It may be the offseason, but the Pomperaug football program has been busy in the weight room with the fall season on its mind.
The team showcased their hard work in the form of a spring flag football game over the weekend that also served as a community event.
A dunk tank drew a crowd, with administrators, coaches and cheerleaders all taking their turn on the seat for the cause. Raffle prizes were up for grabs, and the snack shack stayed busy serving up pulled pork sandwiches.
The evening was also supported by the Pomperaug Warriors, the youth football and cheerleading nonprofit that serves as a feeder program into the high school program.
The action on the field was player-led, with head coach Tony Pereira watching from the elevated view in the public address box.
“It’s about getting them out here and competing, while getting ready for the summer phase of workouts,” Pereira said following the game. “I’m really proud of the effort they’re putting in.”
With incoming and future players taking part in the event, it also served as a preview for what’s to come with the pipeline now solidified to better bridge the youth football programs and the Pomperaug High School team.
Pereira said events like Saturday’s are a key part of the process of building the culture of the program.
“You can change a team overnight, but the culture takes a while to change,” he said.
The team was separated into two camps – White and Red – with a mix of underclassmen and rising seniors making up both sides. Some players were sidelined as they await medical clearance to return.
It didn’t take long for Josh Coughlin to make his mark on the exhibition game – serving as quarterback for the Red team – and finding Jack Guinipero twice in the endzone during the first half. Coughlin added a pair of rushing touchdowns and accounted for an interception while playing defense.
Pereira added that he thought Coughlin looked “explosive” during Saturday’s event.
For the White team, Gavin Lynch and Jaden D’Amico served as two of the team’s four captains, as both are preparing to enter their senior year this fall and looking to leave their mark on the program.
“We have such a tight-knit team,” said D’Amico, a standout defensive and offensive lineman. “We have kids who have played since second grade with each other.”
Lynch, who served as a runningback and a linebacker last season, helps lead a pack of returning players who say they want to set the tone and be the best teammates they can be.
“We spend a lot of time in the weightroom competing with each other,” said Lynch, who added a touchdown of his own in the flag football exhibition. “Now, it’s just trying to get back in the swing of things.”
Pomperaug finished 5-5 last year, with a notable three-game stretch of victories against Bethel (50-33), Joel Barlow (10-0), and Branford on Senior Night (39-0).
With a schedule yet to be made final, it’s still expected that the Panthers will open their season on the road against Brookfield, before hosting a non-conference game against Wethersfield.
By Evan Triantafilidis
The Southbury Record 