By Evan Triantafilidis
news@southburyrecord.com
It didn’t take long for the Pomperaug girls soccer team to show that it could learn and adapt.
After a shaky first half in their season opener, the Panthers regrouped at halftime, adjusted before their next match and turned those lessons into results.
A 1-1 draw against Woodland Regional High School marked the start of the 2025-26 season, which was followed by a 2-0 victory against New Fairfield High School.
New head coach Tony Viscuso said he thought the team put together a “complete performance” against New Fairfield last week, with increased intensity that carried over from the second half of the home opener.
This year’s team features a mix of seasoned seniors, steady returning players and some freshmen already making an impact.
A pair of seniors, Mariella Genovese, a center back, and Katelyn Barstrom, lead the team as its captains.
Barstrom will be out for the season due to injury, says Viscuso.
“She’s our warrior,” Viscuso said of Barstrom. “She’s the pulse of our team.”
Game One: 1-1 Draw vs Woodland
Sometimes, you need to get punched in the mouth before you know how to respond.
This was the case in the first 40 minutes of last week’s season opener, where head coach Viscuso admitted that the team looked “pretty rusty” in the first half.
After conceding a breakaway goal in the 25th minute, the Panthers went into the break trailing and searching for answers.
The team responded with energy and organization, including a bright moment for freshman Sofia DiCello, who found the back of the net, with sophomore center-midfielder Eloise Hogrefe getting credit for the assist.
“In the second half, we were a completely different team,” said Viscuso. “I think there were moments for us to win the game, but credit to Woodland.”
The tale of two halves reassured the coaching staff that they had made the right tactical changes and decisions, including the addition of a freshman to the starting lineup.
“She is the definition of what a gamer is,” Viscuso said of DiCello. “She made us not even question the fact of allowing a freshman to start.”
DiCello was awarded as “Player of the Game” by the coaching staff after the game.
Game Two: 2-0 Win vs New Fairfield
The Panthers opened conference play with a home match last Thursday, where the adjustments clicked in a 2-0 victory over New Fairfield High School.
The first-year head coach credited a timely tactical session before the match for emphasizing increased intensity.
“We made sure that was the standard right out of the gate,” Viscuso said of the early energy.
Sophomores Avery Macumber and Hogrefe made it 2-0 before halftime, with junior goalkeeper Madelyn Martino keeping New Fairfield scoreless throughout the rest of the match.
“We played 80 minutes this time,” said Viscuso. “I don’t think they had an answer for the press. We were relentless with that.”
Along with her 12 saves in the season opener, Martino was praised for her work by her teammates and her coach in securing a clean sheet in the win.
“She’s one of the top keepers in the state,” said Viscuso. “Her athleticism and her shot-stopping are second to none. We’re very happy that she’s part of this team.”
Viscuso also said he expects a solid season from Junior Regan Brooks. “She’s been unbelievable for us,” he added.
The final whistle was met with a steady pour of rain and an emphasis on managing minutes for some of the team’s starters.
Looking Ahead
The season continues on Tuesday, September 9 against Immaculate High School, and on Thursday, September 11, with the team’s first road game at New Milford High School.
After that, the Panthers return for two consecutive home games: Tuesday, September 16 (Notre Dame Prep) and Thursday, September 18 (Stratford).
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