There was a silver lining in Monday's rainout of a key area game for Charles Henderson's baseball team.

With Rehobeth's field too wet to play, the third-ranked Trojans (23-6) practiced under the lights at home Monday night. The game at Rehobeth was rescheduled for April 16. It gave several Trojans more time to rest nagging aches and pains and others a few more days to heal more serious injuries.

&#8220This break gives everybody a chance to get caught up on their rest and start all over,” CHHS coach Brad Phillips said before Tuesday's practice. &#8220We've got our walking wounded a couple more days to recover. But we also have some nicks and stuff that isn't keeping anybody out but it's nagging injuries.”

Some are more serious, of course. Center fielder Dario Rouse is on crutches this week after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right shin. &#8220I had tendinitis there and it got worse and turned into a stress fracture,” Rouse said. &#8220I go back to the doctor in two weeks.”

Two pitchers have been cleared to return to action. Closer Aaron Allen hasn't pitched since March 22. He has rested a sore arm, which Phillips said wasn't related to pitching.

Starter William Teal has played but hasn't pitched since the marathon win over Buckhorn in the Terry Sikes Memorial Classic. Teal has been cleared to pitch. &#8220Will's been out with a hip flexor since the Gulf Coast tournament,” Phillips said. &#8220He's not experiencing pain. It'll be good to get him back.”

Designated hitter and first baseman Drew Vaughan hyperextended his knee against Pleasant Grove on Saturday and will have to be cleared before he returns. &#8220He was running the bases and hit the bag wrong,” Phillips said. &#8220He was really swinging the bat well, too.”

Henderson is the only undefeated team in the area at 2-0. Eufaula defeated Carroll Monday night and is 2-1. Carroll fell to 1-2. Rehobeth is 0-2. The Trojans play a doubleheader against Carroll in Ozark on Thursday. The Trojans have beaten Carroll twice this season, once in area play and also in the first round of the Enterprise Tournament.

&#8220That's scary because it's hard to beat a good team three times,” Phillips said. &#8220This is a huge game. Really, after this coming Monday (home doubleheader against Eufaula) we'll know where we stand as far as the playoffs are concerned.”

The second game of the area doubleheader will count only as a tiebreaker if playoff implications are on the line.

Henderson opens a six-game homestand on Saturday against Bob Jones High at 11 a.m. and Northview at 4 p.m. Eufaula plays here in 4 p.m. doubleheader on Monday and Rehobeth visits for a doubleheader next Thursday at 4:30.