By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

WEST BLOCTON – And then there was one.

On the same night the Chelsea Hornets fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a loss to the Opelika Bulldogs, which, granted, is one of the best teams in the state no matter the classification, Montevallo traveled to West Blocton High School in an effort to stay perfect on the season. After falling into their biggest hole of the season at 14-0 in the second quarter, the Bulldogs showed off their offensive potency, ripping off 24 straight points before eventually winning easily, 52-28 to move to 7-0 on the year.

At the beginning of the season and for the first month of the season, this West Blocton game was circled as one of the biggest tests for this Montevallo team. But the Tigers are now 0-3 in their last three games and have dropped off significantly from their 4A No. 4 ranking back in mid September. That is not to take anything away from the Bulldogs’ performance on the night, as this team continues to show they’re playing for keeps this year.

After falling in an early 14-0 hole on the road, resident runaway boulder Undreaz Lilly punched in Montevallo’s first score with just under seven minutes left in the second quarter from the one yard line, but the extra point was blocked and Montevallo trailed 14-6.

Zac Oden found Blake Smith for a 36-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs two-pount conversion failed and Montevallo still trailed 14-12. However, Andrew Zow’s team showed it can score in a hurry as the Bulldogs added another touchdown via a Kerry Mack 29-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds left in the half to take an 18-14 lead into halftime.

The special teams crew got in on the scoring action in the third quarter as Levi Layton took a blocked punt to the house to give Montevallo a 24-14 lead with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.

After a West Blocton touchdown, Mack added his second score of the game from six yards out with just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter to take a 31-20 lead. Lilly later added his second score of the night with a 10-yard rushing score to keep pace with Mack and to take a 38-28, and the Bulldogs only extended their lead from that point on.

Oden found sophomore playmaker Ahmad Edwards for a 27-yard scoring stike with just over six minutes in the fourth quarter and found Lilly for a 17-yard touchdown with just over two minutes left in the game to cap the scoring and get out of West Blocton with a 52-28 win.

Oden was 11-17 on the night and finished with 217 yards through the air, three touchdowns and one interception. Mack finished the night with 131 yards on just 13 carries and two scores while Lilly accumulated 128 yards on 14 carries for three total touchdowns. Edwards continued his impressive sophomore campaign with a three reception, 55-yard, one touchdown effort. TreShawn Brown and Hunter Nabors once again led the way for the defense with 12 and 10 tackles respectively.

Montevallo will return home next week to take on Bibb County as the Bulldogs try and stay perfect for another week.