By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

NEW ORLEANS – St. Charles running back Marcus Hall wore a grin from ear to ear, the smile of someone who had just completed a job well done.

He shared that look with more than a few teammates on Friday night.

It was a complete team effort for St. Charles, as its offense, defense, and special teams clicked in unison in a 42-13 trouncing of Newman in a District 9-2A game in New Orleans.

“We’ve been ready for this the whole week,” said Hall. “We had to show what we could do. Right now, we feel like we can beat anyone.”

Hall ran for three touchdowns and 134 yards to pace a SCC running game that piled up 270 yards.

Overall, the Comets (5-0, 2-0) outgained Newman (3-2, 0-2) in total yardage. 351 to 271. The Comets defense intercepted five of Newman quarterback Ryan Brenner’s passes, and the special teams unit blocked two punts.

As importantly, St. Charles held Newman’s strong running back Ronnie Vinson in check – he gained 39 yards on 11 carries and did not score. Newman rushed for only 48 yards in the game.

Once making the Greenies one dimensional, Monica said the key was finding ways to make Brenner uncomfortable.

“We put a little pressure on the quarterback, made him move his feet,” said Monica. “He had to look to his secondary read. We know when he gets in a rhythm, he’s super on those timing throws. We wanted to take that away from him.”

Jeffery Hall rushed for 53 yards and two touchdowns for the Comets.

Newman’s Odell Beckham paced the Greenies with five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. He added a pass on a trick play that went for 57 yards and a touchdown.

While St. Charles led throughout, the game was a fight until the early stages of the fourth quarter.

Newman drew within eight on Merritt Talbot’s 57-yard reception from Beckham, who had taken the ball on an end around from Vinson, the quarterback in the Wildcat formation. Talbot got free behind the Comet defense and was uncontested as he raced to the endzone. SCC would block the extra point attempt, and the Comets led 21-13 with 5:36 left in the third quarter.

But less than a minute later, Marcus Hall scored his third and final touchdown of the night, running up the gut and blowing past the pursuing Greenie defenders for a 63-yard touchdown run.

“Coach put it on our shoulders this week,” said Hall of the Comets’ running game. “Jeffery, (fullback) Michael Brock, we’ve got guys that can play. We aren’t scared of anybody.”

After the teams traded punts, Newman took over at the Comets 21. But on second down, SCC defensive lineman Paul Celestine deflected and intercepted a Brenner pass and returned it to the Greenie 7 yard line. Two plays later, Jeffery Hall was in for a 1-yard touchdown plunge, making it 35-13 with 11:57 left in the game.

Two drives later, SCC held Newman on its next possession to four plays and stopped the Greenies on fourth down at the Newman 38.

This time, SCC would make Newman pay. The Comets scored after an eight play drive on Jeffery Hall’s eight yard touchdown run, making it 42-13 with 1:56 remaining.

St. Charles got on the board on the first play of the second quarter on Marcus Hall’s 2-yard touchdown run. The Comets scored on their next possession after a blocked punt by Grant Authement — Henri Faucheux’s 40-yard pass to Tyler Roussel made it 14-0 with 7:32 left in the first half.

Newman scored late in the first half on Beckham’s 75-yard catch and run. SCC led 14-7 at halftime.

The Comets pushed the lead to 21-7 in the third quarter on Marcus Hall’s 3-yard touchdown run. It was set up by Neil Schexnayder’s 28-yard interception return to the Greenie 3.

“Our defense responded tremendously,” said Monica. “Those short fields for our offense the difference in the game.”