L.D. BRUCE FIELD — A week ago, this writer used Cedar Bluff player Robert Henderson's given name in his weekly football report. Friday night, the junior running back reminded the writer, and everyone sitting in the bleachers, why his teammates usually call him “Bam.”

In the third quarter of Friday's game against Gaylesville – a game that was much closer than the play on the field would imply – Tiger head coach Jonathan McWhorter handed Henderson the ball, again and again.

And again. And again.

“We're pretty good up front and that's a part of our game that has been a work in progress,” McWhorter said after the game. “I feel very confident in our offensive line and we know we can be physical.”

Henderson carried 24 times in the second half and rushed for 125 yards and a score, after rushing for only 22 yards in the first half. In the process, Henderson and his offensive line blew all the steam out of a potential Trojan comeback and secured a 34-14 win in Class 1A Region 7 action.

Henderson's impressive rushing performance began with 5:39 remaining in the third and Cedar Bluff holding on to a seemingly precarious 26-14 lead. Henderson carried 10 straight times at one point, and nine in a row over the span of two other drives later on. He capped a 15-play drive with a two-yard run in the fourth quarter.

By the time the Trojan offense finally got back onto the field, they were trailing 34-14 with only nine minutes remaining.

Cedar Bluff blasted out to a 19-0 lead in the first quarter, first on a 24-yard touchdown strike from Levi Mintz to Dalton Cosby. Four minutes later, Hayden Hackett returned an interception 44 yards to put the Tigers up 13-0.

Faced with fourth-and-31 from their own 20 later in the quarter, the Trojans lined up to punt. But Nick Combs blocked the kick and Shane Hall scrambled into the end zone with the ball.

The route seemed to be on, but the Trojans kept fighting. Still in the first quarter, quarterback Cole Murphy, took an option keeper 52 yards close to within 19-6.

Cedar Bluff answered right back, however. After connecting again with Cosby deep into the red zone, Mintz dove in from two yards to make the score 26-6.

Gaylesville still wasn't finished. After Murphy's 43-yard run moved the Trojans to the 3-yard line, John David Jennings plunged into the end zone, pushing the halftime score to 26-14.

Mintz, who finished the game 8-of-17 for 143 yards, was picked off on his first pass attempt of the third quarter. When McWhorter got the ball back, he basically handed it to Henderson and told him to take it to the locker room.

“I felt like, if we can't line up and be physical, we don't deserve to win,” McWhorter said. “That's what we talked about at halftime, and our kids responded.”

The Tigers (5-4, 5-1) host Fultondale Friday night.

"They are a very, very talented team and we'll treat it like a playoff game," said McWhorter, whose team secured an opening-round home game with Friday night's win. "Since I've been the head coach we've always played a pretty good team in week ten, and we'll have our hands full next week. They put 70 points on someone last week, and they have one of the best running backs in the state in Class 2A."

Gaylesville will be in the playoffs, despite the region loss. The Trojans travel to Fayette this week to take on Berry High School.