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VALLEY — The Valley High Rams got back on a winning track Friday with a 28-7 win over the Marbury Bulldogs. The comfortable win on homecoming night evened the team’s record to 2-2 on the year and 1-1 in 5A Region 4.

Senior running back Tilyn Carrell had his best game of the season so far, running for well over 100 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Galvin Goss had a solid game leading the offense. He had some key runs to keep drives going and opened the scoring with an 11-yard run up the middle. Xander Newton’s point after made it 7-0 Valley with 2:47 left in the opening period.

A strong stand-by Valley’s defense set up the Ram’s offense in good position for another score early in the second quarter. Good plays by Antwan Greenwood, Brandon McCullough and Mason Yarbrough held the Bulldogs in check on their next possession. Valley put the ball in play on their 44 and went 56 yards for the game’s second score. The big play of the drive was a pass from Goss to Carrell, moving the ball inside the Marbury 20. From there, a keeper by Goss moved the ball inside the 10 and Carrell scored on a seven-yard run off the right side of the line on the next play. Newton’s second PAT made the score 14-o in favor of the Rams with 9:20 left in the half.

An interception by Zan Woody gave Valley another chance to score, but penalties backed them up and the drive ended without points when Newton was wide left on a long field goal attempt very late in the half.

The visitors dominated the third quarter. After recovering a Valley fumble inside the 35 they moved the ball on run plays to a first-and-goal before the Rams held them out of the end zone. Valley too over on the one but couldn’t move it from deep in their territory. They had to punt, and the Bulldogs were right back near the Valley goal on their next possession.

Valley appeared to have had them stopped inside the 20, but a roughing of the passer penalty gave them a first-and-goal on the nine. The Bulldogs would cash in this time on a four-yard run off the right side of the line. The PAT narrowed the score to 14-7 with 8:32 left in the game.

The Rams’ second-half offense had been flat up to that point, but the Marbury score appeared to wake them up, They got serious and put the game away. On their next possession, they drove the ball 65 yards for their third touchdown, pretty much sealing the game.

Runs by Carrell and Goss ate up most of the yardage. On first and goal from the two, Zan Woody got the score on a run around the left end. He took a pitch from Goss on the play and headed right. Finding the way blocked he turned left and outraced defenders to the end zone. Newton’s third PAT scored 21-7 in the game, with seven minutes left.

The Bulldogs were stymied on their next possession with a quarterback sack by Greenwood being the big defensive play. Down by two scores and only around five minutes left in the game, Marbury went for it on fourth and ten near midfield. The Rams took over on the Bulldog 49 when a fourth down pass fell incomplete.

Valley’s offense was well positioned to add a final score and they did so on some late-game heroics from Carrell. His longest run of the night had Valley in a great position with a first-and-ten on the Marbury 14. He got the touchdown on a short run off the left side a couple of plays later. Another point-after from Newton put the final touches on a 28-7 Valley win on homecoming night.

The Rams are back on the road next week with a non-region game with Russell County. Then it’s back to 5A Region 4 competition on four straight Fridays in October. Valley will be at Sylacauga on October 4th, home versus Elmore County on October 11th, in Slapout, Alabama versus Holtville on October 18th and home versus Beauregard on October 25th. They will close out the regular season on November 1st with a home game versus Dadeville.