Pomperaug High football just absolutely ROLLED Wethersfield, piling up an insane 391 rushing yards on 42 attempts en route to a dominant 50-21 victory at Edward Arum Athletic Field. This squad is now 2-0, and if you weren’t paying attention before, you better be now because this triple-option attack is no joke.
The Ground Game Is UNSTOPPABLE
Seriously, this ground game is something else. No one Panther hit 100 yards, but four different players each had at least 78 yards. Quarterback Josh Coughlin led the charge with a team-high 92 yards on just five carries, which is wild efficiency. But the real headache for defenses? That one-two fullback punch of Gavin Lynch and Dom Creaco. Lynch hammered for 90 yards on 15 attempts with two touchdowns, while Creaco added 78 yards and a score on nine carries. That’s 168 yards from the fullbacks alone! Coach Tony Pereira didn’t mince words, saying, “As a defensive guy, if you don’t stop the fullback, you’re in for a long day.” You’ve gotta stop that inside-out, or as he put it, “else you can run whatever you want.” Jack Guinipero also got in on the action, carrying eight times for 87 yards and two touchdowns. They are coming at teams from every angle, and it’s working.
This Is a Team Built Different
This isn’t some overnight success story, either. Pomperaug finished second at the Southington Lineman Challenge in the offseason, and it shows. They went 5-5 last year against the second-toughest schedule in Class MM, bringing back nearly their entire roster. That experience is paying off big time. The triple-option offense, brought in by Assistant Coach Ryan Swift from former Class SS state champion Joel Barlow, is perfect for them. Pereira and many assistants are former offensive/defensive line guys, so they absolutely love it. Pereira says it doesn’t happen overnight, but “It’s slow and steady, but that offense, it’s great, man. We’re coming at you, as you can see. We wear people down. In the third, fourth quarter, they’re (thinking), ‘what’s coming at us next?’” With 16 seniors on the roster, many of whom started as sophomores, this team has been growing into this moment.
They Took Over and Never Looked Back
Pomperaug set the tone early, taking seven plays to go 67 yards for the opening score, a 2-yard Lynch run. Jack Reeder nailed the first of his six successful extra points, putting them up 7-0. Wethersfield got on the board later in the first quarter with a 3-yard run from Isaiah Edwards, who had a game-high 114 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, tying it up 7-7. Pereira himself called Edwards “a very good player.” But then the Panthers took control, scoring the next 29 points over the second and third quarters to open up a commanding 36-7 lead. Lynch grabbed his second TD from 6 yards out, Guinipero broke free for a 41-yard score, and Caleb McKee went untouched for a 25-yard touchdown around the left side. These guys are relentless.
Next Friday, it’s a huge South-West Conference home game against Newtown. Pomperaug is sitting pretty at 2-0, and they’ll be looking to keep this ground attack rolling. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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