Slidell’s Tigers travel to Tornado Alley tonight to take on the Hammond Tornadoes in a district game.

Slidell (4-4, 2-3) is coming off a 21-17 victory over Fontainebleau, while Hammond (3-5, 2-3) fell to Mandeville 43-20.

Last year, the Tigers blanked Hammond 33-0.

Slidell’s Antonio Marshall runs in the open field, while getting help from his offensive line last Friday night against Fontainebleau. The Tigers head to Hammond to take on the Tornadoes tonight. (File Photo by Chris Kinkaid)

In last week’s game, Slidell overcame a 17-6-halftime deficit with 15 unanswered second-half points to snap a three-game losing streak.

“We came back from that deficit last week and that showed a lot of character,” SHS coach Artie Liuzza said. “That showed we’re learning how to face adversity.”

In the second half, Slidell quarterback Randal Meyer ran for both touchdowns with a sneak and a nine-yard run.

Running back Jonathan Miles tallied 59 yards and scored a three-yard touchdown on Slidell’s first offensive play after an interception.

The wide receivers are Armand Williams, C.J. Hampton, Derrick Comeaux and Chris Barnes.

The one negative about the Tigers was four-first half turnovers last week, all fumbles, one on bad snap to Meyer.

Liuzza said was happy with the way his team moved the ball, but you don’t want to move the ball and then fumble.

“Defensively, we played good. We kept fighting. In this district, you can’t take a play off. You have to play for 48 minutes,” Liuzza said.

Slidell is multiple defensively. Last week, Michael Norman intercepted a pass on the game’s opening possession, which set up Miles’ touchdown.

FHS started four straight possessions inside Slidell’s territory starting at the 7:16 mark of the first quarter. The Bulldogs had the ball at the Tigers’ 45, 28, 47 after an onsides kick recovery and at Slidell’s 18.

For Hammond, first-year coach James Gillyard has the team going in the right direction after the squad went 0-8 last year. He said Slidell is a very-talented team.

“They have very explosive and elusive players. They are very well-coached,” Gillyard said.

He said the key will be assignment football and execution.

The quarterback is sophomore Austin Miller. Last week, he hit on 9-of-20 for 193 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

The running backs are senior Dearius Bland and Justin Betts, who also plays linebacker for the Tornadoes. Gillyard said talked about Betts.

“He’s a leader and when you have senior leadership, it gets the moral up. They look to him,” Gillyard said.

Hammond got down 17-0 in the second quarter, forcing the Tornadoes to go away from the running game. Hammond finished with 50-yards rushing

The wide receivers are Mark Bridgewater, Terrance Bridges, Josh Byars and Mikel Henry. Bridgewater led Hammond’s receiving corps with 10 receptions for 199 yards and two scores.

Defensively, the Tornadoes are a 4-3 group.

Gillyard said Betts and Johnell Bridges are his top defenders.