sophomore Standout

Nirvaan Thakran and Nihaal Thakran

November 6, 2024

Sophomore Ryan Faux on the way to scoring his first touchdown against Conard.

Sophomore tailback Ryan Faux is a key player for the South Windsor Bobcats football team. He helps push the team to its victories, and always keeps a positive mindset, no matter what the score is. Faux was thrust into the starting tailback position after an injury from a player in week two. Since then, he has gained trust from the coaches and confidence from his teammates.

Faux has been playing football since 7th grade, and is planning to play throughout high school.

“My dad was my main inspiration for playing football. He always talked about how much fun the sport is and how I would really enjoy it,” Faux explained.

Even at 5 foot 7, 140lbs, Faux is known to pack a punch. As a sophomore on varsity, he has been getting a lot of playing time, recently scoring his first touchdown for the Bobcats in last weekend’s game against Conard.

Tailback Ryan Faux walks off the field after the Bobcats 35-14 loss against Berlin. (Nirvaan Thakran)

“I am not used to playing with runners as smart as him. There was a play against Conard where I was forced to block the defender into an area I wasn’t supposed to. I turned my head and hoped Faux made the right move, and I saw him running into the end zone. The kid has great vision and IQ, and is performing well at the varsity level,” senior captain Nihaal Thakran told The Prowl.

The Bobcats’ football team rely mainly on their senior players to run the ball due to their experience on the field in game situations, but Faux is one of the few underclassmen who has also earned the right to be there. The only other sophomore with significant touches this season is quarterback Wyatt Prather, who also stepped into a starting role after an injury earlier in the season.

“I met Faux in 6th grade on the travel basketball team, and since then he has become one of my closest friends. In our 8th grade football season, he lead our team in rushing yards and touchdowns, all with his hand wrapped in a club [cast]. He is a very tough and athletic kid,” Prather stated.

The Bobcats’ football team has a lot of young talent, including Faux, and with Coach Hodge’s guidance, this group of players promises a bright future for the program.

About the Contributors

Nirvaan Thakran, Staff Writer

Nirvaan is a freshman at South Windsor High School. This is his first year in Journalism writing for The Bobcat Prowl. He is currently playing for the SWHS football team, and is planning on playing Lacrosse in the spring. Nirvaan loves sports and has been playing them since he was very little. He enjoys spending time with his family, and listens to music to calm him down.

Nihaal Thakran, Staff Writer

Nihaal Thakran is a senior at South Windsor High School. He is the fourth time returning class president, and is a varsity captain for the Bobcats football team. Nihaal loves sports and has played football for 7 years now. He loves listening to music, and he listens to music the majority of his day. He works at the local Dairy Queen during his free time, as well.

Eli Schwartzman, Multimedia Editor

Eli Schwartzman is a third year journalism student at South Windsor High School and is entering his junior year. He is the Multimedia Editor for The Bobcat Prowl. He oversees all the video content for The Prowl. Schwartzman loves sports, both playing and watching. He plans to cover many different sports games this year and write about them. When he’s not in the classroom, you can find Eli taking pictures at a sports game, spending time with his friends, or with his four dogs. Last year, his article, “The King of Hearts”, won a Best of SNO award, as well as finishing fourth in the NSPA sports article division.