The Charles Henderson Trojans hope to jump to 3-2 when they travel to take on the Stanhope Elmore Mustangs today.

“The kids’ energy has been where it needs to be this week,” said Trojans head coach Brad McCoy. “They have been focused, and I hope that it pays off for us because we are going to need it.”

This is the Trojans’ first game against a Class 6A opponent this season.

“It’s just another measuring stick,” McCoy said. “We want to play good against good competition and good coaches. We are certainly going to get that out of Stanhope. It’s the only way we are going to figure out where our program is and where it’s going.”

Like the Trojans, the Mustangs enter the season 2-2 after picking up a win over Northview a week ago. The first win of the season came on opening night after the team originally lost to Prattville 28-23. The Lions were forced to forfeit the win after playing an ineligible player.

The Mustangs come into the game averaging 26 points per game, but in their last two games they have scored 40.5.

“Offensively, they mainly operate out of the spread,” McCoy said. “They have a left-handed quarterback that throws the ball around pretty well. They have a big offensive line and they have a really shifty running back.”

A player that the Trojans will have to keep any eye on will be tight end Zech Byrd who has committed to the University of Florida.

“He is an amazing player,” McCoy said. “I think the offense revolves around him.”

One of the Trojans’ weaknesses has been stopping the run. Last week the Trojans allowed 232 yards to Booker T. Washington running back Dyrese Hubbard.

“We go into every week understanding that we have to stop the run,” McCoy said. “I think we have done some stuff, personnel wise and scheme wise that will help. We won’t know until we play the game.”

The Trojans hope to keep pace with the Mustangs and to do that they will look in the direction of quarterback D.Q. Toney, who finished last week 8-8 for 171 yards and one touchdown.

“He is getting more comfortable,” McCoy said. “He is a kid who until this year had never played the quarterback position. He is just a tenth-grader that is learning the ropes and learning what we are trying to do out of our offense.”

The Trojans are planning to get Noah Lowery, who started the season at quarterback some snaps this evening as well.

They will be going up a defense that likes to dial up the pressure.

“They play with an odd front with three big down lineman, four linebackers and four defensive backs,” McCoy said. “Coach (Mike) Dean brings a lot of pressure and a lot of defensive looks. I think they will give our quarterbacks a big time challenge.”

This will be the first of two consecutive weeks the Trojans will play out of their region before playing the next three against region foes Eufaula, Rehobeth and Headland.

“Overall we want to get team chemistry,” McCoy said. “We really want to be hitting on all cylinders when we get into that week with Eufaula.”

The Trojans enter tonight’s having lost 16 out of 20 games with the Mustangs. They won their last meeting in 2007 28-21.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Foshee-Henderson Stadium in Millbrook.

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