Evans, Mauldin Carry Valley Past L.A. Southwest

The Valley College football team found itself without one half of its dynamic duo against visiting L.A. Southwest on Saturday night, but Benny Evans filled in admirably for Howard Blackwell at tailback and the Monarchs rolled to a 56-27 victory.

Evans, a 5-foot-6 sophomore from Crenshaw High, rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns in 19 carries, caught four passes for 53 yards, and returned two kicks for 24 yards as the Monarchs posted their first Southern Division win in Western State Conference play.

Blackwell, the leading rusher (997 yards) and scorer (17 touchdowns for 102 points) in the WSC, was sidelined with a bruised kidney suffered in last week’s loss at Bakersfield.

“We just decided to hold him out this game,” Valley Coach Jim Fenwick said of Blackwell. “We just wanted to give him a rest, but he’ll be back. . . . But Benny was pretty exciting, wasn’t he?”

With Evans running wild and sophomore quarterback Joe Mauldin continuing to hold a hot hand, Valley scored on seven of its first eight possessions.

Mauldin, who had accounted for 848 yards and eight touchdowns in the previous two games, completed 17 of 27 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown in nine carries as Valley’s offense amassed 604 yards.

The Monarchs (4-3-1, 4-3 in WSC play, 1-2 in division play) took a 36-7 lead with 9 minutes 37 seconds left in the third quarter when Mauldin threw a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Fitzgerald.

Mauldin’s other touchdown passes measured 53 yards to Randolph Brown in the first quarter and 55 yards to Delvon Hardaway in the second period.

Takim Brown led Southwest (2-5-1, 2-5, 1-2) with 140 yards and three touchdowns in 23 carries.