By CHRIS MEGGINSON | For the Reporter

MONTEVALLO – It was another pitch-and-catch night for Montevallo’s Malik Inabinette and J.J. Evans. The duo connected eight times for 226 yards and five touchdowns as Montevallo ran away with a 53-32 home victory over Greensboro on Oct. 26.

“We talked to our team about trying to build some momentum heading into the playoffs, and I thought tonight we took another step in the right direction,” said Montevallo head coach Brandon Wilcox. “We still have some things we need to clean up on either side of the ball. I think our guys need to be more physical, but I thought it was a good team win.”

Evans scored from 16 yards out on his first touchdown catch of the night and Deon Gillialand added the 2-point run, but Greensboro quickly evened the scored, 8-8. The Bulldogs opened it up with a 65-yard strike from Inabinette to Evans to start a 20-point swing. The visiting Raiders made it 28-14 before Inabinette hit Evans for two more touchdowns before the half, including one from 60 yards, to give Montevallo a 40-14 halftime lead.

Montevallo (8-1) shut out the Greensboro offense in the third quarter. Alexander Tyes came up with an interception to help set up a touchdown pass to Jamarius Carter, his second of the game. Carter finished the night with 117 yards on five catches.

Greensboro found the end zone on a pick six off Inabinette to close the third quarter, but the Bulldogs’ QB bounced back to hit Avery Anfield for a 29-yard TD and 53-14 lead.

Greensboro tacked on two late fourth quarter touchdowns.

“I’m really proud of our defense for playing good football in the second half. I thought they stepped up and corrected some things we talked about in the second half. Hopefully that will propel us into next week,” Wilcox said.

Inabinette completed 18-of-24 passes for 430 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception, but Wilcox says the team needs to find its ground game entering the final week of the regular season.

“We’ve got to do a better job being able to run the football. In the playoffs we’re going to have to be able to do that. It’s going to be a point of emphasis by our coaches and players moving forward,” he said.

Montevallo, which has already secured the No. 2 seed in wraps up Class 4A, Region 3 play with a 5-1 record, will be home the next two weeks with Senior Night against Lincoln on Nov. 2 and a first round playoff game Nov. 9.