After competing in a preseason game last week, both the Charles Henderson Trojans and the Pike County Bulldogs will open the 2024 football season this week.

Charles Henderson hosts Highland Home this Thursday, August 29th. Charles Henderson started last week with a hard-fought 6-0 win over Pike County in the Jamboree. The Trojans battled numerous injuries prior to the preseason and hope to start the regular season a little healthier.

Meanwhile, Highland Home – a 2A program – is coming off a Week 0 win over Class 3A’s Straughn, 38-9, in the Flying Squadron’s season opener. Highland Home is coming off a 10-2 season in 2023, and the Squadron is 22-4 overall over the past two seasons.

This is only the second time these two schools have met on the football field. The first game was in 2004 and the Trojans won 42-0.

Charles Henderson and Highland Home will face each other on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Meanwhile, Pike County — in its first year back in Class 4A — will open the regular season this Friday, August 30, against Class 3A’s Houston Academy. Houston Academy is coming off a resounding 45-12 win over GW Long in its season opener last week.

Pike County and Houston Academy have tied 2-2 in their last four meetings since 2018. The two schools were regional opponents from 2018 through 2023. Houston Academy has won two straight games against Pike County, beating the Bulldogs 10-0 last season and 21-20 in 2022.

Pike County hosts Houston Academy on Friday at 7 p.m. in Brundidge at Bulldog Stadium.