What started off as a defensive football game Friday night between Tyner and Signal Mountain turned into something closer to a video game in the second half, as the offenses racked up nearly 800 yards of offense on 129 plays combined.
Tyner's host Rams, who led 17-0 at halftime, outlasted the Eagles by a final score of 45-28 in the nonregion game after a fourth quarter that included 41 points, 28 of which came within a three-minute stretch.
"That got to be a wild one," Tyner coach Wayne Turner said. "We're pretty explosive on offense right now, but we've still got some work to do up front. If we can get everyone clicking we'll be even better."
After a scoreless first quarter, Tyner (1-1) finally broke through on a beautiful fade pass from quarterback Martavius Ryals to Jeremiah Batiste in the corner of the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Ryals targeted Batiste 12 times, leading to seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Ryals went 9-of-17 for 151 yards.
Another touchdown by the Rams on a 3-yard plunge by Kamden Edwards and a Luke Qualey 30-yard field goal gave them the 17-point advantage at the midpoint.
The second half started much like the first, with Tyner scoring again on a 23-yard fumble return by Jerome Stoudemire to go up 24-0. That seemed to be the nail in the coffin as Signal Mountain (0-2) had struggled to move the ball.
All of that changed with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter when Eagles quarterback Jack Wilson hit Travion Williams for a 5-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles converted the two-point try to make the score 24-8 going into the fourth quarter.
That's when the scoring became fast and furious, with each team trading touchdowns at a breakneck pace.
Signal scored on touchdown passes from 36, 65 and 78 yards, all in the first six minutes of the quarter.
Each time, however, the Rams had an answer, with touchdown runs of 70, 60 and 7 yards - the 60-yarder coming on a dazzling sack escape by Ryals that left the home crowd ecstatic. Ryals finished with 96 yards on 11 carries.
"Ryals can escape with the best of them," Turner said. "He's a great runner, especially when he's by himself."
Signal Mountain ran the ball only seven times, giving Wilson the chance to air it out to the tune of 340 yards on 22-of-41 passing and four touchdowns. Receivers Malone Howley and Drew Lowry each had over 100 yards, and Williams led the team with 11 catches.
Contact Kevin Llewallyn at sports@timesfreepress.com.