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Last week, the Charles Henderson Trojans won Troy University’s 7-on-7 Tournament, featuring more than 20 teams from the state in action.

After struggling during pool play, the Trojans put it all together and swept their way through bracket play to capture the tournament championship.

“The biggest positive is that we finished strong,” Charles Henderson coach Quinn Hambrite said. “There were a lot of situations where offensively the quarterbacks and receivers weren’t on the same page in pool play, but in bracket play that’s when you’re supposed to win and our guys found a way to win. The coaches didn’t find a way, it was the players that found a way to win and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

The Trojans have a busy offseason planned with another 7-on-7 Tournament at Alabama State University this week along with an OTA at CHHS next Thursday, an OTA at Auburn High School the week after the Fourth of July and another OTA at Hillcrest later in July.

These 7-on-7 tournaments are a chance for some new faces on the CHHS offense to come together.

“We really only lost one receiver – Jywon Boyd – but we also lost (running back) Zach Coleman and (quarterback) Parker Adams,” Hamrbite continued. “The quarterback competition is exciting right now and I think it’s actually one of the best groups we have on our team. They’re battling right now and these 7-on-7s can be big for them.”

CHHS is also looking to get stronger on the offensive and defensive lines this summer.

“The No. 1 thing we’re working on is getting stronger in the trenches,” Hambrite said. “The 7-on-7 stuff is good work for the quarterbacks, defensive backs and receivers but football is played with 11 people and we have to get our trenches stronger and we have to get everyone on the same page on offense and defense and find the right recipe that works for us.”

Hambrite said that he wants to see his Trojans find the leaders of the team heading into the 2024 season.

“I think the guys are doing a good job finding out will be the Alpha and the leader of this group,” he said. “They’re figuring it out and I don’t want to have to figure out for them. They have to figure it out themselves and lead themselves. It’s our job as coaches to guide them but we need them to be able to lead themselves, too. It’s also about getting bigger, stronger and faster.”