Mid-City Rivalry: Blue Jays Open Regular Season Against Eagles

Posted September 3, 2015 / Last updated September 8, 2015

Jesuit vs. Warren Easton: Kickoff at Tad Gormley Stadium Tonight at 7

Coach Mark Songy told his players that he was proud of their performance and demeanor following last week’s win in the Hahnville Jamboree.

The Jesuit – Warren Easton rivalry is steeped in aggressive competition and raw rancor.

While the enmity between the two schools no longer exists, hopefully, Thursday night’s clash between the two Mid-City teams is expected to be a spirited contest.

The two teams kick off tonight at Tad Gormley Stadium at 7. This is the opening game of the regular season for both teams. Pre-sale tickets may be purchased at the Jesuit switchboard (Banks Street blue awning entrance) this afternoon until 4. Pre-sale tickets are $6 each for adults and students and $3 each for children (ages 6-11). All tickets (adults-students-children) purchased at the gate are $8 each. Student IDs will not be accepted at the gate for this non-district contest.

Watch a live stream of the game on SportsNola.com. A delayed broadcast of the game will air on WHNO-TV (Cox 20 and 1020) on Saturday, Sept. 5 at noon.

In the series going back to 1914 (although the two teams played a few times prior to this date), the Jays and Eagles battled each other 46 times. The Jays hold a four-game edge over the Eagles, 23-19-4. Beginning in the 1918 season through the 1955 season, Jesuit and Warren Easton met 38 consecutive years, the longest stretch between the two teams. The Jays, once again, hold a slight edge in that time frame, 20-15-3.

Apparently the rivalry spiraled out of control when the two teams battled in 1955. According to Ron Drez ’58, author of the Jesuit book Gallant Fighting Sons, “vandals painted the side of the Jesuit building, the new chapel doors, and hurled paint cans to break a chapel window. Similar incidents had been commonplace during the long rivalry, on both sides, but this attack on the chapel was too much, and the 1955 regularly scheduled game would be the last in the storied series.”

Well, almost the last game. Since 1960, the Jays and Eagles have played each other only four times. Jesuit won three out of four games: 1960 (12-0), 1992 (35-6), and 2004 (23-0). In 1964, the Eagles topped the Jays, 20-19. The games in 1960 and 1992 were playoff contests.

Both teams are coming off big wins in their respective jamborees last week. Jesuit defeated Hahnville, 17-0, and Warren Easton had its way with Clark, 47-0.

Many of today’s Blue Jays have no concept of how heated the rivalry was at one time between Warren Easton and Jesuit. But surely for a few alumni from both schools, animosity levels are long simmering and likely to increase (but remain under control) as the teams duke it out for the 47th time in the past 101 years.

SportsNola.com: Ron Brocato Chronicles the History of the Jesuit – Warren Easton Rivalry

SportsNola.com: Jesuit, Easton renew rivalry to spotlight opening night of prep football

Nola.com: Jesuit, Warren Easton renew storied Mid-City football rivalry in 2015 season opener

The New Orleans Advocate: Rod Walker’s Prep Column — Inexperience something Jesuit, Warren Easton have in common