Bogalusa and Pine players wrapped up the spring portion of the schedule by facing each other in their spring game.
The competition began with the 30 minutes of action with the junior varsity teams taking the field. That was followed by the varsity playing four 15-minute quarters of running clock.
Neither junior varsity team scored. Pine won the timed portion of the scrimmage, when the teams rotated first-and-second stringers, by the score of 28-14.
“I thought we looked really good,” Pine coach Bradley Seal said. “Our 2s looked good. Our 1s were very impressive. First drive with the 1s, the first couple possessions were a little sloppy, but then we got back to pounding it with Jakyran (Handy) and that’s what we are. That’s what our identity is and we started looking good.”
Seal said the defense played well, also.
“I don’t think it’s too far from what we were at the end of last year,” Seal said. “I liked what we were doing on defense. We looked good. I had some question marks going in and some guys really answered the questions.”
Bogalusa coach David Roberts said he was pleased by aspects of his team’s performance as well.
“Our turnout in the spring wasn’t what I wanted it to be and we played a bunch of young guys with the 2s,” he said. “The 1s, I think, played pretty well.”
Roberts said his team had too many mistakes, which he noted are preventable. Bogalusa had two touchdowns called back — one for a block in the back behind the ball and another for hurdling.
“Jumping offsides, the nice touchdown run by (Deonte) Lenoir, we had a block behind the ball. Just very preventable mistakes that we have to work on and clean up,” Roberts said. “That last drive was really good. That’s what Jay Baham does well. He gets outside the pocket and it’s a run/pass option. He’s got a lot of speed and he’s comfortable.
“The defense, (Pine has) a big old offensive line and our one downfall that I’ve seen so far being here is, we’re not very strong. We can run. We’re not very strong. We need to get in the weight room more.
“Pine, obviously, they’ve got some big kids and they’re strong. So, their strong suit is our weak point and I’m sure coach (Seal) will tell you the same thing. We’ve got a little speed and they’re big.”
In the timed part of the spring game, there were no kickoffs or punts. Teams began on their own 30 for possessions where a kickoff would’ve been required in a standard game and punts were marked off about 30 yards.
The teams played a scoreless first quarter. Lenoir’s touchdown run that was called back was in the first quarter and Bogalusa eventually turned it over on downs at Pine’s 25.
From there, the Raiders on a 75-yard drive and that ended with Drake Westmoreland running it in from 12 yards out on second-and-10. Logan Temples ran it in for two to make it 8-0.
Bogalusa responded and tied the game at 8-8 on the ensuing drive. Bogalusa moved the ball to Pine’s 39, and on second-and-10, Baham completed a 39-yard pass to Jared Jackson. Chas Smith ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game 8-8 at halftime.
Pine took the lead in the third quarter. The Raiders began a drive on Bogalusa’s 48 after a flag. Handy ran 30 yards to the 18. A flag on Bogalusa moved it to the 9. After Joey Seal ran for 7, Handy got the call and took it in from the 2. The two-point conversion was no good and Pine led 14-8.
The Lumberjacks had a chance to tie or go in front later on, but had a touchdown called back for hurdling. The drive ended with a turnover, as Westmoreland recovered a fumble.
Pine took a 20-8 lead on a 7-yard touchdown run by Temples. The two-point play was no good. The big play on the drive came when Temples unleashed a long pass to Jordan Anderson for 47 yards that set Pine up with first-and-goal at the 10.
Pine added another score when Handy scored from the 2. Delvric Dillon ran in the two-point conversion for a 28-8 lead.
The game’s final tally occurred when Baham connected with Lenoir on a 48-yard pass to make it 28-14.
Both teams will be on the road for their scrimmage. Bogalusa heads to Varnado on Aug. 17, while Pine goes to Jewel Sumner the following day.
The teams will also be competing in the Washington Parish Jamboree, which takes place Aug. 25.
The season opener for Bogalusa and Pine is Sept. 1. Pine begins the 2017 regular season by hosting Central Catholic. Bogalusa is on the road against Northlake Christian School.