Cornejo’s field goal in game’s final play lifts No. 9 Collinsville to 17-14 upset of No. 5 Piedmont in second-round playoff game
Area scoreboard
FRIDAY, Nov. 13
Class 4A
Scottsboro 35, Alexandria 33, FINAL
Leeds 50, Cherokee County 7, FINAL
Class 3A
Cleburne County 49, Cordova 14, FINAL
Class 2A
Fyffe 49, Wellborn 14, FINAL
Gordo 42, Pleasant Valley 35, FINAL
Collinsville 17, Piedmont 14, FINAL
Class 1A
Hubbertville 28, Wadley 7, FINAL
Winterboro 60, Spring Garden 14, FINAL
Private Class A
Westbrook Christian 42, Whitesburg Christian 18, FINAL
By Joe Medley
PIEDMONT — On a night when Calhoun County was destined to bow out of the AHSAA football playoffs, not even one of the county’s most consistent deep-run teams could come through.
Uriel Cornejo’s 22-yard field goal on the game’s final play made the difference, and ninth-ranked Collinsville survived its second-round game with No. 5 Piedmont 17-14.
Collinsville (10-2) advanced and will play host to Lexington in the Class 2A quarterfinals. Piedmont finished 10-2.
‘In the grand scheme of things, we were hoping to maybe make it to Mobile and play for a state championship,” Piedmont coach Jonathan Miller said. “We didn’t get that done, and that’s a little bit of a disappointment.”
Piedmont has made the semifinals 10 of the past 12 seasons, the last two times under Miller. The Bulldogs won five Class 3A state titles under Steve Smith.
Piedmont was one of more than 200 schools to move down in classification ahead of this season, and Collinsville became the first 2A team to beat Piedmont this season. This after the Bulldogs dominated Region 6 play.
The Panthers prevailed in a high-level quarterback showdown. Mason McAteer completed 15 of 23 passes for 144 yards, including touchdown passes of five yards to Josh Toodle and eight yards to Jeremiah Killian.
Piedmont’s Cole Austin completed eight of 12 passes for 114 yards, including touchdown passes of ?6 yards to Mason Morrow and 25 yards to Carson Cleveland. Austin also rushed for 49 yards.
It came down to the game’s last drive. Collinsville took over after a Piedmont punt with 5:30 to play and drove 30 yards in 10 plays, aided by a pass interference call that moved the Panthers into field goal position.
“It was on the far side of the field, but there wasn’t much there, in my opinion,” Miller said. “It is what it is.
“That’s part of it. You’ve got to live with those calls, and we didn’t do a good enough job stopping them afterwards.”
Cornejo came on with 2.3 seconds left and, after Piedmont’s timeout to ice him, split the uprights. He’d done the same thing at 6:46 of the fourth quarter, hitting a game-tying extra point after back-to-back false start penalties moved him back.
Piedmont trailed 7–0 at halftime but rallied, taking an 8-7 lead on Austin’s touchdown pass to Morrow plus Carson Sanders’ two-point conversion.
The Bulldogs led 14-7 after Austin’s touchdown pass to Cleveland at 11:47 of the fourth quarter.
“I’m proud of our kids, proud of our seniors,” Miller said. “It’s a great group of kids that we’re certainly going to miss.”
Collinsville-Piedmont updates
–Kickoff 7 p.m.
–Piedmont wins toss, defers. Collinsville to receive opening kickoff.
SECOND QUARTER
–Mason McAteer throws a 5-yard TD pass to Josh Toodle at 6:37. PAT is good. COLLINSVILLE 7, PIEDMONT 0
THIRD QUARTER
–Cole Austin scrambles right, throws to Mason Morrow for a 36-yard touchdown pass. Carson Sanders gets the 2-point conversion at 6:28. PIEDMONT 8, COLLINSVILLE 7
FOURTH QUARTER
–Austin throws a 25-yard TD pass to Carson Cleveland at 11:47. Conversion fails. PIEDMONT 14, COLLINSVILLE 7
–McAteer throws an 8-yard TD pass to Sylas Adams at 6:46. Uriel Cornejo hits extra point after two false starts. PIEDMONT 14, COLLINSVILLE 14
–Corneji kicks a 22-yard field goal on the game’s final play. COLLINSVILLE 17, PIEDMONT 14
