SportsZone Football Friday game of the week preview: Hickman vs. Battle

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The first Columbia Public Schools matchup of the season will come at Battle High School, as the Hickman Kewpies and the Spartans meet in the SportsZone Football Friday game of the week.

You can watch the game live on KZOU over the air channel 17.3 at 7 p.m. 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

Or watch replay in the player below.

Battle is coming off of an interesting couple of week, all starting back on Sept. 3rd when the team had to cancel its week two matchup with Capital City due COVID-19. The Spartans returned for week three play, but were handed their first loss of the season in a close game with the reigning state champs, the Helias Crusaders.

First-year head coach Jonah Dubinski said that fighting, for all for quarters, has become his team's identity.

"Who you are on that tape is there forever, for anybody to see and everyone to see," he said. "We preach to continue to be the player that you want to be known as. Continue to be the team you want to be known as, regardless of the score, regardless of the circumstances."

You can watch the full interview with Dubinski in the video player below.

His team has already had to overcome quite a bit of adversity, even before the season started. Standout running back Gerry Marteen Jr. tore his ACL in the preseason, meaning he will not play in his senior season. However, his teammate and fellow running back Rickie Dunn stepped up.

"Rickie provides a spark for us. But, he's been a guy, even last year, who's incredibly explosive for the team. He's obviously taken on a bigger role, he's welcomed it, and worked really hard to put himself into a position to be helpful for the team," Dubinski said.

The Kewpies have an explosive running back of their own in Deon Weston. The senior ran for more than 170 yards, along with two touchdowns in Hickman's first win of the season against Capital City.

"He's been amazing. He's been a phenomenal ball carrier for us," Alvis said. "When you look at the offensive side he has been a consistent spark for us and I think that he'll continue to be that for us and not to mention he's just a great kid."

You can watch the full interview with Alvis in the video player below.

Hickman captured its first win of the season in a 19-point victory over Capital City in week three. Alvis said that besides the obvious advantages of winning, it also allows for more growth.

"When you have the success it's easier to look back on all of those small things and it's not 'oh my gosh, I can't believe I did that, it cost me the game.' But more or less, like 'man, I can't do that next week.' We're able to point out some of the smaller things, instead of kids kind of taking things more personally," he said.

The Kewpies and the Spartans will kickoff at 7 p.m. at Battle High School on Friday night.