MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 16, 1998

LAPLACE – St. Charles Catholic will honor its championship softball teamFriday night while trying to get started on the road to a football one when it hosts Christian Life.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Thomas Duprey Memorial Field on the St.Charles Catholic campus.

The Lady Comets softball team will be presented with their rings at halftime for winning the Class 2A state title in May. St. Charles Catholicdefeated Riverside, 2-1, in the championship game.

The football Comets are looking for their first victory after dropping the first two games of the season on the road at Archbishop Hannan and Redemptorist. It is the first time since 1994 that the Comets have starteda season at 0-2. That season saw the Comets lose their first five gamesbefore rallying to finish in a three-way tie for first.

St. Charles Catholic is looking for a repeat of that finish starting thisweek against the Crusaders (1-1). Both teams are coming off close losses.St. Charles Catholic fell to Redemptorist on a late touchdown andChristian Life lost to Kentwood, ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, 3-0.The Comets were led by running back Wayne Stein who gained 84 yards on the ground and scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. Nick Monica passed for116 yards on 8-of-10 passing. But for the second straight week, theComets were done in by a running back, Shawn Lambert, who gained 177 yards on 23 carries. Hannan’s Jeff Sanchez gained 288 yards in the seasonopener.

“In any football game, four or five plays make or break a team,” St.

Charles Catholic coach Wayde Keiser said. “Those plays didn’t go in ourdirection. We scrap it on and get ready for our next opponent. We battled.We played every down as hard as we could play.”Christian Life was held to two first downs and 112 yards, all on the ground, against the Kangaroos. The Crusaders fumbled five times, losingthree, and were intercepted twice. The defense held Kentwood to fourfirst downs and 141 total yards, 105 on the ground.

Christian Life, a member of District 7-2A, defeated Grambling, 20-8, in the opening week of the season. The Crusaders return seven starters onoffense from 1997 when they went 4-7. Stefon LeFors and Ronald Johnsonreturn at quarterback and fullback, respectively.

The Crusaders defense returns eight starters from a year ago, including the entire line. Patrick Herbert, Roberto Eger, Robert Prevost and RyanPhillips lead the front charge. Leading the backfield is Michael Clayton.”They are big and physical,” Keiser said. “They are a good football teamand it has developed into a good rivalry between the teams.”Christian Life scored late to hand the Comets their first loss last season, 23-16. LeFors connected with Youel Naranjo on a 52-yard strike with 1:16remaining for the winning points. Matt Entremont returned a fumble and TyMonica and Julian Ward connected on an 82-yard scoring play for the Comets. Stein gained 94 yards on the ground.St. Charles Catholic hosts Redeemer-Seton next Friday while ChristianLife opens District 7-2A play at home against Northeast.

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