Trojan wide receiver Corey Dennis caught the ball and turned up field, but was stopped about two yards shy of a first down, ending the 2008 Charles Henderson football season with a 3-0 loss to Citronelle in the first round of the AHSAA Class 5A state playoffs.

The Trojans (7-4) faced fourth down and 26 Friday night with slightly more than one minute left in the game and trailing by three. Junior quarterback K.D. Edenfield took the snap and connected with Dennis down the middle of the field on a deep pass.

Three interceptions, a lost fumble and a blocked field goal sealed the Trojans season Friday night.

“We just didn’t execute well tonight,” Trojans head coach Hugh Fountain said.

The Trojans opened the game by forcing Citronelle (7-4) to punt, but Henderson fumbled the ball on their fourth offensive play and gave it right back to the Wildcats.

Ironically Citronelle fumbled on their next possession and gave the ball back to the Trojans.

Henderson was set up at the 50-yard line, and Edenfield ripped an 18-yard run on first down.

The Wildcats stalled the Trojans’ drive at the 27-yard line, and the offense stayed on the field. On fourth-and-five Edenfield launched a pass to the end zone, but Citronelle intercepted.

The next Trojans drive ended in the same fashion.

The Trojans drove from their own 43-yard line to the Wildcats 30-yard line before the drive stalled.

On fourth-and-nine Edenfield sent another pass sailing to the end zone that was intercepted by a Citronelle defender.

The next Trojans drive ended in the same fashion.

The Trojans drove from their own 20-yard line this time to the Wildcats 36-yard line.

On first-and-10 from the 36, Edenfield threw to the end zone for his third pick of the night, and the Wildcats returned the ball to the 24-yard line.

The Wildcats managed to get within range for a 40-yard field goal attempt, but it sailed wide right to end the half.

“We had way too many turnovers in the first half,” Fountain said. “We just didn’t execute well.”

With the score still tied at 0-0, Charles Henderson was forced to punt with just under four minutes to go in the third quarter.

On the return, the Trojans were flagged for a facemask followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that put the Wildcats on the Trojan 13-yard line as opposed to the 43-yard line.

Citronelle punched in a 27-yard field goal, saving the game from overtime.

The Trojans responded on their next drive by marching 43 yards to the Wildcat 26-yard line setting up a Dustin Smith field goal attempt.

Smith’s 36-yard attempt was blocked by the Wildcats and recovered at the 46-yard line where Citronelle took over.

The Trojans forced another Citronelle punt, and that led to the Trojan final possession of the game.

“After their field goal, we answered it well,” Fountain said. “They were a very good offensive team.”

Edenfield passed for 83 yards on the night. He also led all Trojans with 63 rushing yards. Lequintez Reynolds recorded 54 yards rushing, and Billy Neal added 28.

Click here for photo gallery from Friday night’s game