ALBUQUERQUE — Generations have waited as the decades have passed.

The time has been marked by anticipation, hope and some despair.

But it's finally here for the Northern New Mexico community nestled between the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains.

And most of the crowd of roughly 12,000 in The Pit chanted with a pride that has always been worn on their sleeves, but seldom heard outside of their beloved "Valley."

"We want state!"

"We want state!"

"We want state!"

The Española Valley Sundevils — no, the town of Española — rejoiced in climbing the penultimate mountain after beating Albuquerque Academy 59-47 in the Class AAAA state semifinals Thursday night. The No. 2 seeded Sundevils (28-2) face the top seed Roswell Coyotes on Saturday afternoon at 4 in the very same venue that a night earlier incurred the wrath of head coach Richard Martinez.

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He was anything but loathsome after finally advancing to the title game after two near-misses (a triple-overtime loss to Artesia in 2009 and an overtime stumble to Academy in 2008) in the previous two semifinal appearances.

If anything, Martinez was in a spiritual mood.

"Some people have waited for this for over 40 years, from the Santa Cruz era," Martinez said. "This is a coming of God. It's just unbelievable."

And as God is apt to do at times, faith was tested in the form of a composed, well-oiled Chargers machine. A 12-0 run turned a 17-14 Española lead in the second quarter into a 26-17 Academy lead on Brandon Branch's layup off a Kevin Clauss dish with 1 minute, 28 seconds left before halftime.

The Sundevils fans were disturbingly silent by that point, and were in need of a charge. Junior forward Zach Trujillo gave it to them on a baseline runner that banked in for 26-19. He was fouled, but missed the free throw. Trujillo then followed with a steal, which led to a foul on Luis Alvarado, but he missed the free throw.

Still the crowd began to find its roar. It grew louder on an Alvarado layup with :22 to go, then Rodney Coles' breakaway layup at: 07 for 26-23. While Academy (21-8) managed a pair of Clauss free throws to make the halftime score 28-23, the wheels of fortune were already turning.

Even Chargers head coach Mike Brown saw it.

"That's what happened," Brown said of the momentum shift. "We were in control. We're a ball-control team. We have to spread the ball around, share the ball and take good shots. They got us out of our rhythm and that was the factor in the game."

The Chargers tried to hold back the tidal wave, getting leads of 30-23 and 32-28 in the third quarter, but this surge was too big.

Not with about 8,000 fans in full throat.

Not with 12 players feeding off every one of their songs.

The explosion came when Alvarado hit his fifth and final 3-pointer of the game at :58 of the third for a 35-32 lead.

Had there been a better game from the perimeter?

"No, probably not," Alvarado said sheepishly.

"Oh no, no, no, that's nothing," Martinez interjected. "He hits 10-of-10 sometimes."

"Yeah, but I don't shoot that much," Alvarado replied.

"Don't, don't give away no secrets," Martinez retorted, to the laughter of his entire team, which gathered in the media interview room at Martinez's command.

Fate tried to tempt the Sundevils once more when the score turned to 38-32 on Coles' three-point play off a drive with 7:45 left in the game. It was at this point last year against Artesia when Española went to its spread offense and watched the Bulldogs come back in an eventual 58-56 win.

But where the Sundevils turned the ball over and made bad shots then, this time they kept their focus steely — and on the basket.

A Coles drive led to a foul and a made free throw.

Aaron Aragon hit a scoop layup off an Alvarado steal.

Trujillo hit two free throws.

Coles knocked down a floater in the lane.

Alvarado hit two free throws.

It was 47-39 with 3:05 left, and the anticipation grew with every tick-tock of the clock.

Ben Masserano scored on a three-point play and Clauss hit one of two free throws to get the margin to 49-43 at 2:42, but Española — its team and its fans — were not to be denied.

Five of six free throws were made over the next 57 seconds, and then the sweet release of a heavy burden overcame Martinez. He began to pump his fist, and his coaching staff did the same. The group waved good bye to Clauss when he fouled out.

The coaches waved their arms to the crowd to get them riled up.

They pointed to friends and family and raised their hands in celebration.

By then, they weren't alone.

"The Valley" cheered as well.

After celebrating with their fans, they gathered in the locker room for the team prayer the 12 players and five coaches had died to give.

They thanked God for the win and the chance to play for a state title. They thanked families and friends and the town that has followed them every step of the way, for as long as they can remember.

They thanked each other for the chance of a lifetime — to give Española the state title it has thirsted for and deserved.

Contact James Barron at 986-3045 or jbarron@sfnewmexican.com. Read his blog at thereadbarron.com.