DEL VALLE HOLDS OFF AMERICAS IN AFTERNOON THRILLER, 45-40

By PREP1 Sports | September 25, 2026 What started as a Thursday night matchup under the lights became a Friday afternoon shootout — and the Del Valle Conquistadores made sure the wait was worth it. After lightning forced the postponement of the original September 24 meeting, Del Valle and Americas returned to the field Friday afternoon, with the Conquistadores outlasting the Trail Blazers 45-40 in one of the wildest offensive battles of Week 5. The victory moved Del Valle to 3-2 on the season, while Americas dropped to 1-4. CONQUISTADORES STRIKE FIRST Del Valle wasted little time making up for the lost night. The Conquistadores jumped ahead 14-0 after the first quarter, then added another 14 points in the second to take a 28-14 lead at halftime. Americas fought back with 19 fourth-quarter points, but Del Valle's early cushion proved to be just enough. The final scoring breakdown: Q1: Del Valle 14, Americas 0 Q2: Del Valle 14, Americas 14 Q3: Del Valle 10, Americas 7 Q4: Del Valle 7, Americas 19 FINAL: DEL VALLE 45, AMERICAS 40 HERNANDEZ LIGHTS UP THE AFTERNOON Del Valle quarterback Eric Hernandez delivered a spectacular performance through the air. Hernandez completed 22 of 26 passes for 336 yards and four touchdowns, finishing the afternoon with a completion rate of nearly 85 percent and no interceptions. His favorite target was Sebastian Villareal, who hauled in 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while A. Cummings also produced a major receiving performance with 133 yards on eight receptions. The Conquistadores also got a huge contribution from the ground game. Eli Nunez rushed for 67 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, giving Del Valle another weapon to keep the Trail Blazers' defense off balance. AMERICAS NEVER QUIT The Trail Blazers refused to let the game get away. Maurice Edwards was once again at the center of the Americas attack, accounting for an incredible 477 total yards. Edwards rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, while completing 25 of 36 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. His performance helped Americas produce 502 total yards, including 285 passing yards and 217 rushing yards. But Del Valle continued to answer every challenge. The Conquistadores finished the afternoon with five touchdowns and protected the lead when it mattered most. A GAME WORTH THE WAIT After Thursday night's lightning storm pushed the contest to Friday afternoon, both teams came ready to make up for lost time. They certainly did. Eighty-five combined points. Ten touchdowns. More than 1,000 combined yards. And for Del Valle, it was another important step forward heading toward district play. The Conquistadores have now won three of their first five games, with victories over Montwood, El Dorado and Americas. WHAT'S NEXT Del Valle gets an extra week before returning to action, with the Conquistadores scheduled to open District 1-5A Division II play at Canutillo on October 9 at 7 p.m. Americas will return to the field October 8 against Hanks, opening its own district schedule. For Del Valle, Friday afternoon wasn't simply a rescheduled game. It was a 45-point statement — and one that the Conquistadores hope carries straight into district play. FINAL: DEL VALLE 45, AMERICAS 40 PHOTO: Christian Napao | PREP1 Network