For some it was a shocker, but for many who know coach Bill Price it was game as usual.

On a warm summer evening at Signal Mountain High School, the red and black Eagles soundly defeated Hixson, 42-21, before a standing room only crowd of 3,273 to kickoff the school's first season of varsity football.

The host Eagles scored the first three times it touched the ball, including a 66-yard-run by sophomore Mitchell Hall and the route was on.

“We have a good, young football team,'' said Price. ''Our defense set the tone and not sure how many yards we rushed for on offense (426), but it was a bunch.''

Overall, SM rushed for a stunning 426 yards (7.7 per carry) with another 54 (6 of 11 with one INT) through the air.

In contrast, the Eagle defense held Hixson to 97 yards on 19 carries (only one yard in the first half) and no first downs until the fifth possession of the first half.

It was the night for the sophomores, as Hall led all rushers with 140 yards (on seven carries and one score) and Andrew Price added an additional 75 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns.

Other scorers for Signal were by junior Gervell Morgan (41 yards/5 carries), senior Whit Sitton (38 yards/9 carries) and sophomore Zack Bowman (33 yards/6 carries). Sophomore Dane deWet was a perfect seven of seven in extra points.

While Signal scored on its first four possessions, the visiting Wildcats went three-and-out on offense in their first four possessions and did not secure a first first down until late in the second quarter.

Hixson reached the Signal end zone at 2:34 before half on a 52-yard pass play, quarterback Justin Mathieson to Curtis Flanagan, followed by Mathieson's first of three converted extra points.

“They put it to us physically,'' said Hixson coach Houston White. “We were not ready to play and I take full responsibility for that.''

Gary Cosey led the Wildcats in rushing with 82 yards on five carries. Flanagan scored the other Hixson touchdowns on runs of two and four yards, both in the fourth quarter.

What If: After Signal's first score, Hixson's deep back Cosey returned a kickoff 95 yards to the Eagle two-yard-line, but a holding call moved to ball back to SM 40 … The Wildcats had to punt seven plays later.

Tough Break: Hixson QB/kicker Mathieson fielded a deep snap on fourth down on his own 13,but his knee touched the ground before he kicked the ball. Signal Mountain took over, scoring three plays later on a 10-yard run by Price.

Interceptions: SM: Luke Locke; Hixson: Chris Phinzey

QB Out: Hixson's regular starting quarterback Zach McCarter was out due to injury … back-up quarterback Randy Boyd was out of town due to the death of his mother … If McCarter starts, then Boyd is the top receiver as Mathieson, the No. 3 QB, is also used as a receiver.

QB Stats: Mathieson was 3-12-1 in passing and one touchdown for 61 yards … Hogan Whitmire was 6-11-1 for 61 yards.

Penalties: SM: 8 for 80 yards; Hixson: 6 for 29 yards.

Signal Mtn. 42, Hixson 21

Hixson ….... 0 7 0 14 - 21

SM............... 14 21 7 0 - 42

SM- Zack Bowman 1 run (deWet kick) 7-0

SM- Mitchell Hall 66 run (deWet kick), 14-0

SM- Gervell Morgan 8 run (deWet kick), 21-0

SM- Andrew Price 10 run (deWet kick) 28-0

H – Curtis Flanagan 52 pass from Justin Mathison (Mathison kick), 28-7

SM – Price 5 run (deWet kick), 35-7

SM – Whitt Sitton 1 run (deWet kick) 42-7

H – Flanagan 2 run (Mathison kick) 42-14

H – Flanagan 4 run (Mathison kick) 42-21

Records: Signal Mtn (1-0), Hixson (0-1)

Attendance: 3,273

Notes:

Five Year Plan: Signal Mountain Football Booster Club has a five-year plan to complete the SM Community Field for football and track according to booster club president Rob Whitmire, who also coaches the SM middle school girls' basketball team .

Seating capacity is 2,200 with another 1,000 to be added on the home side, plus a new press box. Additional facilities will show a visitors team locker room, restrooms, ticket booths, concession center/equipment building.

“We have a great group of booster parents who have been working on the field since May,'' said Whitmore. “We have put in a lot of work and we are glad that the season opener is here.''

The eight-lane, all-weather track has a completion date of spring 2010.

The Eagle's Voice: Veteran p.a. announcer, Dave Wagner, is also is the voice of Signal Mountain Dixie Youth Baseball ... his spotter is SM student Sam Boyette.

Bad First Impression … I thought I had seen it all ... Covering a budding nine-year-old tennis star named Ashley Harkleroad in the mid-1990s to gold medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, even without a press pass, plus high school and college sports throughout this decade …

But Friday night at Signal Mountain's inaugural varsity football game just might take the cake … Arriving at the Community Stadium and in the press box by 4:50 p.m. for a 7 p.m. kickoff, I wanted to arrive in plenty of time and get the lay of the land, so to speak ...

By 6:30 p.m. I was ready for the big game and had typed a few notes on my laptop on SM football … but a press box worker informed me - a press (remember that word) writer - that I would have to leave ... you guessed it ... the Press Box and sit outside during the game … unknown to me, two people video taping the game, who evidently had gold card seating, trumped this reporter who had planned to cover the game from … you got it ... the Press Box ...

Should have brought my 1996 Olympic credential, but never needed one while covering freestyle wrestling for the Chattanooga News-Free Press ...

I asked why the video people could not video from the hard-to-get-to, open-air scaffolding which was for the Hixson coaching staff – four bodies, three bigger than mine – on about a platform about 10-12 feet in length) and he said that those men did not have a good view from there … but it's okay if I and the opposing coaches didn't have a good view in attempting to cover the game? Actually the view was fine except for having the blaring loud speaker in our ears all game ... A little difficult to see my notes once the sun went down, but besides that incidental point everything was fine. But was allowed access to a an extension cord as a power source ...

As I was leaving … what else? … the Press Box … at 6:35 p.m., he put his arm on my shoulder and asked in a sarcastic tone, if this was the first football game I had ever covered … Not sure what that had to do with the price of potatoes in Idaho or all the tea in China or being removed from … all together now … the Press Box ... “no, about 30 years,'' I said (actually off and on since the mid 1960s, but whose counting) ...

He never said let's see what we can work out or I am sorry that we are tight on space ... nothing ... basically, just leave ... after the game, he never asked if I needed anything or ''thanks for coming'' ... he was no where to be seen … I guess he went looking for his own… of course … Press Pass ...

I imagine he needs a history lesson in why it is called a Press Box for baseball and football and Press Row in gyms for basketball and wrestling … (working folks only - no yelling, no cheering allowed) … originally established for the media, but I guess that fact is lost on him …

Wonder where he would have put the late Grantland Rice, if he had showed up?

You know the guy … ''Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen (of Notre Dame) ride again …'' yeah, that guy ...

I guess we would have had to make room on the make shift scaffolding for a fifth body and his manual typewriter. Wouldn't even need a power cord, but for sure a flashlight.

Contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net