A date with state-ranked Sequatchie County is a chore for any football team, regardless of classification.
For a Signal Mountain crew without starting quarterback Colton Johnson and wing-T fullback Eli Walker, the task was insurmountable.
Sequatchie, No. 2 in TSSAA Class 3A this week, used an avalanche of critical plays from quarterback Hunter Minton to seize control early Friday night at the Eagles Nest and cruise by Signal Mountain, 29-7.
“We really try to put the kids in position to make plays,” Indians coach Rusty McIntyre said after his team moved to 2-0. “Signal really did some things early defensively with their front that confused us.
“It was so much adjustments as much as Hunter extending some plays and making things happen.”
(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday night’s Chattanooga-area prep football games)
Fourth down was critical for each side in the decisive moments of the first half.
The Eagles (1-1) had a bad snap that resulted in a 31-yard loss and set up Sequatchie’s first score. That touchdown and the subsequent score for the Indians each came on fourth down as Minton eluded the rush and found a teammate in space.
The first was to fullback Kason Hicks for a 29-yard score; the second was a 14-yard strike to Brooks McIntyre on the sideline for a 14-0 lead.
“The last thing I said to the guys was we have to turn on the gas and never let up,” Minton said after finishing with a dazzling night with a line of 15-of-22 passing for 298 yards and four scores and a team-best 70 yards rushing.
Minton’s other two touchdown throws were on a broken play to Hicks — on a beautiful wheel route that covered 50 yards — and a 47-yarder to Gowan Brown.
“Our goal is to play 15 games,” Minton said, referencing what it will take to get to the BlueCross state championship game at Finley Stadium in December.
For the Class 4A Eagles, the first-half struggles were buoyed by an inspired drive to start the second half, when they went 68 yards on nine plays for a score. The big play was a 38-yard catch by J.B. Zimmerman, and the Eagles’ lone score was a 3-yard run by Zimmerman.
With limited options, the feeling of being too little too late was universal for Signal Mountain.
“We told them after the game you have to be ready to play from the start against good teams. And Sequatchie is a good team,” coach Mark Mariakis said. “There are growing pains using younger players learning to play at the next level, but the the second half, we played like Signal Mountain football because we never give up.”
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepres.com.