A memorable and crazy night of football in Albuquerque

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One would be hard pressed to come up with a night of prep football as unquestionably exciting — and yet indescribably bizarre — as what went down Thursday around Albuquerque.

Legacy Academy and Hope Christian played a thrilling game at Nusenda Community Stadium, filled with one huge play after another. It was delayed twice — once for 35 minutes at the start by lightning, which in and of itself is not so strange given that it is still monsoon season.

It was also delayed once in the fourth quarter by lighting. Or a lack thereof. Hope eventually prevailed, 40-27.

At Wilson Stadium, Albuquerque High and Eldorado slugged it out for roughly three hours and 40 minutes — without any delays from the heavens — and were just about to begin a second overtime when the facility was emptied and the teams sent off the field because of lightning.

A little after 11 p.m., the teams decided there would be no more football, and it was declared a 43-43 tie, a rare thing in New Mexico prep football, since the rules are explicitly designed to have a winner and a loser in every game.

Highland’s 41-14 win at Milne Stadium over Del Norte on Thursday night was downright ordinary compared to what went down at the other two venues.

Starting at Wilson, Eldorado (0-1-1) trailed AHS 21-7 at halftime. The Eagles battled back, seizing a 28-27 lead midway through the fourth quarter and a 35-27 lead three minutes later.

The Bulldogs (1-0-1) scored with under a minute to go in regulation, and converted a 2-point try to force overtime.

Eldorado scored first in OT, and quickly added a 2-point conversion. Albuquerque High matched that, but not without some drama, which included penalties on both teams. The Bulldogs eventually scored and matched the Eagles’ 2-point try and it was 43-all.

AHS was getting ready to line up to begin the second OT when Mother Nature — who, it must be noted, has been imposing her will in quite a few metro-area games already this young season — intervened.

After a short delay, it was declared a tie — a game, AHS coach Desmond Anaya said, that was a definite “game of the year” candidate.

Unusual circumstances like these are just about the only way a high school football game in New Mexico can end in a tie.

Hope Christian and Legacy Academy, Albuquerque’s two smallest 11-man programs, staged an incredibly entertaining game on the West Side, once the weather cleared.

By the time it was finished, Hope freshman quarterback Nick Miller had thrown for 407 yards and five touchdowns. Senior receiver Darrien Williams had caught seven passes for 239 yards and scoring receptions of 96 and 82 yards. Williams also returned the game’s opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown. (And he dropped what would have been a certain 79-yard touchdown pass in the second half because, he said, his arm was a little slippery from water.)

“It was so fun out there,” Williams said. “I love this game so much.”

Miller also threw two TD passes to Ethan Carter, covering 31 and 33 yards, and chucked a 17-yarder to Blake Volk.

“He is THE best quarterback I’ve ever seen in my life,” Williams said.

Hope led early 7-0; the Silverbacks had the next two scores. Quarterback Cameron Maldonado engineered a 68-yard drive on the heels of Williams’ kickoff return, and he threw a 3-yard TD pass to Christian Perez on fourth down to tie the game.

On Legacy’s next drive, Maldonado made a brilliant play as the Silverbacks took the lead. On fourth down from the Hope 7, Maldonado spun out of a sack attempt, then sprinted 7 yards for a touchdown. He was upended at the goal line, barely getting in.

The Huskies took the lead for good with three touchdowns in a span of 3:09 late in the first half.

First it was Miller 31 yards to Carter. Then the Huskies recovered what looked like half of a pooch kickoff, leading to the 17-yarder to Volk for a 20-14 lead. Hope intercepted Maldonado moments later, and that turned into the 33-yarder to Carter with 36 seconds to go in the half and a 27-14 edge.

There was something for everyone in this game.

Hope (2-0) looked to be firmly in control, leading 34-14 after Miller connected with Williams on a post pattern. Williams sprinted to complete the 96-yard score late in the third.

“I have great teammates,” Miller said. “It’s an all-around effort.”

Here is Hope Christian senior WR/KR Darrien Williams after his monster night against Legacy Academy. He had three touchdowns and the SHORTEST of the three was 82 yards. pic.twitter.com/uQvDIDk7up

— James Yodice (@JamesDYodice) August 28, 2026

Perez of the Silverbacks (0-2) returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a score, cutting the deficit to 34-20 in the final minute of the quarter.

The deficit was further shaved, to 34-27 with 3:56 to go, when linebacker Elijah Hernandez stepped in front of a screen pass— a play the Huskies had been running effectively most of the night — and went 18 yards the other way for a pick-6.

But on Hope’s next snap, Miller and Williams paired up for that 82-yard score (most of it due to Williams’ RAC) and a two-touchdown cushion with 3:29 to go.

“That was a big one,” Williams said. “I knew we had to get a spark.”

On the next Legacy possession, the Silverbacks were third and 20 from their 17 when the stadium lights went out precisely at 10 p.m. — as they were preprogrammed to. There was a play in progress when it went dark.

That truly strange delay lasted 15 minutes.

Hope takes on Atrisco Heritage next week.

“We’re playing solid, we’re playing physical football, and we’ve got some good things happening,” Hope coach Fernando Salinas said.

At Milne, Highland (2-0) had its way with the Knights (0-2). Curtis Ryan caught three touchdown passes for the Hornets and had over 100 yards rushing.

Jorge Solano threw two touchdown passes and scored on a rushing TD. Will Anchondo ran for a score and threw for another.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.

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