MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 17, 2000

LAPLACE – For the second straight week, a place kick by Jason Waguespack gave St. Charles Catholic a victory Friday night.A week after his 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter defeated Grace King, Waguespack hit an extra point to give the Comets a 7-6 overtime victory over Lawless at Thomas Dupuy Stadium.

Moments earlier, on the second play of the Comets’ possession, Phillip Hoffman made a sliding catch in the left side of the end zone of a pass from Waguespack from the 10-yard line. Waguespack had scrambled left onthe play, getting rid of the ball just before getting hit.

Lawless had taken a 6-0 lead on its first possession of the overtime on a 6-yard run up the middle by Kareem Lewis. But Willie Mackey’s extra pointattempt was no good, leaving the Pythians ahead by only six.

St. Charles Catholic improved to 2-1 on the season with the win. Lawlessfell to 1-2.

Waguespack finished the game with 145 yards on 12-of-28 passing. Forthe third straight game, he was not intercepted. Waguespack also carriedthe ball 12 times for 19 yards. Toby Jacob had five catches for 58 yards.Six different receivers caught balls for the Comets. St. Charles Catholicran the ball 26 times for 48 yards, led by Doug Friloux with 21 yards on 10 carries.

Lawless finished with 138 yards in offense. Terrance Smothers had 105yards rushing on 24 carries. Sam Coleman completed 6-of-18 passes for44 yards and two interceptions. The Comets also recovered two fumbles. St. Charles Catholic had an opportunity early in the fourth quarter afterMatt Arceeaux intercepted Coleman at the Comet 36 and returned it to the 47. On third-and-11 from the 46, Waguespack found Toby Jacob on the leftsidelines for 15 yards and a first dow at the Lawless 41.

After an encroachment call against Lawless, the Pythians held at the 37.

Waguespack came in attempt a 55-yard field goal that had the distance but was wide left with 7:29 left in the game.

St. Charles Catholic got the ball back two minutes later as Anthony Jacobintercepted Coleman at the Lawless 49. Pass interference andfacemasking calls on consecutive plays against the Pythians gave the Comets a first down at the 16. But two plays later, Friloux fumbled andJoe Smith recovered for Lawless, returning it to the 30.

St. Charles Catholic held and took over at the Lawless 33 after Mackey’spunt was partially blocked. On third-and-6 from the 29-yard line,Waguespack was stopped just short on a scramble. Waguespack then camein for a 41-yard field goal that sailed just left with 14 seconds remaining.

Lawless pinned St. Charles Catholic deep in its own territory three timesin the third quarter but could not take advantage of the field position. A 7-yard loss by Smothers halted the first drive at the Lawless 48 and a holding call pushed the Pythians back on the second after they had take over at the Comets 44.

Both teams hurt themselves in the first half with fumbles and penalties.

Each team lost two fumbles in the half and the Pythians committed over 60 yards in penalties, including three offsides calls inside the Comet 30.

The Pythians set themselves up late in the half as Joe Smith picked up a fumble by Friloux after a shovel pass at the Lawless 33. Smith returned itto the Comets 26 before Waguespack made the touchdown-saving tackle.

On the first play after the turnover, Henry Parker took an inside reverse up the middle for 19 yards. After an offsides call, Smothers swept right for17 yards to the Comets 3.

Lawless then proceeded to stop itself. After another offsides call,Coleman thought a penalty had been called, stood up after taking the snap and fumbled with the Pythians were able to recover the ball at the 19.

Coleman passed to Kareem Lewis for eight yards to the 6. But a thirdoffsides call pushed the Pythians back again and Willie Mackey’s 23-yard field goal was wide left with 57 seconds left in the half.

St. Charles Catholic caught a break as Smothers fumbled a punt at his 38and Gabe Sellars recovered for the Comets with 8:02 left in the half. Butthe Comets gave it right back on the next play as Waguespack fumbled after a 12-yard gain with James recovering for the Pythians at the 26.

A sack by Kevin Blank and three straight penalties pushed the Pythians back to their 21. But Rondell Lewis got the Pythians out of trouble with a65-yard punt to the Comets 14.

Waguespack completed a 54-yard pass to John Bordelon along the right sidelines three plays later, setting the Comets up at the Lawless 33.

Lawless moved the ball to the St. Charles Catholic 44 on its firstpossession of the game as Smothers gained 30 yards on a sweep to the right before being brought down by Matt Arceneaux. Two plays later,Larone James fumbled with Anthony Jacob recovering for the Comets at the St. Charles Catholic 39.St. Charles Catholic took over its second possession at its own 41.Waguespack hit Jacob on the right side for an 11-yard gain, then came back two plays later with a shovel pass to Todd Babin for a 6-yard gain to the 24.

The Comets were stopped there and Waguespack’s 41-yard field goal attempt had the distance but was wide right with 3:15 left in the first quarter.

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