Staff Reports

COLLINSVILLE – The Collinsville Panthers clinched the third football playoff spot from Class 3A, Region 8 with a 45-22 victory over Holly Pond on Friday.

Mason McAteer led the Panthers (7-2, 5-2) by completing 7-of-16 pass attempts for 276 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 62 yards on 13 carries with a score.

Gavin Lang was McAteer’s top receiver with four catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Noah Johnson had a pair of catches for 83 yards and a score.

Collinsville built a 17-0 halftime lead on a pair of McAteer touchdown passes of 41 and 65 yards to Lang. Uriel Cornejo added a 27-yard field goal.

Holly Pond (4-5, 3-4) opened the third quarter scoring on a 2-yard run to make it a 17-6 game, but McAteer extended the Panther lead on his 2-yard touchdown run to make the score 24-6.

The Broncos made it a 10-point game following a 12-yard touchdown pass and successful 2-point conversion, but then McAteer connected with Johnson on a 50-yard touchdown to push the Panther lead to 31-14.

Holly Pond pulled back within nine at 31-22 on a 23-yard touchdown pass and ensuing 2-point try. The Panthers then closed out the game on McAteer’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Lang and Sylas Adams’ 80-yard interception return for a score for the final.

Collinsville closes out the regular season on Thursday at Valley Head, then opens the state playoffs at Colbert County on Nov. 7.