A new rivalry will start on Saturday when Lake Charles College Prep and Barbe meet for the first time during the regular season. 

The game will kick off at 1 p.m. at Cougar Stadium. 

“It has been talked about,” Barbe head coach Skeet Owens said of scheduling the Trailblazers. “We always had such a big district, and we were always committed to LaGrange. 

“We have had only one open week the last couple of years. We were able to make it happen. It is good for the city. The kids get to compete. Some of them were friends growing up. We are looking forward to the challenge.” 

 LCCP opened in 2014 but the sole meeting between the schools was a jamboree game in 2019 that Barbe won 26-14.

“It took a little while,” LCCP head coach Erick Franklin Sr. said of scheduling a regular-season game. “I think that it will be good for the city. 

“There should be a lot of people there and great competition. We have been waiting for a while to get this game set up. We finally got it set up, and I am excited for the game on Saturday.”

Both have strong passing games led by sophomore quarterbacks, but each is searching for their first win.

LCCP quarterback Dylan Vital threw for threw for 245 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown to Ayden Carter (9 rec., 195 yards) last week. They trailed Class 4A No. 6 Westgate by two points early in the fourth quarter but lost 31-20.

“We had an opportunity to take the lead, and we had a couple of dropped balls and, of course, they (Westgate) scored again,” Franklin said. “We played well enough to beat them. We matched up well with them athletically and physically.

“I am excited about this team. I thought we controlled the game in the trenches last week on both sides. At times we had them on third down, and they got a couple of first downs.”

Barbe’s Jelandon Gray threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the Bucs 52-49 shootout loss to Airline, a quarterfinal team a year ago. Barbe didn’t score more than 35 points in any game last season.

“I was impressed with our offense,” Owens said. “For them to put up that many we had a lot of good things. Of course, we had a chance at the end to win it. It just didn’t go our way.”

Barbe forced three turnovers last week, including Jack Sonnier’s 60-yard fumble return touchdown, but Owens said he wants to see more from the defense after giving up more than 600 yards last week.

“They played well and forced some turnovers, made some plays and scored a touchdown,” Owens said. “Airline is a special group on offense that we just didn’t have an answer for. 

“We have to limit their explosiveness and big plays. We watched film and they have a bunch of good plays that were called back. We have to limit their big plays, at least make them execute and go down the field and put a drive together. We have to play solid defense and avoid big plays.”

LCCP wants to limit Barbe’s extended scoring drives. The Trailblazers forced Westgate into 10 third-down possessions last week, but the Tigers converted on 40 percent of them and one on fourth down.

“I think we need to get off the field on third down defensively,” Franklin said. “If we get off the field on third down, I think that we will be fine. Offensively, if we have to control the line of scrimmage and throw the ball like we did against Westgate, we should have an opportunity to win.”