Pomperaug hasn't had much luck against Bunnell recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will head out to face off against the Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m.
On Friday, Pomperaug came up short against New Fairfield and fell 21-14.
Although Pomperaug took the loss, they still got scores from Jack Guinipero and Dane Guinipero.
Meanwhile, while Bunnell put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Bethel. The Bulldogs took their game with ease, bagging a 42-0 victory over the Wildcats. The result was nothing new for the Bulldogs, who have now won three matchups by 42 points or more so far this season.
Pomperaug better keep an eye on Jake Garrigan. He was instrumental in Bunnell's win, throwing for 176 yards and two TDs on only 15 passes. Garrigan's passing game has become a key predictor of the Bulldogs' success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise.
Bunnell's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB three times. Daniel Yirenkyi refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself. Carson Clarke got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Bunnell has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 7.5 points on average over those games. As for Pomperaug, their loss dropped their record down to 4-3.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Pomperaug has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 258.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Bunnell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 204.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Pomperaug took a serious blow against Bunnell in their previous meeting back in November of 2022, falling 49-0. Thankfully for the Panthers, Michael Trovarelli (who rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 10.2 yards per carry) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
