“Fun” wasn’t a word that surrounded Signal Mountain’s one-win football season in 2016, but the Eagles had plenty of it Friday night at home.
Behind two defensive touchdowns, a couple of field goals and a perfect touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tom Vatter, they defeated Tyner 27-7 and evened their season record at 1-1.
“I thought our defense played lights out tonight. The two touchdowns on their end were really the difference in the game,” first-year head coach Josh Roberts said after his first career win. “What we’re most proud of is the fight we’re seeing from our guys right now. It’s a different mentality this year.”
A smooth 42-yard field goal by Scott Payne put Signal on top on its first possession, and that lead grew by the end of Tyner’s first possession. On just their third play, Rams quarterback Jaylen Bowens attempted a screen pass that went backward and was dropped, but an opportunistic Eagle was there to scoop up the ball and return it to the end zone for six points.
Later in the first quarter, Vatter dropped back on a third-and-long play inside his own 20-yard line and found junior receiver Travion Williams far down the middle of the field for an 85-yard scoring play.