Bunkie and Marksville football fans plan for this week as soon as the high school football schedule comes out. They look to see when the annual “Catskin” battle will take place.
After several years of the game being played either on the last or first playing date of the season, this year the game will be played in the middle of the season. On Friday night, the “Catskin” game will be played at Panther Stadium in Bunkie with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
The “Catskin” is a banner the two schools have been playing for since 1950. The banner is divided in half diagonally with one half in red and the other half in purple. The school mascot is placed in each school’s half with the scores of the game each school has won. The school which wins the game keeps the banner until the football game the following year. The banner is seen often at other sporting events between the two schools. Since 1950 Bunkie owns a 33-25-2 edge in the series. In 1956, the two schools played twice, including a game in the state playoffs with Marksville winning both games.
Both coaches have played and now coached in the rivalry. Bunkie Coach Bruce Webb played for Bunkie High and is now head coach at Bunkie. What many people forget, is that he was also a head coach at Marksville for three years in the mid 1980’s.
“I have seen it from both communities and I can tell you everyone looks forward to this game,” Coach Webb added. “Each community wants the bragging rights for the next year. This game is important for the players for many reasons but the fans of the two cities want to be able to say they own the “Catskin.”
Tiger Coach J. T. Dunbar played for Marksville and has been the head coach for the Tigers for the past several years.
“My whole family has always been a part of the “Catskin,” Coach Dunbar explained. “Now, my son and other relatives are playing in the game.” As for the Marksville community, Coach Dunbar said the game is important to the fans as well as the players.
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