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After taking a 7-6 lead into halftime, the Montevallo Bulldogs couldn’t keep up with the Selma Saints, who scored 21 unanswered points to give the Dawgs their fifth-straight loss. (For the Reporter/Markee Canada)

By STEPHEN DAWKINS | Special to the Reporter

MONTEVALLO – The Montevallo Bulldogs couldn’t hold onto a halftime lead and fell to the Selma Saints, 26-7, on Oct. 4 at Theron Fisher Stadium.

“We’re close to putting it together—unfortunately, the competition doesn’t get any easier,” Montevallo coach Garrett Langer said. “We are improving; we just have to keep cleaning it up. We have a ways to go as far as the consistency.”

The visiting Saints (4-3 overall, 2-2 in Class 5A, Region 3 play) struck quickly, scoring on the first play from scrimmage, on a 50-yard pass.

But a couple of possessions later, the Bulldogs (1-5, 0-3) tied the game on a run by Caleb Meriweather and took the lead, 7-6, with the extra point.

According to Langer, the MHS defense was solid all night, and especially in the second quarter, as the Dawgs made the slim lead hold up until halftime.

In the third quarter, the Selma defense forced a three-and-out, and then the Saints marched down the field to take the lead. The lengthy, 15-play drive included a conversion on a third-and-long and a couple of fourth-down conversions.

An interception thrown by Montevallo set up the visitors for their next score, which made it 20-7.

Another turnover by MHS in the fourth quarter led to the final score of the game.

“In the second half, the two turnovers really cost us,” Langer said. “Defensively, we played too many snaps. We played well on defense and made them earn everything, but they earned it. We just couldn’t get off the field when we needed to.”

Keerin Ross paced the Montevallo defense with eight tackles. Meriweather and Dee Cutts added five tackles each, and Merriweather also had two sacks.

Cutts was also a highlight on offense, catching two passes for 43 yards.

The Bulldogs visit the Shelby County Wildcats on Friday, Oct. 11 for their next game.

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