GONZALES - It is a high school rivalry like no other. St. Amant and East Ascension High School are facing off in football Friday night. Ahead of that game, the two schools held one of the biggest pep rallies in the state Thursday night.

“Every year it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” said St. Amant Fire Chief James LeBlanc, who helped organize the event.

At the Lamar Dixon Expo Center, the two schools are battling to see who stands behind their campus the most.

“We haven't won all three years that I've been here so I'm really trying to win this year,” said EA senior Lily Lambert.

The schools' bands, cheerleaders, and student bodies face off. Even the mascots get in on the action.

“It's all for good fun,” said St. Amant senior Cameron Benoit. “We're friends with EA kids and they're friends with us. It's just a gathering for us to both get together."

That's because this event is also a celebration. The schools have been holding fundraising events all week.

“So over the last 10 years, the ‘Shout Out Committee’ has been able to give East Ascension High School and St. Amant High School $168,000 per school,” said LeBlanc.

That rounds out to nearly $20,000 per school each year. The money goes right back to the schools' sports teams.

“A lot of good comes out of this rivalry, I'll tell you that much,” said Benoit.

Including some screaming. The rally ends with a ‘shout out.’ Each schools tries to be the loudest. Last year it was St. Amant going home with the bragging rights. This year is no different.