Valley Running Back Evans Is Too Much for Southwest

The Valley College football team found itself without one half of its dynamic duo against visiting 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 that he sustained 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 rampant and sophomore quarterback Joe Mauldin continuing to have 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.

Southwest gained 363 yards, but the Monarch defense held the Cougars to 165 yards in the first half in taking a 29-7 lead.

The Monarchs (4-3-1, 4-3 in WSC play, 1-2 in division play) took a 36-7 lead with nine 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.

Evans’ touchdowns measured three, 18 and 39 yards.

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