LAPLACE — St. Charles returned to action after a long layoff on Monday, but Ben Franklin spoiled things for the Comets, seizing a 5-0 victory at SCC.

The Falcons led 2-0 at halftime.

“We knew it would be tough. Ben Franklin is ranked fifth in the state for a reason,” said SCC coach Don Peyton. “We’re in rebuilding mode, but I thought we fought hard and kept it close in the first half.”

Peyton said that the game shows how far his young team has to go, but that it was a useful experience for his team to see what the results of their hard work can yield.

“When you see a team like Ben Franklin, you kind of see the end result. That’s where you want to be,” said Peyton. “Whereas we’re at a place where a shot goes a little off here, or a pass missed by a bit there, and with them everything happens as it should. The Ben Franklin’s, the Mount Carmel’s, they pass it to a spot and someone’s right there.

It’s a learning curve. But our young girls are starting to catch on to the system. Our two seniors (Clarissa Guidry and Cassie Drexel) are leading us. Everyone’s been positive.”

One thing Peyton has found especially encouraging is the input of some of his former players, who have taken to coming to the team’s practices and helping the young Comets out.

“Girls that graduated last year, two, three years ago are coming to help. It’s a family,” said Peyton. “They’re passing on the good times they’ve had to the rest of the team.”