While many of their friends and classmates slept in on Labor Day, the Charles Henderson Trojans suited up and went back to work.

Charles Henderson kept its routine intact on the holiday by practicing in “shells,” or shorts and helmets, for nearly three hours at Veterans Memorial Stadium, then heading to their campus for a weight-lifting session and film study.

Charles Henderson head coach Mike Dean said that it is vital for his team stay on track with the same system, regardless of the school calendar.

“It’s great for everybody to stay in routine,” Dean said. “We are used to practicing in the morning, and it actually gives them a little more time to rest. They will be able to go home today and rest and get off their feet. It gives us coaches a time to work on some film, and gives everybody a chance to catch their breath, and get ready for a huge game on Friday.”

Following last Friday’s 34-21 win over Bayside Academy, Dean told his players that the region opener against Beauregard is “the biggest game you have played so far.” Dean reiterated that point to his team Monday morning.

“It’s huge for us, because it is the next game on the schedule,” Dean said. “We are trying to teach that to them, and break them from being complacent. The intensity level will pick up across the entire state this week. You want to start 1-0, but being 1-0 in the region is what it matters, and can be the difference in being a one or two seed, or a three or four. “

Charles Henderson fell to Beauregard in 2012 by a score of 21-16 in a game that several of the Trojan players vividly remember as a game “we gave away.”

Quarterback Austin Ingram was sacked 10 times, and the Trojans notched 12 penalties.

Senior offensive lineman Xavius Burden said that the players know and understand the importance of this week’s contest.

“It is a big area game for us,” Burden said. “We have to win it, because they beat us last year. We know we can win this game if we execute, play our game and have fun.”

In the week-one win over Bayside Academy, Charles Henderson scored all of its points in the first and fourth quarters. The Trojans scored 12 in the first stanza, before roaring back in the fourth to score 22 unanswered points to win the ball game.

Dean said that inconsistent nature of the team is due to inconsistent practice days.

“Coaches say it all the time, because it is true, ‘You play like you practice’,” Dean said. “That happened to us last week. We had a great day on Monday, bad day of practice on Tuesday, average on Wednesday and bad on Thursday. Look at the game, we had a good quarter in the first, average quarter in the second, bad in the third and a great fourth. Every day is the biggest day of your life, every game is the biggest game of your life, every play is the biggest play of your life. It just so happens to be that this week it is Beauregard.”

Kickoff for the highly-anticipated showdown between the Trojans and Hornets is set for 7 P.m. at Larry Blakeney Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy.