By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Embroiled in a struggle with visiting West Feliciana, St. Charles needed a big, momentum changing play. And Justin Vicknair was there to provide it.

The Comet defensive back intercepted a Rouvell Lee pass early in the second half and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. The score put the No. 12 seeded Comets ahead, 21-13, and was the catalyst in a 28-0 second half for St. Charles as it overcame a slow start to roll to a 42-13 playoff victory.

“I just read the flat, broke on the ball and caught it,” said Vicknair. “Then I ran as fast as I could.”

Said St. Charles Coach Frank Monica: “Bear Bryant used to say that there are three game-changing plays in every game, and you never know when they would come. That was one of them for us. It was a huge momentum shift.”

The Comets will now travel to face district foe Lutcher in the regional round on Friday night.

St. Charles was without injured starting running back Jonathan Cancienne, but the Comets pushed through as others stepped up in his absence. Among them was running back Courtland Taylor, who started and rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

Vincent Rollo was 16-for-22 for 136 yards and a touchdown. Devin Snyder caught five passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Each team turned the ball over in the first half, but St. Charles (8-3) won the turnover battle 2-0 in the second half.

“This wasn’t easy,” said Monica. “They came in with a good plan, and they controlled the first half. We made some early mistakes, but we did a better job taking care of the football in the second half and forced some huge turnovers.”

West Feliciana struck first after a 5-yard Lee run which put his team ahead 7-0 with 5:29 left in the first quarter. That touchdown was set up by a 69-yard Terrance Bell run earlier in the drive.

St. Charles lost a fumble on its next drive at the 3:15 mark of the quarter, but Comet defensive back Jordan Millet recovered West Feliciana fumble 44 seconds later. Rollo would cap off a near seven-minute drive by converting a fourth-and-three, rolling to his right and firing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Alex Marse to tie the game, 7-7.

St. Charles would force another turnover on West Feliciana’s next possession, as Corey Reed recovered a fumble forced by Millet at the West Feliciana 45-yard line.

Taylor capped off the next drive for the Comets by breaking loose down the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown run, making it 14-7.

“(Running backs) Courtland Taylor and Jason Ray filled in tremendously for Jonathan,” said Monica.

With 29 seconds left in the half, West Feliciana cut the lead to one, 14-13, after a 3-yard Bell touchdown. A two-point pass attempt was no good.

But when the second half came, St. Charles looked like a different team. Vicknair intercepted Lee at the 10:31 mark of the third quarter and his 27-yard return score made it 21-13.

(See COMETS, Page 10A)

A Jordan Graver interception at the 5:37 mark of the quarter set the ball up on the Comets’ 40-yard line. Rollo capped an 11-play drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Snyder to make it 28-13 with no time left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Taylor’s 3-yard touchdown run with 8:44 left effectively put the game out of reach for West Feliciana, making it 35-13.

Jason Ray capped the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds left in the game, making it 42-13.

“We played with heart and more intensity in the second half,” said Vicknair. “There’s more at stake now. We knew we had to play better.”