By Dan Smith

The Trojans of Charles Henderson High have been ranked for the first time ever in the prestigious USA Today High School Baseball Rankings, released Wednesday.

CHHS comes in at No. 41 in the USA Today Top 50 poll.

Standing at 33-2 on the season, the Trojans are currently ranked No. 1 in Class 5A in the Alabama Sportswriters Association rankings; No. 16 in the nation in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper rankings and No. 18 in the MaxPreps Excellent 25 High School Baseball rankings.

“I’m extremely proud of our program, and this team in particular for all that’s been accomplished,” said CHHS Head Coach Derek Irons. “To be acknowledged by multiple outlets as a top program in the state and in the country is something I hope everyone that has ever played any role in CHHS baseball is excited about.

“However, the reality is that state and national rankings mean absolutely nothing Friday at 1 p.m. We don’t get any extra runs or outs because of anything that’s happened earlier in the season. When we are a focused team we are a good team, and we need to be completely focused on winning this series with Rehobeth. They’re a Top 10 team as well and winning two out of three against them will take our best effort.”

The Trojans will host their familiar rival Rehobeth this Friday at 1 p.m. in the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs. The game was originally scheduled for 4:30 p.m. but due to forecast of rain, the start time was moved up.

Rehobeth will return to Troy with a 21-11 overall record after winning two of three on the road at Tallassee, including the 9-5 deciding game Monday evening.

Tallassee entered the series ranked No. 4 in Class 5A and defeated No. 10 Rehobeth over the weekend in the first game 9-6 but dropped the second game to the Rebels 6-5 before Monday’s deciding contest.

CHHS is the defending state champions in 2013 and 2014 in Class 4A, and has been ranked No. 1 in the state since the beginning of the 2013 season, and have been ranked in the Top 10 in the state for the last 57 weeks of polls, dating back to the 2007 season.

Senior catcher Chase Smartt, a signee to play at Troy University, has also been named as a finalist in the MaxPreps National Baseball Player of the Year Watch.