Listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds, Stance Henderson isn”t one of the biggest players in Clinton this week preparing for the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools All-Star game.
But All-Stars are more than just statistics and numbers on a page.
For Heritage Academy, Henderson served as the heart and driving force of a team that was hit hard by injuries. The do-it-all senior stayed focused when times were difficult and helped the Patriots rally to win their final two games and finish 5-6.
Henderson”s leadership abilities coupled with his play on the field helped him earn a spot on the MAIS North All-Star team. That squad will take on the South All-Stars at 4 p.m. Friday at Mississippi College.
Henderson will join Starkville Academy”s Kyle Henson, Central Academy”s Will Sciple, and Winston Academy”s Rob Moffitt and Parker Jones on the North team.
“It is a big honor to play in this game because there are some really good players here,” said Henderson, who will play kicker and outside linebacker.
Henderson, who played running back and linebacker, led the team with 118 tackles. He also had three sacks, four tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, and four fumble recoveries. By the end of the season, Henderson was the backup quarterback for the Patriots. He laughed when asked what it would have been like if he would have earned a chance to play the position.
As frustrating as season-ending injuries to quarterback Brandon Bell and running back John Laws Ferguson were, Henderson did his best to set the example on and off the field. He said that was especially important because the Patriots had so many sophomores who were in their first season of varsity action.
“We didn”t give up,” Henderson said. “We made some mistakes because we were really young and a lot of the players didn”t have the experience most of the guys had, but we didn”t lay down. We showed guts.”
Henderson hopes the example he helped set will help establish a foundation for future classes. He said he was just doing his job by showing younger players how they had to prepare and then persevere when things didn”t go according to plan.
Heritage Academy coach Brad Butler praised the play and the work on and off the field by Henderson, who did anything and everything asked of him in his career at the school.
“He didn”t come off the field,” Butler said. “He was one of those players who was durable and never missed a game in three years. He was pushed into more and more of a role and he accepted it and helped keep things going when things could have gone the other way.”
Butler feels Henderson became a better leader this season. He said several times this season officials approached him at the end of games and told him Henderson was doing a great job leading the team. He said Henderson would do it in a way that wasn”t degrading but that challenged everyone to give their best.
“He has put a lot of sweat into his career,” Butler said. “He has worked hard ever since I have been here since the 10th grade. He has been a hard worker, and football has meant a lot to him.”
Henson was a two-way performer for the coach Jeff Terrill and the Volunteers. He led the offense at quarterback, rushing for 768 yards and six touchdowns and throwing for 554 yards and six TDs. He also had 36 tackles and one interception.
Sciple was a mainstay on the offensive line for the Vikings, who lost to Kemper Academy in the MAIS Eight-Man championship.
The teams were scheduled to have a practice this morning and a walk-through this afternoon.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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