In this file photo, Signal Mountain High School students excitedly wait for the start of Signal Mountain's season opening home football game on Friday. The Eagles were the 2010 State Champions for their division.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association has notified Signal Mountain High School that its football program is guilty of playing an ineligible player and must vacate all six wins this season.

According to executive director Bernard Childress, two TSSAA assistant directors spent several hours at Signal Mountain High conducting interviews on Thursday. The TSSAA staff met early Friday morning and Childress faxed the official letter of notice Friday afternoon, Childress said.

The ineligible player is 6-foot-2, 240-pound running back/linebacker Tim McClendon, who transferred form Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe during the summer and started for Signal Mountain in all seven games this season.

He will not be allowed to play in any further football games for the Eagles, beginning with tonight's game at Polk County.

Signal Mountain is expected to appeal the ruling.

For more on this story read Saturday's Times Free Press.