After exciting victories over Winter Springs, Lake Howell and Lyman the varsity football team looks to take on its biggest rival this Friday: the Oviedo Lions.

The team is 2-4 all-time against Oviedo, and looks to improve on its 3-0 record this season with a win in the Crosstown Showdown. Oviedo is also coming into the matchup 3-0; marking the first time in the series’ history that both teams have entered this game undefeated.

Tickets and merchandise, such as t-shirts, are being sold in advance for the most anticipated game of both teams’ seasons. An above-capacity crowd is expected for Friday night’s game, and fans should arrive plenty early to assure themselves a parking space and seat.

Anticipation is not the only thing surrounding this game. There is also a cloud of uncertainty regarding who will be starting the game at quarterback. Mike Beaudry has been the starter for the first three games, but Zach King played in the second half of last week’s game and led the team to a comeback-win over Winter Springs. Both players are deserving of the starting spot, and no one outside of the coaching staff will know for sure who will start until game time Friday night.

Though it feels like the town has focused all of its attention on this game, not everyone is buying into the hype.

“We’re 3-0 because we play every week one game at a time…Usually, when you put so much pressure on people, you don’t get the results you want as a coach anyway, so the same pressure I put on them for Lake Howell [and] Winter Springs, is the same pressure I’m putting on [them] for Oviedo,” head football coach Phil Ziglar said.

This game holds a little something extra, however. Instead of just bragging rights and another win on the record, the two teams are also playing to raise awareness and funds to support pediatric cancer. There will be a balloon release honoring those who have lost their lives to pediatric cancer, as well as a bake sale before the game to raise money for the cause. Booths will be set up before the game for clubs at both schools, with student representatives present from each school in the booths.