Sportszone Football Friday Game of the Week is canceled

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

With no one to play, Hickman High School canceled its football game on Friday night.

On Thursday, the Battle Spartans, Hickman's original opponent, canceled the matchup after a possible exposure to COVID-19.

Hickman head coach Cedric Alvis said Battle was in constant contact with him throughout the day.

In the hours following the decision, Alvis and school officials searched for a new opponent, but to no avail.

"It was really tough. Schedules are done two years ahead of time," Alvis said. "Most teams had their schedules completed by March, so to break contract, to break that is really tough."

Alvis said there were about seven other teams in the same position as his squad this week, but logistically things are different now-a-days.

"With everything going on between quarantine laws and COVID and health precautions, a lot of teams that are having games canceled are sticking to finding game in their own area," he said.

Overall, Hickman is treating this as a teaching moment to both players and coaches.

"It's an excellent time to reiterate to my boys why we take temperatures, why we go through all the health screening checks, why coaches yell at them about wearing masks," Alvis said.

For now, Hickman said it will be focusing on what's ahead and, for now, that's a meeting with Smith-Cotton on September 25.