By Evan Triantafilidis
news@southburyrecord.com
After trading blows with Bethel (1-3) through a wild first half, Pomperaug (2-2) broke away in the fourth quarter, piling up big plays on the ground and delivering key stops on defense to secure a 50-33 win on Friday night.
Pomperaug quarterback Josh Coughlin set the tone early with a pair of goal-line rushing scores, both set up by long kickoff returns by Jack Guinipero. The Wildcats of Bethel responded each time, and by halftime, the teams had combined for seven touchdowns, with Pomperaug clinging to a 22-20 lead.
With just under a minute left in the first half, Bethel marched down the field and capped off a 70-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass.
“It was a dog fight in the first half,” said Pomperaug head coach Tony Pereira. “Everything kind of went against us, and we were still up at halftime.”
Pereira told his team at halftime that their performance as a team wasn’t enough.
The Panthers responded with a motivated second-half performance, as Bethel took a brief lead before Jack Guinipero put Pomperaug back on top with a four-yard rushing score.
The SWC foes traded fumble recoveries on consecutive drives heading into the fourth quarter, where Pomperaug would find momentum on a 55-yard touchdown run by Dominic Creaco – his second rushing score of the game.
The Panthers took back the lead for good, as Jack Guinipero intercepted a pass on defense and then scored on offense on a four-yard toss sweep, stretching the lead to 43-33.
Guinipero, the younger brother of senior captain Dane Guinipero, shined on all sides of the field Friday night. Both recorded second-half interceptions on defense while setting up their offense with big special teams plays.
“We’ve been waiting for that kind of game from him,” Pereira said of Jack Guinipero following the game. “He’s got that in him. Hopefully, through this, he’s got the confidence to even step it up another notch.”
Gavin Lynch’s 20-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter capped off the scoring at 50-33. The Panthers put up 50 points for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
On defense, Bryan Vidal and William Parris combined for a big fourth-down sack in the fourth quarter, with Caleb McKee chipping in with some key tackles to keep Bethel out of rhythm.
Both teams will have a bye week, with a chance to refocus and recover from some injuries. With a handful of players not suiting up for Friday’s game, including Cole Tracy, the Panthers will have extended time to rest before they play their next two games at home.
Both head coaches also expressed a desire to hone in on fundamentals during the off-week.
“We’re still putting the ball on the ground, but this week we played complementary football,” said Pereira. “We need to get an identity on defense, as we had to re-scheme about three different times in this game to combat what they were doing.”
“It’s a great win, considering the circumstances,” Pereira added.
On the other sideline, Bethel Head Coach Nick Tarantino said he would like to see his team improve on tackling during the break.
“Playing their triple-option, you need great eye discipline,” he said. “Fundamentals and tackling…we didn’t tackle well tonight, and I take full responsibility for that.”
Pomperaug returns to action on Saturday, October 18, at 6:00 PM at Pomperaug High School, as the Panthers host the Falcons of Joel Barlow (1-3).
The Southbury Record 