by RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

While St. Charles fell short of their ultimate goal of a state championship in 2010, it didn’t detract from what already had become a tremendous season, one that leaves St. Charles very well represented on L’Observateur’s All-St. John Parish baseball team.

St. Charles went 29-6 this season as champions of District 9-2A. The Comets earned the top seed in the 2A playoffs and advanced to the second round before losing to DeQuincy. Before that, SCC had gone 18-1 in their last 19 games.

One big reason for the Comets’ success was the play of first baseman Brandon Becker, L’Observateur’s choice as the 2010 Most Valuable Player. Becker mashed the ball all season, hitting .460 and knocking in 37 runs, including nine home runs. He also collected 10 doubles. All of that was complimented by a tremendous glove at first base.

Comets’ Coach Paul Waguespack is the choice for the St. John Parish coach of the year after leading SCC to the top seed. Waguespack oversaw a deep pitching staff and a lineup that boasted threats from top to bottom.

Four other Comets join Becker and Waguespack on the team in Marc Picciola, Nick Reine, Jared Keating and Henri Faucheux.

Picciola and Reine, both seniors, provided a big punch in the heart of the Comet order. Picciola, a Louisiana Tech signee, led the parish in home runs with 10, hit .456, collected 39 RBIs and doubled nine times. The second baseman also did his usual strong work on the mound (2.80 ERA, 4-2). Reine homered five times and doubled eight, and toughed out a broken leg over the last 10 games of the season.

Juniors Keating and Faucheux combined to go 13-1. Keating compiled a 1.74 ERA and struck out 66. Faucheux went 5-0 with three saves, swinging from the rotation and into relief. He struck out 52 and had a 1.55 ERA.

Riverside rolled into the state quarterfinals for the second straight season and finished as District 9-2A runner up. The Rebels see three players make the team in senior Chase Bazile and juniors Bryant Tassin and Dylan Martin.

Bazile led the parish in RBIs with 40 while playing second base and shortstop. He hit .400 on the season and socked six home runs.

Martin was the team’s ace, putting up a 2.49 ERA. He hit .311 and hit six home runs. Tassin finished with five home runs and hit .382.

East St. John’s Bryton Trepagnier boasts a spot on the All-Parish team to go with his electric right arm. Trepagnier struck out 69 batters in 64 innings this season and hit .323.

West St. John’s Jarius Moll was a big boon in center field for the Rams and earns the final spot.

Moll hit .315 and stole 14 bases while providing strong defensive play all season.