Sports Editor

A young Charles Henderson football team could have let a 19-13 region loss to Greenville two week’s ago spoil the season.

Instead, the Trojans went to Carroll in Ozark last Friday night and beat the Eagles 42-0.

With a renewed confidence, CHHS heads to Andalusia tonight to face Paul Wooley’s Bulldogs.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Coach Hugh Fountain’s team beat Andalusia last season 28-14 in Memorial Stadium.

"I think we just came out and played a good game that night," said Fountain about last year’s win. "Because Andalusia had a pretty good team last season. They made the playoffs and they’ve got most of the same players back. They’re experienced."

The Bulldogs are currently 4-4 on the year, but losses have come against some hefty competition. 4A No. 1 UMS-Wright beat Andalusia, as did No. 4 T.R. Miller. The other two defeats have come at the hands of Bibb County and Clarke County.

This season has been an interesting one for Fountain and his coaching staff. In the preseason, the Trojans returned hardly any experienced players on both offense or defense, yet are a 7-1 so far in the year. They’ve already clinched their second straight playoff berth and can cast their lots as Region 2 Champion with a win next week over Wilcox-Central.

"The good thing is that we’ve been able to get all our young players playing time," said Fountain. "Plus everyone’s been real comfortable with the the roles they have on this team."

Fountain uses junior running back Frenando White as an example. Prior to this season, White had never played football before, yet his first carry against Carroll last Friday night went for 70-yards and a touchdown and was the Trojans’ final score of the game. He did the same thing on his first carry in the Trojans’ rout over Opp earlier in the year.

"We talked to Frenando before the season and told him that he was going to be a guy that did one or two things good for us in each game, because he still had a lot to learn," Fountain said. "He’s understood and been comfortable with that."

Nick Sessions (5-11, 220), a sophomore tackle, is another young player that Fountain likes to get in the game.

"We try to let Nick play one possession in each half," said Fountain. "We don’t want to mess up the chemistry, but at the same time we realize we have to get these kids in because they’re our future."

But one player who stays in the game is junior wide receiver Clint Pugh.

CHHS’s equivalent of an "ironman", Pugh played 40 snaps on offense against Greenville and spent the rest of the game on both defense and special teams.

"Clint’s just a hard worker, both in practice and on the field," said Fountain. "The way I would describe him is a steady player."