LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. — As high school football teams chase the championship dream across Louisiana, it was an extra special night for South Lafourche.
Football is officially back in the bayou. Months after Hurricane Ida forced the Tarpons away from their home field, they were back under their own light on Friday.
“There’s so many people here! It’s the first game since the hurricane over here,” said second-grader Emma Guidry, who arrived early with her mom and her best friend, Madison, in full cheer uniform, to support the team.
“We’re really excited and a little nervous,” she said.
It’s certainly something to cheer about. Friday’s game against Opelousas High School was not only the first round of playoffs but was the first time the team was back on home turf.
South Lafourche had been playing home games in Thibodaux due to Hurricane Ida damage.
Lifelong Tarpons like Jett Brunet say this step toward normalcy was a long time coming.
“You know, on the way here, you’ve got piles of debris everywhere on the side of the road and it’s hard to get it out of your mind,” he said. “But this is the kind of thing that gets it out of your mind.”
Brunet comes from a family of South Lafourche students, including his granddaughter, who is a cheerleader.
“People have been tied up fixing homes and keeping leaks out, and picking up trash. And all of a sudden we’re back in our home stadium.
As the first quarter began, Gina Cosse, a band mom, was racing around the concession stand serving nachos and other snacks to hungry fans.
She planned to catch her flute player, her daughter Kaitlyn, at halftime.
“My senior, my girl,” she said proudly, touching the photo button on her band t-shirt.
“It’s our first performance on the field after two years of not being able to perform between COVID and the storm.”
Regardless of the score, South Lafourche is the team Ida couldn’t keep down.
And it’s part of a community that’s keeping score.
“It’s my first time and a lot of folks first time to see our team where they belong – right here in South Lafourche,” said Brunet. “Life is good in the bayou.”