LEGS CHURNING—Hammond’s Justin Betts (44) watches as Terrence Bridges (81) fights for extra yards to finish off a 16-yard pass completion from Trevor Ragan in the Tors’ fall scrimmage against the Tigers. The pass play led to Hammond scoring on its opening possession. John Lenz/Daily Star

The Hammond Tors' first possession in their scrimmage Thursday night against Thibodaux gave their fans a taste of what they're capable of.

But after that impressive march to an opening touchdown, the Tors showed they've still got work to do before opening the season on Sept. 5 at Catholic-Baton Rouge.

Hammond drove 70 yards in five plays to score on T.J. Ponds' six-yard touchdown run on its first series, then held Thibodaux wihout a first down on its first 13-play set.

But after that Thibodaux settled down and dominated the line of scrimmage, scoring the only touchdown of the timed 15-minute period the two teams played, then scoring the only touchdown in the final set of 10-play series apiece as the Tors wore down at the end.

"Toward the end, we got a little flat,” Tors coach Rusty Barrilleaux said. “We've just got to get in better shape. We've got to understand this is the way it's going to be this year.

“But when we're fresh, they work hard, they play hard, and they did a lot of things right. When we're fresh, I think we're a pretty decent ballclub.”

Meanwhile, both Independence coach Keith Carona and Ponchatoula's Mike Baiamonte were happy with their teams' intensity during their scrimmage Thursday night at Tiger Stadium.

Carona had to wait a little longer, but it paid off with two scores in a closing 15-minute quarter.

Independence reached the Ponchatoula 29-yard line before being stopped on the first series. Darrin Arline took a short pass in the flat from Chris Carter and picked up 19 yards to the Green Wave 49 on the drive.

"We started off slow but after we got into the flow of it, I thought we picked it up," Carona said. "The second 12 plays on offense, we executed a lot better.

“I thought we missed a lot of tackles early on. But I thought defensively we got better as the game went on. I thought the offensive line started out slow and gradually got a little better as the scrimmage went on. The intensity level of the whole scrimmage picked up too."

"The one thing I wanted to see from my team coming out this year was could we be physical and could we play with a little attitude?" Baiamonte said. "I think our kids see that part, I really do.

"We have to fix the finer parts... the big, long plays, the ball on the ground. We can fix that part. The part I was concerned about was our attitude in which we play. I couldn't be happier with the attitude we took into the game."

Thibodaux at Hammond

The Tors' opening march was special. They did give up a sack on the first play, but then Torian Weber swept left for 39 yards, Justin Betts powered around the end for 16 more, Trevor Ragan connected with tight end Terrance Bridges for 11 yards, and Ponds covered the final six.

But Thibodaux's superior size up front told on Hammond. During the timed period, Hammond gave up two sacks and an interception, while Thibodaux burned the Tors with a big-play pass of 32 yards to key a six-play, 80-yard scoring drive.

And in the final series between the first units, Thibodaux quarterback Trovon Reed eluded three Tors in the backfield to escape getting sacked and broke out for 35 yards, then Donnie Morgan scored from the 3.

Weber had runs of 39, 18 and 26 yards in the scrimmage, the last coming in that final series. But a pair of sacks stopped the threat.

"That was kind of 50-50 between the quarterback and the line,' Barrilleaux said of the pressure on the quarterbacks. “We've got to get rid of the ball a little quicker, and we had a couple of breakdowns up front. But overall I was pretty pleased with the protection.

“We've got to do a little more technique and fundamental work. We've got a long ways to go and lot of coaching to do.”

-Reported by John Lenz

Ponchatoula at Independence

Indy moved the ball better its second time out. Marshall Bellazen's 32-yard run and a pass interference call set up Carter's one-yard touchdown streak.

Ponchatoula answered on its next series after Dylan Ellenman kept for 50 yards to the Tigers 20. Joe Green scored up the middle from the 5.

Indey held Ponchatoula on the first series of the timed quarter, then went 75 yards in four plays. Carter's 52-yard keeper set up his 22-yard pass to Elroy Duncan in the right side of the end zone.

Carter's 62-yard pass to Arline on the right side highlighted the next drive. Carter flipped a pass to Reggie Sims from 3 yards out to cap the drive.

Green had two 14-yard runs for Ponchatoula during the quarter.

Ponchatoula plays St. Thomas Aquinas in the Hammond Jamboree Thursday.Independence takes on Kentwood in the Tangilena Jamboree Friday at Loranger.

-Reported by Mike Kiral