Albuquerque team qualifies for NFL Flag nationals

Flag football has existed for decades, perhaps even for a century by now. It’s played in many ways and at many levels — including, as of 2028 in Los Angeles, the Olympic Games.

For John Howell, Darian Williams and Santiago Padilla, though, flag football is not the end game; all three plan to play tackle football, or already have, at their respective high schools.

Yet, the flag version of the game is providing them something tackle football likely will not (though never say never): a trip to Canton, Ohio, the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Padilla, Williams, Howell and their three 14U (14-and-under) Burque Ballers teammates, Ezra Robinson, Azriel Romero and Mathew Savorillo, will represent New Mexico and the Denver Broncos at the NFL Flag Championships, scheduled for July 17-20 in Canton.

The Ballers punched their ticket by winning their age group at the Broncos NFL Flag Regional in Aurora, Colorado on May 10.

At the regional, the Ballers played three games in pool play, advanced to the knockout round and emerged as champions — all in one day.

The NFL version of flag football is a lightning-fast 5-on-5 game with no contact but lots of throwing, catching and running.

“It was a lot,” Howell, a Ballers receiver/running back/cornerback, said during an interview at Johnson Fields on the University of New Mexico campus.

“It wasn’t really too difficult,” said Williams, a receiver. “Just really tiring.”

But worth it, they said, both in and of itself and for their football future.

“It’s just a really great way to stay in shape during the offseason,” Williams said. “It helps you with your technique.”

Howell, 14, attends Eldorado and lists track and basketball as his athletic interests other than football.

Williams, 15 — he didn’t turn 15 until after the NFL Flag cutoff date of Aug. 1, 2024 — goes to La Cueva and hopes to play wide receiver for the Bears. In the spring, he hopes to run the 100 and 200 meters on the track.

Padilla, 15, plays quarterback for the Ballers. He hopes to do the same for Rio Rancho High, but also wrestles for the Rams. (Quarterback and wrestler might strike one as an unusual combination, but it worked out for Diego Pavia).

Howell and Williams have played for the Ballers for some eight years in succeeding age groups under coach Robert Gandara, an Albuquerque attorney and Howell’s dad. Padilla has been with the Ballers for four years after playing against them — impressively — in the past.

As a quarterback, Padilla, nicknamed “Santi,” is not allowed to run past the line of scrimmage but can duck, dodge and roll out to avoid the defense’s designated blitzer. The QB has seven seconds to release the ball.

Of Gandara’s offensive scheme, Padilla said, “I like how I can get the ball to everybody. Nobody feels left out.”

The rest of the lineup for nationals:

Romero, nicknamed “Azzie,” has been playing tackle football since he was 6 and has played youth football at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. He played freshman football at La Cueva last fall.

“He played with me and (Howell) when he was 6 or 7, and I coached him in basketball,” Gandara said. “He ended up playing tackle football, then he played 7-on-7 (flag) with Darian. That’s how he ended up back with us.”

Robinson, 14, like Padilla got Gandara’s attention when he played against his teams in other leagues and at other age levels.

“Every time we’d play each other we’d beat them, but man, would he give us a run for our money,” Gandara said. “… He’s been playing for me for two seasons, and he’s just an amazing kid.”

Savorillo, 15, nicknamed “Savi,” is the newest Baller. “He’s very fast. I know he’s been playing football for a long time,” Gandara said. “”He actually joined us because he does 7-on-7 with Darian and Azzie.”

Angelo Williams, Darian’s father, is Gandara’s assistant coach.

Of coaching 5-on-5, Gandara said, “We have our basic formations. We have our plays as well, and then what happens is we’re out there and we just end up making adjustments the whole game, calling things from the sideline.

“We end up running half of our playbook, and the rest of it is kind of freestyle. But it works out.”

“It’s kind of like a video game,” Angelo Williams said. “Move this person here, move this person here.”

During league play in Albuquerque, Gandara said, the run-pass ratio was about 50-50. “These tournaments are a lot faster-paced. They’re 25-minute games. You have a (defensive) blitzer who’s only 5 yards out, so we do a majority of passing.”

Defensively, Gandara said, the Ballers played mostly man coverage in local league play but mostly cover-two zone in NFL Flag competition.

TWO MORE TO CANTON: The Ballers are not the only New Mexico flag team that won at Bronco regionals.

8U New Mexico R West and 12U Duke City Dynasty also qualified for Canton.