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The Charles Henderson Trojans (6-3) host the Marbury Bulldogs (2-8) this Thursday, Nov. 9, in the opening round of the Class 5A State Playoffs.

The Trojans are coming off a bye week to end the regular season, but also won three straight to earn their spot in the playoffs.

“It went well. We practiced for three days and had a special teams day and worked out every day,” CHHS Coach Quinn Hambrite said of the bye week. “Our guys may be a little bit sore but I don’t think we’ll lack in physicality in the game and that was the main purpose.”

Marbury comes into this week as a unique playoff team, winning just two games during the regular season. Marbury, Shelby County and Selma were all 2-3 in the Region 3 and fought over the final two spots in the playoffs.

Marbury defeated Jemison and Shelby County during the regular season, with losses to Elmore County, John Carroll, Demopolis, Tallassee, Trinity, Selma, Holtville and Chilton County. During the season, the Bulldogs averaged 19 points per game and gave up 37.6 points per game with six of its opponents scoring 41 points or more. Despite Marbury’s struggles this season, Hambrite is adamant that his team can’t overlook the Bulldogs.

“They have a really good running back and they ride that wave pretty much the entire game,” Hamrbite said of what he’s seen from Marbury on film. “They also have a really good receiver and they swap out their quarterbacks throughout the game. Trying to figure out their tendencies is tough and they’re a tough team and if you don’t come prepared they’ll beat you.”

Charles Henderson’s offense is averaging 32 points per game and 357 yards per game, while the Trojan defense gives up 17 points per game, which is the lowest point average that a CHHS team has given up since 2013.

Quarterback Parker Adams leads the Trojan offense with 1,839 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, while Zach Coleman has 878 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Athlete Jywon Boyd has tallied 52 catches for 854 yards and 12 touchdowns along with 273 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Zion Grady leads the CHHS defense with 70 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss, nine sacks and an interception, while Boyd has earned 40 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and four interceptions.

Charles Henderson and Marbury’s only common opponent this season was Selma, with the Trojans closing out the regular season with a 44-6 win over Selma on Oct. 27, while Selma topped Marbury 22-14 on Oct. 6.

Hambrite laid out the keys to a victory for his Trojans as their playoff journey begins.

“I want to see us play physical, play smart and play fast and execute,” Hambrite emphasized. “We have to clean up the discipline aspect of the game through this playoff run. We have to minimize our mistakes and penalties and make sure we execute the game plan. The main goal is to win, but we have to do those things in order to do that. Our goal is to play physical and play fast and execute. Those are the key factors.”

Charles Henderson and Marbury have met just one time in the two schools’ histories, a 38-0 Trojan win all the way back in 1924.

Charles Henderson hosts Marbury at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy this Thursday at 7 p.m.