Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

MONTEVALLO – With time ticking down and the score tied at 1-1, the anxiety rose in the Montevallo Bulldogs dugout as none of the boys’ chances from open play could create the second goal of the night against the Northside Rams defense.

What’s more, the game took on a larger meaning as, like the girls game before it, a win would allow Montevallo to control its own destiny for the No. 2 seed in Class 5A, Area 8 by sweeping the season series.

However, that all changed in the 76th minute when the Bulldogs stepped up to take a crucial free kick.

Montevallo picked out Enrique Chavez along the right side, and he headed the ball past the charging keeper and into the wide-open left side of the net.

He ran across the middle of the pitch in celebration as the Bulldogs celebrated a 2-1 win on Tuesday, April 8 at Theron Fisher Stadium, their second-straight win over the Rams in 2025.

The teams engaged in an up-and-down battle from the opening whistle, and it didn’t take Montevallo long to create some offense off the break. Irving Choto got a clean breakaway and scored just 50 seconds into the match to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

The breakneck pace continued after the opening goal as both teams got strong chances in the opening 10 minutes.

After the Bulldogs sent a sharp roller to the goal in the third minute, Choto had a go off the counterattack a minute later but saw his effort pushed over the crossbar.

Northside then tried to hit one on the volley while turning, but the sixth-minute effort went wide right.

While the energy persisted through much of the half, Montevallo’s defense proved to be more than up for the challenge. The Bulldogs backline marked the Rams well to position themselves to intercept and clear counter-attacks to preserve the shutout.

Then, the pace marked changed after Northside’s star attacker Andy Otero went down hard with an injury. While the Rams had some threatening chances down the stretch, including a dangerous ball to Khaleb Jimenez in the box in the 35th minute, they came much less frequently than before the injury.

That allowed Montevallo to push the pace and try for a second before the break.

The Bulldogs nearly struck off a 25th-minute throw-in by Enrique Chavez when Alexis Lopez fired a rolling shot left of the goal, but that missed along with a deep shot shortly after as Montevallo quickly regained possession after the goal kick.

The Bulldogs would win multiple throws and free kicks over the next five minutes to keep the ball near the Rams 18-yard box. However, they couldn’t add to their lead in the first half as they hit the break with a 1-0 advantage.

Montevallo pressed the attack to start the half with multiple dangerous chances in the opening minutes, but nothing manifested. The Bulldogs did clear a crucial break from Northside in the 52nd minute when Eduardo Barragan-Mendoza took care of a surefire run at the goal.

Angel Lopez then took a promising run at goal along the end line in the 54th minute but his near-post shot hit the side netting. Almost immediately after, the Rams went for another counterattack on the right wing, but a perfect slide tackle from Angel Munoz got all ball and was cleared.

However, the third time proved to be the charm for the Northside counterattack.

In the 60th minute, Montevallo was in lockstep with the Rams right winger, but the Bulldogs defender fell and left Northside open to cross the ball to the left side of the box, and Nathaniel Munnenix sent a shot across the goal and into the back of the net to equalize.

That put pressure on the Bulldogs to respond. Choto did his best over the next 10 minutes to do so with multiple runs or shots along the left wing, but he couldn’t get the help he needed to convert them.

That did help turn the tide in Montevallo’s favor as the hosts continued to press the attack even if it didn’t lead to a quality shot, putting the Rams on their back heels and wearing out the defense.

Even with open play trending in their direction, the Bulldogs’ breakthrough wouldn’t come from there. It came from a set piece.

Chavez headed in the ball off a 76th minute free kick to take the 2-1 lead and send the Montevallo faithful into a frenzy.

The Bulldogs then kept Northside at bay for the final four minutes to seal the victory and sweep the season series.

Montevallo can clinch a playoff spot by winning its next two area games against Shelby County and Sipsey Valley. The first of those games comes on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at Papa McCombs Stadium in Columbiana when the Bulldogs battle the Wildcats.