By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — There were no eye-popping individual offensive statistics for top-ranked St. Charles as it defeated visiting Jeanerette, 49-0, at Thomas Dupuy Stadium Friday. Instead, St. Charles’ first team put on a display of brutal efficiency.

The Comet offensive starters played just 13 offensive snaps on a night where St. Charles led 49-0 halftime for the second consecutive week. Short drives, short fields and special teams excellence provided the scoring punch as SCC celebrated its homecoming.

Defensively, St. Charles (5-0) notched its second shutout of the season and its third effort allowing no offensive points. The Comets allowed Jeanerette (2-3) just eight total yards and shut down Abdul Tate, who entered the game among the state’s leading rushers. Tate accumulated just 10 yards on 20 carries.

“We did a good job stopping Tate,” said Monica, whose defense has now stopped one of the state’s leading passers (McCoy’s Norbert Ralph) and rushers in consecutive weeks. “We want to take away what a team does best. Last week, it was the passing game, and this week it was the run. Our defensive coaches came up with an excellent plan and the kids went out and executed.”

Marcus Hall scored three total touchdowns, including two on punt returns. Lazedrick Thompson scored twice. Donnie Savoie threw just four times, completing three passes for 92 yards.

The SCC defense forced a three-and-out on Jeanerette’s first possession, and Marcus Hall wasted no time getting SCC on the board, scoring on a 35-yard punt return to make it 7-0 with 9:44 left in the first quarter.

A second three-and-out forced another punt, and this time SCC took over on the opposition’s 35. Lazedrick Thompson scored his first of two touchdown runs, an 8-yard score to make it 14-0 with 5:17 left in the opening quarter.

Thompson scored again with just 34 seconds left in the first, this time from two yards out, after Donnie Savoie hit tight end Michael Millet for a 58-yard gain. Thompson’s score made it 21-0, and SCC wouldn’t look back.

The second quarter saw SCC linebacker Nick Montagut score for the second straight week, recovering a fumble for a touchdown. Then the Comets scored on a 10-yard Marcus Hall touchdown run, a 49-yard Hall punt return for a score and one final touchdown by Austin Weber. In the second half, the Comets rested their starters.

Monica said early in the week that he was concerned with his team’s mental focus after a lackluster practice session, but he was satisfied after Friday’s game.

“I was concerned, but they responded,” he said. “We ran around tonight and got to the ball.”