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By Dan Smith

Maybe Charles Henderson High was just homesick.

After playing five consecutive weeks on the road, including region losses to Carroll High and Rehobeth, the Trojans thrashed Class 5A, Region 2 leader Eufaula 51-31 Friday night in Troy’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The win does not guarantee a playoff berth, but a victory next week at home against Headland would vault the Trojans to the No. 2 seed in the region and a host spot in the first round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs. A loss next week would come down to a number of variables and tie-breakers and to determine who the fourth seed would be.

CHHS improves to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the region with the victory, while Eufaula slips to 5-3 overall and 3-1 following their first Class 5A, Region 2 setback.

A week ago the Trojans were without five starters due to injuries at Rehobeth, with the Rebels winning 30-27. Friday evening CHHS had every starter back in the lineup, and the offense was dominating.

As the Trojans kneeled to listen to CHHS Head Coach Quinn Hambrite’s post-game take on the game, senior Jywon Boyd asked for permission to speak first, and addressed his teammates.

“I’m glad everybody bought into what we talked about,” Boyd said to his teammates. “You see what happens when you lock in. Every game from now on, let’s lock in, and do what we have to do. Win, win, win. Actually, don’t win – dominate, like we did tonight. We put up 50, that’s a big accomplishment. Dominate and play as a team, and we will be good.”

Boyd was one of many Trojans on offense that had a big night, as the senior receiver had four receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 79 yards and another TD. Senior quarterback Parker Adams was deadly accurate with 11 completions of 15 attempts for 180 yards, with the two TD’s to Boyd.

Zach Coleman again was a punishing runner, gaining 112 yards on 17 carries and scoring two TD’s, while Antonio Frazier crushed for 74 yards on 13 carries and one TD.

Defensively, defensive back CL Siler intercepted a pass and returned it for a pick-six.

The Trojans scored on their opening possession with Coleman bulling his way in from the 6, and on the next series Adams found Boyd for a 15-yard TD pass reception. Nik Peerson added both extra points and it was 14-0 with 1:26 remaining in the first quarter.

With Eufaula setting up at their own 20 on their next series, Siler cut in front of a receiver on the Tigers’ sideline and would not be caught as he raced for the TD, and a 21-0 CHHS lead with 1:16 showing in the first.

The Tigers went to work and drove 77 yards for a score, with running back Marquis Harris, Jr., taking it in from the 1, and it was 21-6 after the point-after was no good.

Peerson added a 28-yard field goal to put the Trojans ahead 24-6 at 4:38 in the half, but the Tigers responded with a drive and a TD on a run by quarterback Browning Anderson from the 1 to cut the lead to 24-13, which was the score at the half.

Eufaula scored a touchdown on their opening series of the second half from Atria Slaughter from the 4 to make it 24-19. Coleman took it in for his second touchdown of the evening on a 6-yard jaunt, and it was 31-19 at 4:56 in the third.

Antonio Frazier fought his way in for a 1-yard TD to extend the lead to 37-19, with Eufaula scoring a TD with 7:40 left in the game on an 8-yard pass from Anderson to Zachary Steele and it was 37-25.

Boyd scored another TD on an 18-yard run to put the Trojans ahead 44-25. Eufaula cut that lead to 44-31 on another pass from Anderson to Steele, covering 15 yards.

The Trojans were set up to run out the clock with eight consecutive running plays, but with :25 second remaining Eufaula called a time out, and Adams answered by dropping back to pass and found Boyd in the end zone for a 25-yard TD and the 51-31 final.

“I’m extremely proud of you for how you handled business in the second half,” Coach Hambrite told his team after the game. “You have not solidified your (playoff) spot yet. You haven’t. You still have to win next week against a Headland team that beat the brakes off of Carroll (52-22). We know Headland is a really, really good football team. Let’s make sure we come locked in. You already know you can do these things, just make it happen. When you do your job and execute, good things happen. You’ve got to live right. The life you live outside of these walls here matters. It translate to your play on the football field, whether you realize it or not.”

The Trojans will host Headland for Charles Henderson’s Homecoming this upcoming Friday with a 7 p.m. kickoff.