HARVEY -- New Iberia Senior High did an exceptional job of holding onto the football during a seven-game win streak that propelled the Yellow Jackets to their first district football title in nearly two decades.

That ball control and the streak that went along with it came to simultaneous ends Friday night in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs as the District 3-5A champions doubled their season turnover total in a 56-14 loss to L.W. Higgins.

“It was a microcosm of what our season wasn’t,” said NISH coach Rick Hutson. “I think we had six turnovers on the season through nine games. I know we had one turnover in the last seven games. We had five in the first 26 minutes tonight and six altogether.”

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Two of those turnovers were returned for touchdowns, and three others came on New Iberia’s side of the field to set up quick points for the Hurricanes (8-2).

Add to that New Iberia’s uncharacteristic defensive struggles, and it was a long night for the NISH faithful who made the trip to Harold “Hoss” Memtsas Stadium on the campus of West Jefferson High School.

Higgins scored on its first six offensive possessions and mixed in two interception returns for touchdowns for good measure, rolling up 269 rushing yards while not attempting a pass or a punt all night.

“We didn’t play good defense,” said Hutson. “We played well offensively in spots, but we just kept turning the ball over.”

Though the loss obviously stung, with players fighting back their emotions as the seniors hugged each other and their parents and coaches after the game, it didn’t take away from the pride they felt for their accomplishments.

“This season we had a lot of adversity,” said senior linebacker Michael Lamothe. “I never would’ve expected a seven-game win streak. Over the season I’ve grown to love my teammates more than I ever have in my four years here.”

Hutson said he told the team after the game that he hoped they’d learned something this year that will help make them better citizens, students, husbands, fathers and employees in the future.

“If they learned that our season was a success,” he said. “I was proud of them.”

And that success was not just on the field, he said. Many of the players’ changed their attitudes this season, taking more of a team-first approach, said Hutson.

“If you could sum it up, my job is to make sure I do what’s best for the kids and the team,” he said. “And their job is to do what’s best for each other, to put other people first. That’s what being a team is, putting other people’s needs and the team’s needs first. A lot of players accepted roles that they might not have wanted because it was best for the team.”

But Friday’s game was a Higgins showcase. The Hurricanes had taken an 8-0 lead on the opening drive of the game, marching 70 yards in 12 plays, with Leon Smith scoring on an 11-yard run to end the drive. Quarterback Edward Bernard ran in the 2-point conversion with 5:15 left in the first quarter.

NISH fumbled on its second offensive play, with Shakiel Lucas recovering for the Hurricanes at the New Iberia 45 to set up a six-play scoring drive, capped by Bernard’s 18-yard TD run with 1:28 to go in the opening period for a 14-0 Higgins lead.

The Jackets (7-3) made a game of it on their next possession, mixing the pass and run well on a 61-yard scoring drive that featured five passing plays and seven rushing plays. Uriah Joseph scored on a seven-yard toss with 8:30 left and Benci Watkins kicked the point-after to make it a 14-7 game.

Joseph finished with 134 yards on 18 carries and had one pass reception for 17 yards to pace NISH.

But after the TD, New Iberia again could not stop the Hurricanes’ offense, which ran eight straight times to cover 66 yards on the way to another touchdown, this one a three-yard run by fullback Nolan Lebouef. Bernard added the PAT run for a 22-7 lead.

Lebouef, who finished the night with 83 yards on 15 first-half carries, added another short touchdown run on the Hurricanes’ next possession, which came after the Jackets had fumbled the ensuing kickoff away.

The PAT try failed but Higgins led 28-7 with 1:36 remaining in the opening half.

“They were a good team,” said Lamothe. “They came out ready to play. It wasn’t a lack of preparation (on New Iberia’s part). They’ve got a great fullback, a great offensive line. The spacing on their line, they have big splits. It was hard to be gap-sound.

“That’s why they’re 8-2 right now.”

Jonathan Howard returned an interception for a touchdown on New Iberia’s ensuing series to send Higgins to halftime with a 36-7 lead, and Brindell Dorsey did the same on New Iberia’s first possession of the second half to make it a 42-7 game, and after another fumble on New Iberia’s first play after the ensuing kickoff, Bernard scored on a 15-yard keeper for a 49-7 lead. A 56-yard keeper by Bernard made it 56-7 by the 4:02 mark of the third period.

Bernard led the Hurricanes with 160 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

The Jackets put together one final scoring drive late in the third quarter, starting at the NISH 17. Fullback Brennan White capped the 14-play possession by blasting in from the 1-yard line to make it a 56-14 final.

Emanuel Harding gained 44 yards on five runs for New Iberia. White ran for 18 yards on three totes and Tevin Archon carried four times for 22 yards.

Quarterback Jordy Joseph completed six of 10 passes for 64 yards, with Harold Roberts catching three for 26 yards.

Higgins plays at Mandeville, a 24-20 winner over Slidell, in the second round this week.