Sports Editor

A swarming Charles Henderson High School defense spearheaded a 30-0 win over Monroe County on Friday night, allowing the Trojans to improve to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in Class 5A Region 2 play.

The Tigers didn’t pick up a first down until the fourth quarter – held to just four total on the night – and didn’t cross midfield until there were under two minutes to play in the game.

"Defensively, we played great," said CHHS head coach Hugh Fountain. "We got a little sloppy there in the fourth quarter, but we were playing a lot of young kids. We tried to run he ball a little bit more tonight out of the shotgun, because we haven’t been doing that good all year."

The Trojans’ defense disrupted the Monroe option game all night long, holding MCHS to 82 yards offensively, and collecting their first shutout of the season.

And with the defense doing its job, Troy’s offense went to work on a thin Monroe County football team. CHHS rolled up 358 yards of offense, including 217 on the ground with junior tailback Jarvis Woods having his highest output of the season – an 82-yard effort on nine carries to lead all Trojans’ rushers.

"They didn’t have a lot of players, so we went to a no-huddle early to try and wear them down," said Fountain.

They did just that.

All-purpose player Roderick Burden’s first touch of the game was a 60-yard punt return, but the play was nullified by a clipping penalty. However, Josh Post would get the Trojans on the board anyway with a 26-yard field goal, set up by a 39-yard run by Woods.

And the Trojans wouldn’t have to wait too long to find the endzone again.

Two plays into their next possession, Randall Maddox bullied his way 30-yards for the first touchdown of the game and on the last play of the first quarter, Burden turned a routine wide receiver screen pass from quarterback Pete Van Horn into a 46-yard race to the endzone.

Much has been made about the added running ability Burden brings to the CHHS offense when he steps under center, but on Friday night the junior showed he could throw the ball as well, tossing a perfect 26-yard spiral to Tyson Pugh with 8:43 left in the first half. Pugh’s catch in the corner of the endzone came on third and seven and ran the score to 24-0 before the break.

"A lot of people play Rod just for the run, but he can throw the ball well and he’s worked hard at it," said Fountain.

Burden was a perfect 2-for-2 on the night, with his other pass being a 16-yard completion to Clint Pugh on the same scoring drive.

Van Horn, who was 8-of-6 for 95 yards in the game, proved he was equally effective on the ground as well, rolling out on the Trojans’ second series of the third quarter and carrying the ball to the 22 of Monroe County. Van Horn’s run set up a 21-yard touchdown screen pass to Burden with 4:41 left in the third.

"We intended to let Pete run the ball more tonight," said Fountain. "A lot of times people get it in their heads that ‘Pete can’t run and Rod can’t pass’. We’re trying to make sure that both can do a little bit of each."