Signal Mountain soccer players ran toward their fans on rain-soaked grass and dove head first in celebration Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles had just secured the program’s fifth TSSAA state tournament appearance with a 2-1 home win over Cumberland County in a Class AA sectional, and after an excruciating loss last year in the district tournament, they will return to the Spring Fling in Murfreesboro in search of the program’s first state title.
A massive turnaround since the early postseason exit in 2022 has been driven by a trio of players in their final prep season.
“The key to our run to state is that we have three seniors who have been outstanding all year for us,” Signal Mountain coach Richard Northcutt said. “They really have. Sam (Eldridge) in the back has been outstanding, and so has Owen (Walker) in goal. Holt (Carlson) at the front has been extremely creative. Those three have stepped us up in big ways.”
Signal Mountain (17-2-1) has outscored opponents 53-13 this season, and the Eagles will take a nine-match winning streak into Tuesday’s state quarterfinals at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex. They haven’t lost since East Hamilton won 1-0 at Signal Mountain on April 13, and the Eagles avenged that loss with Wednesday’s 1-0 road win against the Hurricanes for the Region 4-AA title.