Pomperaug moved to 2-0 on the season with its 50-21 home-opener win on Thursday against Wethersfield.
While a haze of mist and light rain eventually cleared up by kickoff, the Panthers still brought their own version of thunder and lightning to the nonconference matchup with their downhill rushing attack.
Both Gavin Lynch and Jack Guinipero accounted for a pair of rushing scores, with Lynch’s between-the-tackles runs setting the pace early, and Guinipero’s speed from toss plays providing a spark for the offense. Dom Creaco, Caleb McKee, and Josh Coughlin all added touchdown runs in the victory.
“We have six running backs that we trust on any play,” said Head coach Tony Pereira following the game. “Not only are they trustworthy running the ball, but they also have to block in our offense.”
The team’s first 2-0 start since 2023, the Panthers started quickly again, with Lynch accounting for the team’s first two scores of the game.
“We’re trying to set the standard going forward,” Lynch said after the game.
Guinipero’s speed as an outside runner on counter and toss plays was featured on both of his scores – a 41-yard and a 9-yard rushing score.
Pomperaug punted for the first time this season late in the second quarter, but its defense shut down the following Wethersfield drive with a sack and fumble recovery, courtesy of Marco Russomanno and Bryan Vidal.
A 29-7 lead at halftime showed a stellar defensive performance, despite giving up points on Wethersfield’s first drive.
In control of the game at the break, the Panthers picked up right where they had left off from their 49-0 win over Brookfield last week.
In some cases, they looked even better.
On special teams, the Panthers recovered two fumbles on kickoff returns, setting up their offense in a positive field position. Kicker Jack Reeder also made all six of his extra-point conversions.
Pereira praised the work that has been done on the kicking game since the start of the preseason.
“He’s grown exponentially in two weeks,” the seven-year head coach said of his kicker. “He’s working hard, and he deserves it.”
For Wethersfield, senior running back Isaiah Edwards, who played with a broken hand, accounted for the Eagles’ two offensive touchdowns. Safety Adriatik Kaleviqi had a third-quarter pick-six touchdown, and wide receiver Luis Trevor Feliciano had multiple receptions throughout the game.
Wethersfield head coach Matthew McKinnon spoke highly of the host program following the game, calling the Panthers a well-coached team.
“We had spells where we played really hard,” said McKinnon. “We had a gap in the second quarter for about five minutes that just kind of took the game away from us.”
McKinnon added, “We’ll regroup this week. We got to get back on the right track in practice this week and go into the next game learning from this one.”
Up next for Pomperaug is a highly anticipated matchup with conference foe Newtown. The Panthers have been winless in the last 12 regular-season matchups between the two teams, going back to 2012. Pomperaug’s last win over the Nighthawks came in 2011, a 16-9 victory to remain undefeated four games into the season.
“We’ve had a lot of battles in the past,” Pereira said about the team’s Week 3 opponent. “The next [few] days are about us putting our heads down and getting better.”
Newtown comes across the Housatonic River to Pomperaug on Friday night with a 1-1 record, having a win over New Fairfield and coming off a loss to Southington last week.
In a season where every game is important, and in what will likely be the Panthers’ toughest test so far this year, a senior captain on the Panthers set up Friday’s matchup nicely: “It’s the most important game of my life,” said Lynch.
By Evan Triantafilidis
The Southbury Record 