The Charles Henderson Trojans tested out nearly every bulb on the scoreboard at Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday night against Pike County. The Trojans trounced the Bulldogs 47-7 in the annual Pike County Classic.

However, the Bulldogs withstood and early Charles Henderson surge and challenged the Trojans for the majority of the first half.

Locked in a tight 14-7 game, Charles Henderson quarterback Austin Ingram found Josh Noel on a fade rout for a touchdown as time expired in the first half.

Charles Henderson would pull away from there, and Ingram finished the night with four touchdown tosses to three different receivers.

“This is why you play pre-season games,” said Charles Henderson head coach Mike Dean. “It doesn’t matter how many starters you have coming back, or what, you have to come out here and work the kinks out. Pike County is a much improved team, but we were able to over come our early mistakes.”

The high-powered Trojan offense stubbed its toe a number of times in the first half, but rebounded to early in the second half, taking the opening drive of the third quarter 72 yards in just 10 plays.

Ingram found Joshua Pearson down the seam behind the defense for a 12-yard scoring strike.

The Trojan defense did its part as well. The unit, led by Richard McBryde, Sherrod Postell and Coby Smith, kept the Bulldogs bottled up for the majority of the night.

McBryde led the Trojans in tackles, but Smith stole the show. After the Charles Henderson offense stalled out at the Bulldog 6-yard line, the defense forced a fumble on Pike County’s first play, and Smith fell on the loose ball in the end zone for the score.

Later in the game, Smith picked off a tipped pass and returned it 14 yards, setting the Trojans up for their final touchdown of the night.

“I shot the gap and saw that ball laying there in the end zone, and I just fell on it,” Smith said. “I don’t know if my eyes were bigger then, or when I picked the pass off and saw all that green grass in front of me.”

The Trojans, Dean said, got what they wanted for the pre-season scrimmage.

“We came away injury free for the most part,” Dean said. “We had some cramps, but that will happen. We Gatorade them up during the week, but its humid out here. We also were able to see some things that need work. The next three weeks for us will be really big, and so will the next three of four days. Bayside will be here in one week.”

The Trojans host Bayside Academy next Friday at Larry Blakeney Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.