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The Montevallo Bulldogs continued to show improvements on offense, but an offensive explosion from Sipsey Valley led to their seventh-straight loss. (For the Reporter/Markee Canada)

By SETH HAGAN | Special to the Reporter

MONTEVALLO – The home run plays were hitting for the Montevallo Bulldogs on Senior Night, but lack of team depth and ability to finish extended drives on offense ultimately left them coming up short to the Sipsey Valley Bears at home in a 51-27 final on Oct. 18.

“We played hard but we were a little bit out-manned numbers-wise. I️ thought we played well with them early in the game, but we didn’t execute some things down there inside the 30 and the red zone,” said Montevallo head coach Garrett Langer. “A lot of positives tonight though, we’ve had a tough year, but since the John Carroll game, we’ve gotten better every week. We’re going to get back to work.”

Montevallo nearly took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, but a penalty deep in their territory dragged them back inside their own 5-yard line. The Bears pushed the Bulldogs backwards on consecutive plays and forced a safety, netting them a 2-0 lead and the ball on the Montevallo 37 on their first drive.

However, Montevallo fought back and turned the Bears over on downs after seven plays to get the ball back to their offense.

The Bulldogs took the ball from their own 21-yard line and used three runs and two passes to work their way into Sipsey Valley territory. On the next play Jordan Ward took off through a hole up the middle for a 46-yard touchdown at the 5:42 mark in the first quarter and a 7-2 lead.

The Bears would respond immediately and do so all night. Sipsey Valley drove a run-heavy seven plays in the next four minutes to retake the lead 9-7 with 1:51 to go in the quarter.

A few strong runs from Montevallo got them back on the right side of the 50-yard line, but the offense went cold after that with three straight incompletions and a run from Ward came up short on fourth down to send possession back to Sipsey.

The Bears wasted no time and drove 65 yards in six plays, including a 32-yard touchdown run with 9:41 to go in the half for a 16-7 lead.

The teams traded short drives before the Bulldogs mounted another drive into Sipsey territory with time winding down. On the fourth play, Ward loaded up for a big pass downfield, finding Ethan Juarez for a 47-yard gain, putting them in the red zone.

However, yet again, the offense sputtered with a short run and two incompletions, forcing a fourth-down play they could not convert.

Despite the long drive, Sipsey Valley seemed rejuvenated by the stop and moved the ball with ease in the final 94 seconds of the half with plays of 35, 20 and 18 yards punctuated by a 10-yard touchdown run 16 seconds before the horn to take a 24-7 lead into the locker room.

Montevallo made good on a fortunate opportunity on the opening kickoff of the second half, diving on a fumbled catch on the return, and began its drive on the Sipsey 30-yard line.

Five plays later, Ward bolted 15 yards for his second touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 24-13 two minutes into the half.

Another quick response from Sipsey Valley was in the cards, though, and it needed just six plays to go 58 yards at the 7:35 mark and followed that with a nine-play, 65-yard drive to take a 38-13 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The fourth was a fireworks show as Montevallo struck on a 62-yard touchdown pass to Dee Cutts with 9:46 to go, but the Bears weren’t done and tacked on two more touchdowns in the final stanza.

Cutts also took the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for the Bulldogs final score with 30 seconds left in the game.

After the contest, Langer talked about what he wants his team to focus and improve on down the final stretch of the season.

“Finishing drives offensively and getting off the field on third and fourth down defensively and finishing there,” Langer said. “That’s been our biggest area of struggle these last three games,”

Jordan Ward finished leading his team in passing and rushing, going 6-for-17 for 141 yards and a touchdown while running for 133 yards on 16 rushes with two touchdowns. Deterrius Cutts led the team with 91 yards on four receptions and scored two total touchdowns on the night.

Buck Ross led the defense with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery while AJ Guizar and Ethan Juarez had nine and eight tackles, respectively.

Montevallo (1-7) will head out on the road for the remainder of their season with next week’s matchup at Jemison on Oct. 25th at 7 p.m.

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