[1][2] Pontikas started off with street football before having a brief spell at Toxotis Larissa's youth section in 1995 where Theofanis Gekas was also playing at the time.
[7][8][9] On his debut match as a starter with Haravgi he scored his team's all 3 goals in their away 4–3 defeat to Ampelokipoi, in the fifth tier of the Greek championship.
Opponents Ampelokipoi squad featured 1988 Greek champion Giorgos Kolovos,[10] 1985 Cup winner and club captain Babis Ntosas,[11] (both as AEL players), and also future Greece international defender Vangelis Moras as an unused substitute.
The first was in 1995 when he scored 13 goals, aged 13, in an XI friendly and the second in 1997 with the youngster hitting the net 10 times in a youth match.
[13] He also holds the national record for the youngest player to feature in a U-18 high school county league final, at 14 years and 9 months.