Sports Editor

The Jackson Aggies came into Hogan’s Hole last year in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs and spoiled Charles Henderson’s coming out party with a 9-8 win, ending a magic ride for the Trojans, who finished the year 24-9.

The 24 wins were the most ever by a CHHS baseball team and the Trojans also spent a majority of the 2000 season ranked in the top ten of the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s high school baseball poll.

This year’s squad comes into the playoffs six wins shy of last year’s total at 18-7 and having never cracked the top ten in 2001. CHHS is almost a mystery team and one that could surprise some schools should the Trojans make a deep run into the playoffs.

CHHS opens their run today with the Greenville Tigers at Hogan’s Hole. Game time is 6 p.m.

"I don’t want to say that much about Greenville, because I don’t know too much about them," said Trojans’ head coach Steve Garrett. "But I like our chances in the first round. I think the second round will be a challenge for us."

A win today and Charles Henderson will be forced to travel in the second round. The Trojans would face the winner of Brookwood-Chilton County on Saturday.

"If we can get by the first two games in the playoffs, I feel real good about it," said Garrett. "We’ve got enough pitchers to go two out of three games. But we have to get there first."

As for last year’s loss to the Aggies, Garrett said his seniors, and the team, have put that game behind them and are ready to move on.

"Our goal every year is to win the area and win a state championship and we’ve come up short these last two years in the playoffs," said Garrett. "These seniors have been a part of it these two years and I know they want to go deep into the playoffs. All the distractions are behind us now and hopefully we can come out and play good baseball."