SportsZone Football Friday Game of the Week Preview: Rock Bridge at Battle
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Two Columbia schools meet to kick off the final third of the high school football season.
The Bruins and Spartans are our SportsZone Football Friday Game of the Week. You can watch the game live over the air on channel 17.3 on KZOU. Here is a look at other local listings:
- DirecTV - Channel 18
- Dish Network - Channel 32
- Mediacom - Channel 12 & 709
- Centurylink - Channel 12
- Spectrum - Channel 183
Resilience has been a defining trait for both Rock Bridge and Battle through the first six weeks of the season. Battle has fought and responded to every loss they've had this season, and while they came in with high hopes, the Bruins have had to keep that focus even after dropping a couple of games that they would like back.
"It's tough whenever you lose a couple games that you don't feel like you played your best, or you feel like you underperformed," Rock Bridge coach Matt Perkins said. "Our kids have been very focused and determined. Last week was our best week of practice going into the Camdenton game, and it was coming off a really tough loss against a good Helias team."
The senior class has stepped up for the Bruins, and allowed them to fight through the difficult practices and games.
"The way they carry themselves in practice, in the weight room, in the meeting rooms, how much film they're getting in, it's hard not to be dialed in when you got those types of kids," Perkins said. "And then our junior class is loaded with great leaders too."
One of those highly touted third years is quarterback Sean Nevills Jr. Coach Perkins has talked highly about how he's developed as the starter, and how he willed the team to a win over the Lakers in week six.
"He definitely has a lot of poise about im right now, and I think he's played that way the whole year. But to see him in that pressure situation in the middle of the field, fourth and three, if we don't get it they've got all the momentum. That's a heck of a play from that kid," Perkins said.
Battle knows the weapon that the Bruins have running that offense, and have spent the week preparing to contain one of the league's most elusive players.
"He's one of the best athletes in the state of Missouri," Battle head coach Shawn Gaines said. "We have to do a really good job of using our athleticism to corral him and keep him in check the best that we can."
On the other side of the ball, the Spartans have been taking a new approach at quarterback. In week five, the starter Blayne Jungmann went down with an injury, and coach Gaines made the call to move the team's leading receiver, Payton Lipich under center.
"We're really just trying to put the ball in our best players hands, and doing that means, right now, just giving it to him every time," Gaines said. "He showed some flashes this past week, being able to create plays, be able to make things happen, whenever things break down, he just plays some really smart football."
Now, Lipich will look to lead the Spartans into battle against the Bruins. Rock Bridge will travel to take on Battle on Friday, Oct. 9, with kick off slated for 7:00 p.m.
