By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

It’s no shocker that St. Charles Catholic would be well represented on the Louisiana Sports Writers’ Class 3A All-State team, not after the season the Comets put together in 2011.

St. Charles captured its first ever state championship with a thrilling 9-8 win over Amite in the Superdome last week after a season of leading the state polls as the 3A top dog from wire to wire. Five Comets made the All-State team: seniors Lazedrick Thompson, Marcus Hall, Gabriel Alarcon and LaJaylin Smith and junior Taylor Cochran.

The Class 2A team was also released recently with Riverside represented upon it in the form of senior Tate Scioneaux, who helped the Rebels to an 8-4 record and a finish in the state’s regional round.

SCC’s Jeffrey Hall and Austin Breaux were named honorable mention in 3A and Riverside’s Nate Williams, Grady Gieger and Jonquial Sanders earned the same in 2A.

Hall and Thompson made the team as a return specialist and a running back, respectively. They’ve been known as SCC’s “Thunder and Lightning” since their sophomore season, and each found a knack for finding the end zone throughout their Comet careers.

Thompson rushed for nearly 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, but was sidelined in the regular season’s final game with a knee injury. A Tulane commitment, his legacy at the school will likely be less tied to his touchdown count and more to his effort after returning in the semifinals and state championship; limited by the injury to straight ahead running, Thompson pounded out key, clock-killing first downs in each of the Comets final victories.

“He inspired the rest of our guys,” said St. Charles coach Frank Monica. “Those hard inside runs were his trademark. Even if a team could slow him down early, in the end he gave us that hammer to finish teams off. Having both he and Marcus was a tremendous advantage because we always could have a fresh runner in the game.”

Hall scored three times as a return man and was just as lethal as a running back and receiving threat.

“It will take the work of three players produce what Marcus did in so many areas,” said Monica. “He was a threat in every phase of the game. He is incredibly special in the kicking game. We’re going to miss him, I know that.”

On the offensive line, Alarcon helped pave the way for both. The Comets’ balanced offense asks a lineman to be equally proficient in the run and the passing game, and he was and then some. Alarcon did not allow a sack until the state championship game.

“When we needed a yard or two, it was no secret … we always ran left,” said Monica. “He was extremely proficient and didn’t make mental errors. He led our offensive line in many ways.”

Smith and Cochran were staples up front of a Comet defense that was absolutely suffocating in 2011.

SCC allowed just 23 offensive points during the regular season and held explosive offenses like Patterson (six points) and Amite (eight) down in the postseason.

Smith, a defensive end, has started for SCC since his eighth grade season. He notched 64 tackles and nine sacks this year.

“You always knew he’d be there, in practice, in games, every single day,” said Monica. “So productive and so consistent. He took the leadership role on and said, ‘I’ll be the guy.’ He was really our bellcow, someone who absolutely did not relax, ever, out there.”

Cochran was the team’s nose tackle, a 315 pounder who dropped down from 375 prior to the season to improve his agility. He put that on display in the state championship, taking to the air to block Amite’s first punt of the game – that led to SCC’s only touchdown.

“He made himself into quite an efficient player,” said Monica. “He’s a competitor. He loves the game and he loves to win even more. He showed that when he went airborne and blocked that punt. He’s only a junior and we’re excited. He has a lot of upside.”

Scioneaux has been a multi-time All-District performer at defensive back and earned his All-State position there. He wore two hats this year, as he also led the offense as the Rebels’ quarterback.

“If you want a definition of what you’d like your player to represent, Tate would be it,” said Riverside coach Mickey Roussel. “He’s extremely talented, a multi-sport athlete. He’s been a defensive back since his sophomore season, and he stepped in and did a very admirable job at quarterback as we needed him to. He’s a great kid who I know will do extremely well in his life.”