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| BUSTING IT UP—Ponchatoula DB L’Donavan Granison (16) breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Hammond’s Terrence Bridges (81) during last week’s playoff-clinching 34-14 Wave victory. The Greenies play at Brother Martin Friday at Tad Gormley in New Orleans.
Photo by John Lenz |
PONCHATOULA — Ponchatoula is making its first playoff appearance since 1999, but as far as Wave coach Mike Baiamonte is concerned, the Green Wave is playoff tested.
Ponchatoula has played
de facto playoff games at Fontainebleau and Hammond the past two weeks just to get the opportunity to reach the postseason.
The Wave (5-4), seeded 30th, opens the Class 5A playoffs against No. 3 Brother Martin (9-0) Friday at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans.
"One of our coaches said before Friday (against Hammond), this is a playoff game because it's do or die," Baiamonte said. "We've been in those pressure situations. It's just a matter of how we handle it.
“We're going against a good team, going against a physical team, but we've worked on being a physical team. That's something that we have been working on since the end of last year, so hopefully we will see where we stand as we roll into this game."
Ponchatoula clinched the postseason spot with a 34-13 win over Hammond as Joseph Green ran for 228 yards and three TDs and the Ponchatoula defense forced five turnovers, one a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown by Trey Howard.
Defense is the name of the game for Brother Martin, the Catholic League champions who have allowed just 37 points in eight games, pitching five shutouts, and have not allowed an offensive touchdown in 19 quarters.
When the Crusaders clinched the district title with a 14-9 victory over previously unbeaten Rummel Saturday, the Raiders' lone touchdown came on a fumble return and the Crusaders also held twice inside their 15-yard line in the fourth quarter.
Brother Martin is led by four seniors up front — Philip Blitch, Matt Buchert, Albert Fournette and Wade Speeg. Another senior, Mike Henderson, is at linebacker, while the secondary is paced by Pat Swilling Jr., son of the former Saints linebacker, and Karl Butler.
"Their defense is very solid," Baiamonte said. "That front line is excellent and they are very good in the secondary. It definitely poses a challenge for our kids. We are going to have to go out and play mistake-free football again and play physical because that is one of the best things they do as a defense. They are very physical.
"We have to control the line of scrimmage. That's probably the M.O. for any football team in any game — can you win the line of scrimmage — and this one is going to be very important that we win it."
Like Ponchatoula, the Crusaders are a run-first team, led by the son of another ex-Saint, Dalton Hilliard Jr., who has rushed for over 700 yards and 14 TDs .
"They want to run the ball every time," Baiamonte said. "For us, we have to play tough on our defensive line to handle the offensive line they have which is a nice, physical group. It's going to be about controlling that line of scrimmage and playing physical."
Baiamonte figures it will be a lot like the Wave's 7-6 victory at Fontainebleau two weeks ago.
"It may be a lot like that Fontainebleau game in that it might not last too long,” he said. “Hopefully it will come down to whomever can hit that play action pass. Hopefully when the fourth quarter comes around, we're still in there competing for it and right there in the hunt."
"We can't just be happy with where we are at. You have to find a way to do better than that. It will make for an interesting Friday night."
