Video: Rummel, Ponchatoula benefit from competitive scrimmage

A year ago, a seasoned, extremely talented Ponchatoula came to Metairie to scrimmage a young Archbishop Rummel team and looked the part of being a championship contender.

The look proved to be accurate as the Green Wave reached the Class 5A state title game while the Raiders, just two years removed from a Division I state championship, went on to have some struggles in 2021.

A year later, Ponchatoula is now young but still talented while Rummel is still young but talented and that was evident Thursday evening.

With starters on the field, the Raiders scored twice while the Green Wave scored once.

Ponchatoula had a score called back in the quarter portion of the scrimmage before Lennis Finister of Rummel intercepted a Nolan Tribble pass in the end zone to end the scrimmage.

Keiron Jackson also had an interception for the Raiders.

Rummel scored on a 32-yard run by senior Ahmad Garner, who is returning from missing the entire 2021 season with a knee injury. Garner went down later in the scrimmage but it was not the same knee issue and he did walk off the field.

The Raiders also scored on a five-yard run by junior Jaidyn Martin.

Ponchatoula scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tribble to junior Bishop Davis.

Tribble completed 11 of 22 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.

Davis rushed two times for 24 yards and had five catches for 73 yards while Patrick LeBranch rushed 11 times for 73 yards and he caught four passes for 24 yards.

“I thought our kids played well, they played hard,” Ponchatoula coach Trey Willie said. “We’ve got some young guys who need experience and we will experience growing pains but it’s good to get on the field and play against somebody else. LeBranch and Bishop are good players. Our defense has some talented guys and that’s what we will hang our hats on to win games.”

Rummel senior quarterback Casey Avrard completed 9 of 17 passes for 114 yards.

Sophomore Evan Burg had four catches for 25 yards for the Raiders while Ruben Ramirez had two catches for 39 yards. Martin rushed seven times for 65 yards and a touchdown.

“I saw some decent things and I saw a lot of things that we have to fix and get better at,” Rummel coach Nick Monica said. “Some of the young guys stepped up and played well. It was a good starting point. The running backs have to be the strength of our team, especially behind an experienced offensive line. We’ve taken a tremendous step forward from last year.”

Rummel will travel to Covington to face St. Paul’s while Ponchatoula while Ponchatoula will take on defending Division III state champion St. Charles Catholic in jamboree action next Friday night.