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A healthy appetite for success

Zephyrhills receiver attacks defenses like he does the dinner table - with enthusiasm.

By FRANK PASTOR
Published November 10, 2005

ZEPHYRHILLS - Orange helmets bobbing atop heads and shoulder pads click-clacking under white jerseys, it's difficult to tell one Zephyrhills player from another as they sprint toward the locker room after practice.

Unless you're looking for Chris Henry.

He's usually the first one off the field.

The sophomore receiver is in a rush to get home, where his mother or grandparents has a big meal waiting. He especially likes pepperoni pizza and chicken, but he's hard-pressed to pick a favorite.

"I just love to eat," Henry said, grinning.

Henry's appetite isn't confined to the dinner table. He feasted on cornerbacks throughout his first varsity season. Considering the amount of ground he covers, he's enjoyed some big meals.

Henry enters Friday's Class 3A region quarterfinal at Eustis with 26 receptions for 448 yards, including six catches of 25 yards or more. Of his three receptions in last week's 21-14 win over Ridgewood, one went for 26 yards, another for a 35-yard touchdown.

"He's come up with some big plays," said Zephyrhills coach Tom Fisher. "Some are long passes, some underneath. When he makes a catch, he can also run with it. He catches a short, 5-yard pass and makes it into a 25-yard pass."

Henry's emergence as a big-play threat in the slot (and his cousin, Mychael Floyd, at wideout) has taken pressure off Division I prospect Bryan Thomas while making Zephyrhills' offense more dangerous. Henry has seen more throws coming his way since Thomas moved from receiver to running back in the second half of a 28-13 loss to Hudson on Oct.13, and the Bulldogs have not lost in three games since.

"We needed our running backs and our quarterback and complementary receivers to balance out our offense," Fisher said, "and he's done a good job of that."

Henry's most memorable reception came in a 28-7 win over River Ridge on Sept.9. He bobbled the ball, which was hit by a cornerback before Henry caught it for a touchdown while managing to stay in bounds.

More significant might have been his performance during a 31-6 win over Pasco on Oct.28. Guarded by Division I recruit Darrell Davis, Henry pulled in a couple of passes, including a 40-yard halfback pass from Thomas that extended a one-touchdown lead.

"That gets me pumped up," Henry said.

It's a feeling Henry gets every Friday night when he plays under the lights. "Ain't nothing like it," he said. He's even more excited about his first playoff game.

"That just pumps me up even more," he said. "I'm out here working even harder."

But before he could make an impact on the field, Henry had to take care of business off it.

Though he says he wasn't in danger of being ineligible, Henry admits he had to get more serious about his grades. He has worked harder in the weight room and on the practice field, where he sometimes runs extra routes.

To match up with bigger cornerbacks, he'd like to add a few inches to his 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame.

"I'm undersized," Henry said. "All these boys are bigger than me."

No wonder he's always in such a hurry to eat.

FAVORITE FOOD: Pepperoni pizza, chicken

FAVORITE TV SHOW: NFL, college football

FAVORITE MOVIE: The Longest Yard

FAVORITE MUSIC STYLE: Rap/hip hop

FAVORITE ARTIST: 0 Cent

FAVORITE PRO TEAM: Atlanta Falcons

FAVORITE PLAYERS: Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn

FAVORITE VIDEO GAME: Madden '06

REAL VICK OR SIMULATED VICK: Real Vick

FASHION TASTE: Collared shirt, nice pants

[Last modified November 10, 2005, 11:00:07]