By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Someone finally gave St Charles a run for its money this postseason.

In response, the Comets asked Lazedrick Thompson simply to run.

Thompson did just that, scoring two touchdowns and chewing up 50 yards on what would essentially be a game-clinching touchdown drive as SCC took down a 21-12 Class 2A quarterfinal round victory over fifth-seeded Farmerville.

The No. 4 seed Comets now have a rematch with district foe John Curtis, the top seed in 2A. SCC fell to Curtis 19-18 last month in district play.

Thompson finished with 122 rushing yards.

Farmerville, meanwhile, rushed for 296.

“They gashed our defensive line,” said St. Charles coach Frank Monica. “They had an excellent gameplan.”

The Comets (12-1) led 14-12 at halftime, and through three combined second half possessions, neither team could sustain a prolonged drive into the other’s territory.

That changed on SCC’s second possession of the third quarter, when the team called upon its running game to drive it to a two-score lead.

“We missed some throws in the first half,” said Monica. “They outplayed us for a half. We knew we had to settle it down.”

With the Comets beginning on their own 23, Jeffrey Hall ripped off an 11-yard gain on a misdirection run. Thompson followed that by bulling forward for gains of eight, 12 and 10.

“Our offensive line really responded well,” said Monica.

Thompson began the fourth quarter with a fourth such run, an apparent 16-yard gain, but SCC was called for blocking below the waist. A second strong Thompson pickup was negated by a holding call, making it first-and-31 from the Farmerville 47.

Hall gained a chunk back with a quick run for 14. Quarterback Henri Faucheux scrambled and picked up six, setting up a third-and-11 at the Farmerville 27. Faucheux then connected with tight end Brandon Becker, who caught the ball in front of the marker and bullied through a tackle to pick up 13 yards and the first down.

Back in business, SCC let Thompson do the rest, gaining 14 yards in the next three carries, capping off the 12-play drive with a 1-yard plunge.

“I was just determined to get into the endzone,” said Thompson. “I wasn’t going to be stopped.”

From there, a Comets defense that’s built a reputation as a shutdown unit did just that, preserving a shutout in the game’s second half. Farmerville drove to the SCC 21 but stalled on fourth down when Grant Authement broke up a fourth down pass by Vece Braggs with 3:39 left.

The Farmers’ last chance fell flat at the Comet 5-yard line with 11 seconds left, when LaJaylin Smith wrapped up Braggs on a scramble – he’d fumble, and SCC would recover to end the game.

It was the game’s only turnover.

“We took care of the football, just like we needed to do,” said Monica. “We knew that if you give an offense like that too many at-bats, they’ll beat you.”

After forcing a three-and-out on Farmerville’s first possession of the game, SCC began on the Farmers 49. Thompson ran for eight, then 16 yards before Faucheux and Becker combined for a 14-yard gain. Thompson capped the drive with runs of seven and four yards, the latter a touchdown run that made it 7-0 with 6:47 left in the first quarter.

It didn’t take Farmerville long to answer. After the Comet defense pushed the Farmers back for a third-and-15, Keontae Fields broke loose running from the Wildcat formation, finding open space on the outside and scoring on a 76-yard run to draw his team within one. The two-point attempt that followed was no good.

“We didn’t tackle their athletes well in space,” said Monica. “We thought we’d do a better job on third and long, but then I didn’t think we’d get them in many third and long situations to begin with.”

SCC drove down to the Farmers 21 in 13 plays on its next drive, but James Krawczyk’s field goal attempt was no good.

Farmerville answered in six plays on a 1-yard touchdown run by Depaul Elliot.

The drive’s key play was its first – a 55-yard scamper by Fields to the SCC 25. The two-point conversion attempt again failed, though, making it 12-7 with 11 minutes left in the first half.

St. Charles marched right back down the field to score in nine plays, capped by Zach Goodwin’s 5-yard touchdown reception from Faucheux on fourth down.

Key plays included a 22-yard run by Hall into Farmers territory and a 12-yard third down conversion on a screen pass from Faucheux to Goodwin.