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The Montevallo Bulldogs came close to their first win in eight games but turnovers tipped the matchup in Jemison’s favor. (For the Reporter/Brandon Sumrall)

By CAREY REEDER | Special to the Reporter

JEMISON – Montevallo High School was kept winless in Class 5A Region 3 play as Jemison High School outlasted the Bulldogs 30-22 on Oct. 25.

The Bulldogs had the opportunities to score points, but three turnovers derailed too many drives in the end to fall to 1-8 on the season. The win was Jemison’s first of the season.

“I felt like turnovers were the story for us tonight,” Montevallo head coach Garrett Langer said. “We got inside the 10-yard line twice, inside the 20-yard line three times and just could not come away with enough points when we got down there. It really hurt us tonight.”

Montevallo opened the game’s scoring as Razareo Conwell took in the two-yard touchdown run to put them ahead 7-0 early.

The Panthers responded right away with a touchdown on their next possession, capped by a two-yard rushing touchdown by Chaz Melton, but the point after was missed to keep Montevallo ahead 7-6.

Conwell ran for 45 yards on 10 carries for the Bulldogs.

Melton continued his hot start, punching in a three-yard touchdown just before the end of the first quarter, and Graden Mims’ two-point run gave Jemison its first lead of the game at 14-7.

Jemison’s Noah Szymula picked off a Montevallo pass in the second quarter, and teams traded field goals down the stretch of the first half–Arturo Alvarenga from 14 yards away and Chris Borraz from 21 yards away–to send the Panthers into halftime up 17-10.

Buck Ross led the Montevallo defense with 10 tackles, followed by Jaylen Ray with eight tackles and Caleb Meriweather had a sack.

The team’s played to a stalemate in the third quarter, but Melton got back into the end zone early in the fourth quarter for his third rushing touchdown of the game, this one from two yards out, to further the Jemison lead to 23-10 after the missed point after.

Montevallo continued to fight, and Jordan Ward powered in for a two-yard touchdown run to shrink the lead to 23-16.

However, the two teams traded touchdowns down the stretch with Ward throwing a touchdown pass to Dee Cutts, but time ran out on Montevallo as Jemison took the win.

Ward was 7-for-15 passing for 87 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and he added a 71-yard on 15 carries effort on the ground as well. Cutts was his favorite target as the receiver grabbed four catches for 49 yards.

“We played hard and proud of the way our guys fought, but you cannot turn the ball over and win games,” Langer said.

Montevallo (1-8) finishes its season on the road at Vincent High School on Nov. 1 in its next game. Jemison (1-8) wraps up its season on the same day hosting Hale County High School. Both games will kick off at 7 p.m.

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