Pomperaug wrapped up its season last week with a 28-16 home victory against Notre Dame Prep, finishing at 5-5 overall on the year.
Both Cole Tracy and Gavin Lynch finished the season finale with two rushing touchdowns and eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground.
A back-and-forth first half saw momentum swing before the Panthers were able to take control of the game after the break.
Pomperaug’s commitment to their ground game was on full display from the get-go. A methodical 7-minute and 13-play drive set up the game’s first score from Tracy.
But in the blink of an eye, the Lancers responded with a kickoff return score from Bryant Tarczall, and with freshman running back Ja’cari Harris adding in a 2-point conversion, the Lancers went up 8-6.
The Panthers responded with a strong Jack Guinipero return, setting up Lynch from six yards out to retake the lead.
On defense, a goal-line stand stymied a long drive from the Lancers, denying them at the 1-yard line. But just as quickly as the offense took the field, they returned to the sidelines after a safety awarded Notre Dame two points and the ball.
At the break, a 14-10 game felt like it could belong to either team, especially under the wet and rainy conditions.
Following another defensive stand on a lengthy Lancer drive, Senior Captain Dane Guinipero came up with a 33-yard run to end the third quarter. From there, he made the key block that led to a 23-yard rushing score from Tracy.
Pomperaug’s Marco Russomano came up with a big sack on Notre Dame’s fourth down, ending their drive and handing the ball back to his offense.
From there, a 44-yard Gavin Lynch run set up the offense in the red zone, ultimately rewarding Lynch with the next two carries and his second touchdown of the game.
A Notre Dame Prep 40-yard receiving score from Tarczall was too little, too late, as the Panthers finished the year with a 4-1 record at home and sent their seniors off with a win.
In a year with only a handful of seniors, Pomperaug Head Coach Tony Pereira praised the group for their commitment and for setting the tone for the program going forward, following last year’s 3-7 record.
“They, the seniors, are going to be the foundation setters,” Pereira said. “They set the standard.”
Senior Captain Sahn Choi-Kang took a minute to reflect on the moment just after the final game of the season.
“Even though this wasn’t the record we wanted necessarily, I know the class under me is going to keep working, and I know that they’ll be good next year,” he said. “I’m proud to have been part of this team.”
Pomperaug’s other senior captains included two bruisers on the offensive line, Hunter Simmons and Elie Baroody, and Dane Guinipero, whose cousin, Jack, returns for his senior season next year.
Pereira added of his seniors, “They are the example of what we want all our student-athletes to be like.”
A returning group of nearly 20 juniors, including running back and linebacker Gavin Lynch, brings a level of anticipation for next season.
“I wanted to play for my seniors, they put in all the work,” Lynch said following the win. “I wanted to send a message for next year…we’re going to do something great.”
When the seventh-year coach reflects on where the program stands following the season, Pereira is proud to point to the alignment with the youth football program and some of their own recent accomplishments.
At halftime, the sixth-grade youth Pomperaug Panther team was honored for their back-to-back state championships.
“That’s the key to the operation,” said Pereira. “When you look at your Southingtons, your New Canaans, your Greenwichs, it doesn’t start in high school. It’s a culmination and progression from youth all the way up to high school.”
Pereira remembers his freshman season at Pomperaug, when the team went 0-10. Three years later, he helped bring Pomperaug’s record to 8-1-1, with the school’s first state playoff game.
“If you put the work in, and work hard, and you all come together for your teammates, anything is possible,” he said.
“We ended up 5-5; it’s not what we wanted to do,” he added, noting their competitive schedule. “We had goals and aspirations. At the end of the day, yes, we want to win, but it’s about doing it the right way. These guys certainly have.”
Editor’s Note: The Record would like to thank Val Lynch for contributing her photographs to this publication. It is greatly appreciated.
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