Championship celebration

Collinsville keeper and tournament MVP Adan Morales (0) celebrates with teammates Alex Galvez and Martin Morales (15) after the Panthers defeated Westminster-Oak Mountain 4-1 to claim the Class 1A-4A state championship Saturday.

HUNTSVILLE — It’s nickname is “Panthers,” but maybe Collinsville High School’s soccer team needs to adopt a second, unofficial moniker. Something like “Trailblazers.” Or “History Makers.”

A division that has been dominated by private schools is now ruled by the small public school in southern DeKalb County.

No. 9-ranked Collinsville outscored No. 7 Westminster-Oak Mountain 3-0 in the second half Saturday and claimed the Class 1A-4A state championship with a 4-1 victory over the Knights.

Collinsville (14-7-7) became the first public school to win the title since the division was created in 2000. It’s also the first all-Hispanic team to win a state championship and the first 1A school.

“We proved a point,” Collinsville keeper and tournament MVP Adan Morales said. “Some people were doubting us because we’re a 1A school, and we proved them wrong. We made history.”

Added teammate Jorge Segura, “I don’t have the words to describe this feeling. It’s just beautiful. We proved that no matter where you’re from, anything is possible.”

Collinsville, which was making its third straight state tournament appearance, became the first 1A public school and the first all-Hispanic team to reach the Final Four in 2011. The Panthers picked up their first state semifinal win in three tries Friday, edging No. 4 Randolph 2-1 in a showdown that went to penalty kicks.

"Right now it's the best feeling in the world," Collinsville coach Julie Little said. "It's kind of hard to [sum up] all the emotions.”

The teams were tied 1-all at halftime, but the Panthers moved in front less than two minutes into the second half on a Segura goal.

Edgar Padilla scored off a Luis Segura assist about 15 minutes into the half, and Segura added the final goal with less than two minutes remaining.

Westminster (13-4-4) had the most scoring opportunities in the first half, outshooting the Panthers 13-4, but Collinsville enjoyed a 5-2 edge after intermission.

“We weren’t playing our best game in the first half,” Little said. “We were stabbing at the ball a lot and weren’t very organized defensively. We just reiterated [at halftime] that losing was not an option.”

Said Jorge Segura, “We had a talk [at halftime] and said it was our last 40 minutes and no matter what happen to give it our all. There’s no better way to end a season.”

After saving 12 shots Friday, including one penalty kick in regulation and two in the match-deciding shootout, Morales added four more Saturday.

“I want to thank our fans, our community, our coach for pushing us,” he said. “We never gave up. It’s just great. [Winning state] was our goal and we made it happen.

“I had some great moments but I thank the team for totally supporting me and thank time for being there for me.”

Collinsville took a 1-0 lead when Moises Velasquez scored off a Daniel Morales assist about 27 minutes into the match. Westminster tied it on a Garrett Smith goal with about nine minutes remaining in the first half.

The state championship is the second in Collinsville School history. The Panthers won a boys basketball championship in 1975.

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