For the first time in 13 years, the annual prep football game between New Iberia Senior High School and Westgate High School will feature a new name: the Bayou Bowl.

The original idea to establish a trophy for the annual meeting between New Iberia’s two public high schools was put forth by one of the Teche Area’s biggest prep football fans.

“The idea came from an Optimist Club meeting last year,” club member Kermit “Mousey” Comeaux said in an interview with The Daily Iberian in 2010. “It was a way to keep the Optimist Club name in the public by sponsoring the game.”

The game’s new name, “The Bayou Bowl sponsored by the Sugarland Optimist Club of New Iberia, reaffirms the goals set forth in 2010 while also reinvigorating the competition. In addition to a game trophy, which will remain with the winning team until the following season, an award will be given out for Most Valuable Player.

The inaugural Bayou Bowl will take place on Sept. 1 at Westgate High School. The event will focus on re-engaging with the community and will feature a joint band performance, a hospitality tent for sponsors and school personnel and the return of the official gameday t-shirt.

Anyone interested in sponsorships for the event can reach out to Mr. Gilbert “Doc” Thomas with Sugarland Optimist Club of New Iberia (gilbertdocthomas@yahoo.com) or Ms. Neely Moore at the IPSD Administrative Office.

Kickoff for the inaugural Bayou Bowl is scheduled for 7p.m.

Berry Bowl History

The Yellow Jackets won the inaugural contest in 2010, defeating Westgate 29-10. The Tigers answered back with a win of their own in 2011, defeating NISH 31-14.

NISH went on to win the trophy five consecutive times from 2012 to 2016 (43-7 in 2012, 17-7 in 2013, 15-12 in 2014, 44-7 in 2015 and 34-0 in 2016).

Westgate was finally able to come away with a victory of their own in 2017, a 31-23 win that led to wins in 2018 (7-3) and 2019 (26-14) as well.

NISH secured the trophy for the final time amidst COVID restrictions in 2020, going 6-2 in the regular season before eventually losing to Zachary in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

The Tigers won the contest in 2021, defeating NISH 35-3 in the same season that saw Westgate become Class 4A state champions for the first time in program history. Westgate repeated the win last season with a 47-0 shutout in the opening week of the 2022 season.

NISH has won seven games, one more than Westgate. The Yellow Jackets outscored the Tigers 209-177 over 13 games.