By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Through two weeks of play, the St. Charles Catholic passing game hadn’t yet clicked, and host St. Amant was determined to make the Comets prove themselves through the air on Friday night.

Their test was passed – with flying colors.

Marc Picciola completed 11-of-13 passes for 167 yards and four touchdowns to lead St. Charles to a 35-7 win at St. Amant.

Alex Marse, Brandon Becker, Zach Goodwin and Tyler Roussel each hauled in touchdown passes to help the Comets (2-1) to their second straight road victory over a 5A school. Becker added a 71-yard kick return to give him two scores for the night.

“We were trying to take advantage of certain things they were showing us defensively,” said St. Charles Coach Frank Monica. “They loaded the box, since we were showing more of our running game in previous weeks.

“We thought we’d throw a little more, and it worked out for us this time.”

The Comets faced a similar offensive scheme – the triple option — in its opening game against Higgins, a lopsided Comets loss. Monica credited his defensive coaches for adjusting the game plan against St. Amant (0-3), and his players for their all-out effort.

“Our confidence was shaken after Higgins,” he said. “This builds momentum for us.”

St. Charles struck first at the 2:14 mark of the first quarter. Picciola found Marse for a 16-yard score to cap a seven play, 66-yard drive that made it 7-0.

St. Charles’ next drive ended the same way as the first. Picciola’s 10-yard strike to Goodwin capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive and made it 14-0. That score stood until halftime.

After the Comets defense forced a three-and-out, St. Charles scored in six plays, as Picciola found Becker for a 22-yard score to make it 21-0.

Justin Vicknair halted the Gators’ next drive, intercepting quarterback Jaylin LeBlanc at the St. Charles 45. Picciola soon found Roussel for his fourth and final touchdown, a 22-yard score that made it 28-0.

LeBlanc ran for a 31-yard touchdown on the Gators’ next possession to cut the lead to 28-7. But on the ensuing kickoff, Becker went the distance, returning it 71-yards for the Comets’ final touchdown of the night.

In all, SCC scored on five of its first seven possessions, and came away with a decisive win.

Courtland Taylor rushed 16 times for 77 yards to lead St. Charles. Stafford Jones added seven runs for 61 yards. Becker and Marse combined for seven catches and 119 yards.

SCC outgained St. Amant 340 to 218 in total offensive yardage.

 And observers saw plenty of the offensive flexibility that has been a hallmark of the Comets over the years.

“We needed to have some balance in our offense,” said Monica. “We’re not a team that can just run every down or throw every down.”