Henton/Slaughter duo
Macon Telegraph - Robyn Disney - 11/26/05
FORT VALLEY - Antonio Henton and Chris Slaughter have been playing football together since they were 5 years old on the streets of this small community.
But it's taken a long time for the duo to perfect their ball-slinging, high-flying routine, which fans can see during Peach County High School games.
So far this season, Henton has thrown for 1,826 yards and 25 touchdowns. His best friend Slaughter also is his No. 1 target, catching the ball for 1,282 yards and 21 touchdowns.
"I feel comfortable with him back there," Henton said. "I know I can throw it and he'll come down with it. He does a great job running routes and even if I can't see him, I know he'll be there."
Henton and Slaughter take their show to the Georgia Dome today to face LaGrange in the GHSA Class AAA semifinals.
The Georgia Dome is a far cry from where the two football stars started playing ball.
"We used to play in the streets in the projects," said Slaughter, who lives five blocks away from Henton. "Sometimes we'd play on a vacant lot. It hurt if you got tackled. You could fall on glass or something. But we'd never play on the same team. The kids would say where we were the team captains and we'd have to pick our team."
Both boys moved their football talents to a better field, the one at Peach County High, as members of the Fort Valley Middle School team. But while Slaughter was catching passes, they weren't coming from Henton. He was getting playing time as an offensive lineman.
"We had a different coach when we were in seventh grade," Henton said. "But when we got in eighth grade, I finally got to try out for quarterback and that's when it started."
It was in middle school that high school coach Rance Gillespie started noticing the duo.
"We thought they had a lot of talent at that point," Gillespie said. "As they came over and they started contributing on the ninth-grade team. Then both of them started as 10th graders."
But again, Henton was not the one supplying Slaughter with the football. At the time, A.J. Bryant was the quarterback on the way to sharing Middle Georgia Player of the Year honors. So Henton, who was Bryant's backup, started at receiver.
"It was helpful first being behind such a great quarterback," Henton said. "Then I was also getting time as a receiver, which as a quarterback gives me a perspective of what a receiver has do to the catch the ball."
The 2004 season started with Scott Caraway and Henton in a two-quarterback rotation. But as the season wore on, Henton emerged the starter. He managed to throw for nearly 1,500 yards during the regular season, but his season ended with an ankle injury, which is where this one also started.
"It was hard when he was hurt," Slaughter said. "He wanted so bad to help us. He always wanted to be on the field but he really needed time to heal."
All healed after the third game, the Henton-to-Slaughter show really began.
"We've had so much fun this season," Henton said. "It's fitting that we're doing well because this is our senior year. This is how we want to go out."
They still like playing against each other, though. This time through video games.
Henton readily admits that Slaughter beats him in Madden every time. Slaughter controls the Philadelphia Eagles (with Terrell Owens) while Henton, "plays every team you can imagine trying to beat me," Slaughter said.
But this season is the last time the duo will play football on the same team. During the summer, Henton verbally committed to Ohio State, leaving many to suspect Slaughter would follow. But Slaughter has decided to go to Auburn.
"I'm going to try to make it to as many of his games as possible," Slaughter said. "If I can't make it, I'll tape it. I'll definitely be watching him."
Henton said the departure adds an extra urgency to winning a state title.
"We're seniors, so this is our last chance," Henton said. "When you accomplish things, you want your friend there. We'll do it together."
