By RY AN ARENA

L’Observateur

St. John Parish saw seven players selected to the Class 2A All-State football team – including the classification’s very best offensive threat.

The Louisiana Sports Writers’ Association voted Riverside quarterback Darnell Rachal as this season’s Outstanding Player on offense, besting a number of fellow prolific producers to nail down the honor.

Rachal is joined on the team by teammate Dale Martin, an offensive tackle, and five St. Charles Comets – Marcus Hall, Harley Scioneaux, Brady Hitt, LaJaylin Smith and Jared Keating.

RA defensive lineman Andrew Vicknair was named honorable mention.

Rachal directed the most prolific offense in Riverside history, a squad that averaged 41.5 points per game. The Rebels scored 40 points or more in 10 of their 13 games. Rachal himself was the definition of a dual threat, hurting defenses with his arm and his legs. Passing, he tallied 1,587 yards and 15 touchdowns to go with four interceptions. Running the ball out of the Rebels’ spread attack, he piled up 1,789 yards and 33 touchdowns, giving him 48 total over the course of the season.

“I was so excited (to hear the news),” said Rachal, a senior. “I put a lot of hard work into this and I guess it shows that it pays off.”

Rachal said that he felt Riverside had a chance to have a big season based on the surrounding talent coming back.

“We had a lot of seniors on the team and had a lot of guys around me to make it possible,” he said. “The offensive line opened holes and there were a lot of guys around me to command attention and make plays.”

Riverside coach Mickey Roussel said he likewise expected Rachal, and the Rebel offense, to have a big year.

“When he came in under Tim (Taffi), he got here during the summer and we were running the Wing-T,” said Riverside coach Mickey Roussel. “But we knew he’d be a spread quarterback. We ran the spread late in his sophomore year, and ever since … it was an adjustment but we exceeded expectations last season. And this season, his success didn’t surprise me.

“He’s a special kid. Very humble. It’s been a pleasure to coach him the last two seasons.”

Martin makes his second consecutive All-State team. The 6’2, 240 pound tackle anchored the Rebel line again this season, creating holes for Rachal, tailback Thomas Crouch, and the rest of the Rebel weapons to dash through.

“He might be the best overall lineman we’ve had (at Riverside),” said Roussel. “We’ve had some bigger, had some stronger, but he’s smart, versatile, and he’s a technician. He can play Center, guard and tackle. I know some are concerned about his height at the next level, but someone is going to get a steal.”

Hall showed what he could do in a full season after an injury abbreviated his 2009 season for St. Charles. He scored 31 overall touchdowns and piled up 2,500 all-purpose yards. Four touchdowns came on kick or punt returns.

“He was a big threat on special teams, so much so that by the end of the year, nobody gave him a chance in the kicking game,” said St. Charles coach Frank Monica. “He was so versatile as a return man, a runner, a receiver, and a Wildcat quarterback. He was a threat to beat the defense in so many ways.”

Scioneaux was a reliable target for first year starting quarterback Donnie Savoie. At 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, he was equally effective as a blocker and receiver.

“Not just a good blocker, he really came on as a threat over the middle for us,” said Monica. “He stretched the field for us.”

Smith and Hitt were leaders on a St. Charles defense that pressured the quarterback and created turnovers all season long. Smith’s versatility was valuable – he could play on the line or as a pass-rushing linebacker for SCC.

“He was a guy you simply had to block,” said Monica. “He was (rushing) most of the time and he made plays all over the field. He had a lot of hurries and pressures.”

Meanwhile, Hitt’s nose for the football and head for the game set him apart at cornerback.

“He’s instinctive, very instinctive,” said Monica. “He had a knack for picking off and batting the ball down in coverage. He also had good size in run support. At 185, he’s a big corner by our standards and that helped us hold up against perimeter runs.

Keating continued a tradition of strong play in the Comets’ kicking game. The punter wasn’t called upon that often thanks to a strong SCC offense, but he was extremely effective in pinning opponents back when needed.

“He could pin you inside the 20, and thanks to those long kicks and the hangtime he put on it, he could turn the field completely around,” said Monica.

“He was extremely valuable.”