With flickering potential post season hopes threatening to float away in the puddles that filled the Dawg Pound, Ponchatoula shut down Fontainebleau on the Bulldogs final three drives and hung on for a 27-21 District 7-5A victory Friday night.

The Green Wave (4-5, 2-4) had lost five of its previous six games but the victory kept Ponchatoula in the hunt for a coveted playoff spot.

“This was a big win for us because we’re trying to be a playoff team, and we know we have to win the last games to give ourselves a chance,” Ponchatoula coach Mike Baiamonte said. “We kind of control our own destiny because if we don’t win, it doesn’t matter. Even if we win, we may not sneak in.”

Fontainebleau senior running back Perrin Sims eyes making a move up field cutting behind a block by a teammate while being pursued by a Ponchatoula Green Wave defender during Friday night’s homecoming game played at the Dawg Pound. Sims finished with 177 yards on 20 carries in the Bulldogs’ losing effort. (Photo by Gwen Ladner) Pic 2: Fontainebleau’s Chris Fisher is gang tackled by a number of Ponchatoula Green Wave defenders during Friday night’s district game played at FHS. Ponchatoula took a 27-21 victory to spoil the Bulldogs’ homecoming. (Photo by Gwen Ladner) : Fontainebleau quarterback Connor Smith tries to get outside while being pursued by a Ponchatoula Green Wave defender in Friday night’s district game played at the Dawg Pound. (Photo by Gwen Ladner)

The teams combined for more than 700 yards on a sloppy field that was only made worse by a persistent rain that dampened Fontainebleau’s homecoming activities. But in the end, it was the Green Wave’s defense that repeatedly came up with big stops in the fourth quarter, none bigger than Kaleb Muse’s tackle of Bulldogs running back Chris Fisher one yard short of a first down at the Fontainebleau 48-yard line with 1:39 remaining.

Ponchatoula had snuffed the Bulldogs’ previous drive that had carried to midfield after starting at the 20-yard line on the strength of Ryan Brooks’ 36-yard run.

“We didn’t make blocks and they changed the defense, going with a six-man front,” Fontainebleau coach Mike Materne said after the Bulldogs eighth consecutive loss that kept them winless in six district starts. Fontainebleau’s only victory was in the season opener a 33-7 victory over Biloxi High.

“This is tough,” he added. “Every game has been a close game this year but we can’t seem to get over the top.”

Joseph Green led Ponchatoula with 198 yards on 23 carries, including 164 in a first half that saw the Green Wave take a 21-7 lead. Quarterback Nathan Callais, who threw an equal number of receptions as interceptions – one each – on five attempts, ran for 138 yards on 21 carries.

“We went a little conservative in the second half,” Baiamonte said. “We had a fumble that changed the momentum so we were trying to be careful.

“But Fontainebleau is a good team. I can’t imagine how those coaches feel. They haven’t lost a district game by more than five points all year and we come in here and win by six. I can feel their pain.”

The Green Wave had 284 yards in the first half and appeared to be control. But Green fumbled on Ponchatoula’s first play of the third quarter, giving the Bulldogs possession at the Green Wave 18-yard line.

One play and eight seconds later, Brooks’ run and Hunter Starring’s point after touchdown trimmed Ponchatoula’s lead to 21-14 with 9:41 left in the third quarter.

Ponchatoula quickly responded, driving 72 yards on 9 plays, the payoff coming on Callais’ 35-yard run. A mishandled snap on the point-after-touchdown attempt left the score at 27-14 at the 5:16 mark of the third period.

The Bulldogs needed only three plays to answer with a 61-yard drive. Perrin Sims, who finished with 177 yards on 20 carries, took off on a 41-yard scamper on the second play of the drive, and one play later Brooks finished it off with a 20-yard run that brought the Bulldogs to 27-21, giving an ominous feel to the Green Wave’s botched point-after-touchdown attempt.

The Bulldogs forced Ponchatoula to punt on its next possession, but not before the Green Wave grinded out three first downs and controlled the ball for nearly five minutes. A key play was Callais only completion, an 11-yard hookup to Ryan Byers on second-and-eight that carried to the Bulldogs’ 39-yard line.

Three ensuing plays that included a penalty netted minus-three yards but Jayton Wilde was still able to punt from near midfield, and he took full advantage, pinning the Bulldogs at the one-yard line.

“Weather dictated a lot of what we could do tonight,” Baiamonte said. “Everyone knows we’re going to run the ball. We have to be to complete the passes. But the slant was a key play.”

The Bulldogs shut down Ponchatoula on its next two possessions, although a holding penalty nullified a 10-yard scoring by Callais. However, the Bulldogs managed one first down on their final three drives, that coming on Brooks’ 36-yard run.

“We had a difficult time of shutting down their option,” Materne said. “They did a good job of controlling the inside. We finally started shutting them down but they shut down our offense when it seemed like we were getting back in the game.”

Ponchatoula scored on its first possession, driving 68 yards on 12 plays, the score coming on Michael Villars seven-yard run. The Green Wave converted two third downs and a fourth down on the drive.

The Bulldogs quickly delivered its answer with a 63-yard, 6-play drive that culminated on Sims’ 38-yard touchdown reception from sophomore quarterback Connor Smith. Smith, who has replaced starter Addison Melancon because of Melancon’s season-ending injury, finished his night 5-of-9 for 67 yards.

Callais fumbled on the Green Wave’s ensuing possession, allowing Fontainebleau to take over at the Ponchatoula 34-yad line. But the drive stalled when Anthony Baham sacked Smith at the Green Wave 44.

Bulldogs’ punter Anthony LaGuardia’s pooch kick forced Ponchatoula to start from its 3, but the Green Wave seemed unfettered, needing four plays to cover the 97 yards. Green ripped off a 79-yard run on the third play of the drive, and Wilde finished it off with a 10-yard run that gave Ponchatoula a 14-7 lead.

Midway through the second quarter, Fontainebleau drove deep into Green Wave territory but the drive ended on Sims’ fumble. Ponchatoula made the Bulldogs pay when Green scored on a four-yard run at the end of a nine-play, 78-yard drive that gave the Green Wave a 21-7 lead with 2:56 left in the first half.

The Bulldogs once again visited Green Wave territory with less than a minute to go in the first half but consecutive sacks of Smith forced Starring to attempt a 45-yard field goal that fell well short as time expired.

The Bulldogs close the season against St. Paul’s on Friday.

“The kids normally play well against St. Paul’s,” Materne said. “The kids have been playing their butts off but they can’t seem to find a way to win a game.” ⷐ