High school football highlights: Arch Manning, Newman improve to 6-0 with defensive-minded win over St. Charles Catholic

Arch Manning threw two early touchdown passes Friday and that's all host Newman (New Orleans, La.) needed to improve to 6-0 with a tough 14-7 win over St. Charles Catholic (LaPlace, La.).

Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Pike Philibert and a 10-yarder to tight end William Randle — both on fourth down — in the first quarter. But from there, the Comets (4-2) were tenacious.

They came in with three shutouts and showed why, sacking Manning five times while holding the high-scoring Greenies scoreless the last three quarters. Newman came in averaging 40 points per game.

Manning, the nation's top-rated sophomore quarterback, completed 17 of 25 passes for 232 yards but was intercepted once and under heavy duress throughout. He ran effectively but with the sacks finished with one yard rushing in 12 carries.

Newman's defense was outstanding, allowing a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive to start the second half, capped by an 8-yard TD run by quarterback Zack Vicknair to cut the lead to 14-7 midway through the third quarter. But the Greenies weren't really threatened from there and got a big fourth-down interception by Sterling Scott with 1:46 to go to seal the win.

The victory avenged a 27-26 loss to the Comets last season. The two teams could face off again in the playoffs.

Newman looked like it was going to run and hide, scoring easily on its first two possessions. A roughing the punter penalty extended the first drive and Manning made the Comets pay with five completions, the last one a 22-yard touchdown to Philibert, who broke free in the middle of the field and hauled in the pass in stride at the goal line to make it 7-0.

Completions of 29 and 31 yards to A.J. Johnson set up the next score, a 10-yard pass to Randle.

The score remained that way until the Comets took the second half kickoff and ran off 13 straight running plays, including five rushes for 57 yards by super swift running back Keenan Gauff (14 carries, 102 yards).

Vicknair's touchdown cut the lead in half, 14-7, but the Greenies held on three straight possessions to pull out the win.

Newman came into the game coming off a tough 31-26 win over Riverside Academy when Manning threw for just 58 yards without a touchdown but ran for three scores.

The Greenies continue their season next week at home against Cohen (New Orleans) while St. Charles plays at South Plaquemines.