By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Defending Class 3A champion St. Charles won two games and lost one at Wednesday’s 7-on-7 passing league Wednesday morning, concluding its fourth week in the St. John Parish-based league.

But Comets coach Frank Monica wasn’t thrilled about it.

“We won two games, but we weren’t very impressive,” said Monica. “We thought the defense was a little further along than it is, and we were wrong. We’re unsettled at quarterback, wide receiver… We’ve got to find guys to step into these positions to replace the guys we’ve lost.”

Monica coordinates the league, now in its fifth season of play. St. James, Jesuit, Brother Martin, McDonogh No. 35, Newman, Dutchtown, East Ascension, H.L. Bourgeois, Loranger, Ponchatoula and Hannan participate each week, with each team playing three games in a morning session.

The Comets final game of the day was a loss to Newman, 28-21, one that the Greenies clinched with a touchdown pass on their final possession.

SCC had one play to try to even things before time expired, but quarterback Jemal Baptiste’s deep throw fell incomplete.

Prior to Newman’s game winning touchdown, the Comets had twice rallied from deficits to tie. SCC tied things, 21-21, on a deep strike from Baptiste to Garrett Lubin. The Comets also erased a 14-0 deficit after scoring throws from Baptiste hauled in by Erron Lewis and Brandon Zimmer.

But the day was, as Monica alluded to, uneven. The Greenies built that two touchdown lead after intercepting passes on each of the Comets’ first two possessions. Newman intercepted three on the game.

“We’re struggling with our reads and our route progressions,” said Monica. “If we ask the receivers to run a route 10 times, they might run it 10 different ways… In a passing league like this, you have to make those quick decisions. Your mistakes are magnified.”

The Comets collected a victory in their previous game, however, a 14-6 win over Brother Martin.

Chad McNeil and Brandon Zimmer each scored touchdowns, while Corey Tassin and Sam McMahon hauled in interceptions for the Comets in the victory.

Zimmer, the Comets’ fullback, was a bright spot all day for St. Charles, proving a reliable target for Baptiste in both short and long throws — including one particularly impressive deep fade against Brother Martin for a big gain down the sideline.

Monica said the senior will be utilized in a more diverse way in 2012.

“We’re going to use him at H-back and utilize him as a receiver,” said Monica. “He can not only block, but catch it out of the backfield real well. He knows the system. He’s been a bright spot.”

 As far as the league itself, Monica has found it to be an important and worthwhile exercise for his team and players, and one that has provided good competition for all of the league’s members.

“It’s been a really good thing for all of us,” said Monica. “This is a good location to do this in, to have all of this space. And the good thing is, it’s in the morning. When we’re done, we have the rest of the day … kids who play summer ball can do that. It leaves time for the rest of everyone’s activities.”

There are two weeks left of the summer league. Next week’s action will be contested on Tuesday, due to Independence Day falling on Wednesday. The final week will resume play on Wednesday, July 11.

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