By Dan Smith
BNI News Service

Greenville High held a 19-14 lead entering the fourth quarter Friday night, but Charles Henderson scored 23 points in that final period en route to a 37-26 win over the Tigers Friday night in a Class 5A, Region 2 contest in Troy’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Trojans scored three touchdowns and kicked a field goal in the fourth quarter to improve to 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in region play, while Greenville slipped to 0-2 on the year. Turnovers were the difference in the contest for the Tigers.

“You just can’t expect a win on the road when you turn the football over,” said Greenville Head Coach Josh McLendon. “We had some costly turnovers at times. We had some big plays and caused some turnovers ourselves, but we would get the ball and then give it right back to them. You just can’t do that on the road against a good team like Charles Henderson.

“Without a doubt we saw improvements. We are a very young team, and every game we are going to improve. We wanted to make sure we played an entire game, and I really felt like we did that. It was a hard-fought game.”

CHHS had several big play makers including Jabronski Williams with an unofficial total of 198 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Bryson Gandy scored three touchdowns.

Greenville was paced by Sir-Jalen Scott with 108 yards rushing and a TD, Dedric Owens scored two touchdowns, and rushed for 41 yards.

CHHS went ahead midway of the first quarter when they punted to the Tigers, the return was fumbled, and Gandy scooped it up and raced 58-yards for the score. Cameron Bush added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Greenville tied the game at 7-7 when Owens scored a 1-yard TD, and Joseph Price added the extra point.

CHHS quarterback D.Q. Toney connected with Gandy for a 36-yard scoring play with 5:46 left in the first half to go up 14-7, but Greenville answered when Bishop Riley intercepted a pass and took it to the Trojan 32, and two plays later Scott raced 53 yards for a TD as time expired in the first half, and a 14-13 CHHS halftime lead.

Tigers’ senior quarterback Brandon Simmons connected with Malik Bunch in the third quarter for a 14-yard strike to go ahead 19-14, and Bush for CHHS hit a 36-yard field goal to cut that margin to 19-17 with 11:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Williams picked up a Greenville fumble on the next possession and took it to the Tiger 35, and on offense two plays later he scampered 27 yards for the TD and a 23-19 CHHS advantage.

 

Greenville marched 72 yards on their next possession, with Owens going in from 10 yards out and a the extra point by Price put the Tigers up 26-23.

The Trojans put Gandy in at quarterback in the Wildcat on the next series, with the senior breaking runs of 33 yards, 16 yards and scoring a 5-yard TD and a 30-26 lead with 5:26 to play.

Williams scored the final TD on a fourth-and-three, 14-yard carry with 0:55 remaining and the 37-26 lead.

CHHS will host Booker T. Washington next Friday while Greenville will host Rehobeth.