Glendon Poe, Fort Payne Times-Journal

HUNTSVILLE – When the final horn sounded, Collinsville players and coaches ran across to celebrate in front of the crowd of red that endured the hot, sunny Thursday afternoon at John Hunt Park.

A year after being eliminated by Mars Hill Bible in the AHSAA Class 1A/3A state semifinal round, Collinsville flipped things in its favor this go-around, knocking off Mars Hill Bible 2-1 to advance to the championship match Friday night in Huntsville.

“We’re not finished yet,” Collinsville head coach Jeff Stanley yelled as he gathered with his players in a postmatch huddle.

Area 6 champion Collinsville (19-7) plays Area 1 champion Bayside Academy (11-2-3) for the 1A/3A championship at 7 p.m. Friday.

“It’s amazing because we’ve been so close,” Stanley said of his team’s previous success. “We’ve been right on the doorstep and these guys deserve it.

“…Our community deserves it. You saw how our community showed up for us.”

After playing to a scoreless first half, Luke Henderson scored from inside 5 yards in the 43rd minute to give Collinsville a lead. Tristan Gallegos was credited with an assist on the play.

Mars Hill Bible, the Area 8 champion with a 16-6-1 record, equalized in the 57th minute on a goal by Cruz de Leon, but Collinsville didn’t let up.

Gallegos scored the go-ahead goal on a deflection as Mars Hill Bible’s goalkeeper came off his line in the 62nd minute.

“We’re going for the blue,” said Stanley, referring to the AHSAA’s championship Blue Map Trophy as he pointed to a bottle of blue Mountain Berry Blast Powerade and swigged from it.