GREEN SQUEEZE—Ponchatoula linebacker Kaleb Muse, left, and DB Daltin Cummings (right) bring down Hammond receiver Demarius Maryland (6) during Ponchy’s 34-13 win Friday. By John Lenz

For nine years, the Hammond-Ponchatoula rivalry has been all about Hammond's big plays and Tornado domination.

But on Friday night, that was Ponchatoula's formula as the Green Wave finally broke through against the Tors and rolled to a 34-13 victory in Strawberry Stadium to clinch a Class 5A playoff berth - with emphasis.

The Green Wave (5-4, 3-4) survived a blizzard of turnovers by both sides in the first half, then broke open a close game with two huge plays.

The Tors (0-8, 0-7) held the ball nearly eight minutes on their opening drive of the second half to score on a 26-yard field goal by Brandon Thomas to pull within 14-13.

But two plays later, Ponchatoula fullback Joseph Green exploded up the middle on a 56-yard touchdown run that made it 20-13 - his biggest carry on a dominant night that saw him carry 24 times for 228 yards and three touchdowns.

And three plays later, Tors quarterback Trevor Ragan tried a pass into the right flat that Ponchatoula defensive lineman Trey Howard intercepted and rumbled 48 yards to score to make it 27-13 with :53 seconds left in the third period.

“We kind of turned the tables on the play-making,” said Wave coach Mike Baiamonte, who knew nothing would be coming easily in this night despite Hammond's winless record.

“I think you saw what a rivalry can do,” Baiamonte said. “We preached all week - just weather the storm. They're going to come out gunning and they're going to have some big plays. Just weather the storm and see if we can survive until the second half and let's see what happens from there.”

Hammond was still in it at that point, especially when the Tors launched another 14-play mega-drive that took them 60 yards to the Ponchatoula 7. But a pair of fade passes into the corner of the end zone fell incomplete, and a fourth-down pass went off the hands of the Tors' receiver and into those of Ponchatoula DB L'Donavon Granison to snuff the threat.

And that sequence of big plays and turnovers was the story of the night and of the season for the Tors. Hammond threw two interceptions, fumbled six times and lost three of those, and committed 13 penalties for 95 yards - negating an inspired effort.

“Effort's one thing, but five turnovers?” Tors coach Rusty Barrilleaux said. “You can't win. You're not supposed to win. The effort was there, but those costly mistakes. There's no reason why we shouldn't have done some more things. We had them in position and just didn't get it done.

“It was a good hard-fought ballgame, but we lost in the turnover department and we lost in the big plays.”

Ponchatoula iced it by turning around and going 80 yards in 10 plays to score on Green's 4-yard plunge with 1:41 left, and Russ Bratton's fifth PAT in six attempts completed the scoring.

The game opened with typical Hammond-Ponchatoula intensity and maybe nerves as each team coughed up early turnovers. Hammond's fumbled handoff recovered by Ponchatoula's Ben Schaff at the Tors' 40 set up a five-play scoring drive capped by Green's six-yard burst off tackle midway through the opening period.

Hammond survived fumbling away the ensuing kickoff, then drove 79 yards in six plays, highlighted by Ragan's 37-yard pass completion. Justin Betts scored from a yard out and Thomas' PAT tied the game 7-7.

Ponchatoula then muffed the ensuing kickoff and Jamie Freeman recovered for the Tors after a wild scramble at the PHS 15. The Tors couldn't move it, so Thomas converted on a 30-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead with 9:15 left in the half.

But Ponchatoula answered right back with a withering 11-play, 71-yard touchdown march. On 4th-and-1, Ponchatoula's Jaylon Wilde took a pitch around left end for a 3-yard touchdown run to put the Green Wave back on top 14-10 with 2:49 left in the first half.

Believe it or not, that was still enough time for each team to harmlessly turn it over yet again - a fumble recovered by Ponchatoula's Daltin Cummings and an interception by Hammond's Jasmine Dyson - before the intermission.

“I'm very glad that my kids answered the bell,” Baiamonte said. “Lot of pressure on those young men - playoffs on the line, the Tornadoes here. They did a great job.”