MESQUITE, Nevada — Heather Alvarado never missed her son’s football games.

"She was (always) up and down running the field, screaming for them and cheering them on, helping the boys," said her husband, Albert Alvarado.

Nine-year-old Albie plays for Cedar City's Canyon View fourth grade football team.

"He loves playing. He tried other sports, but he really stuck to football," his father said.

Albie and his team — the Falcons — desperately wanted to earn a win on the road in Mesquite.

Saturday's game was different than the others this season because all eyes were on Albie — No. 44 — for the final game of the year. Not because linemen usually decide football games, but because of what Albie and his father have been through this past week, the entire team wanted to play as hard as they could — for him.

Albie's mother wasn't there Saturday. She was one of the victims who died in Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Instead, her initials were on the team's helmets and ribbons in her favorite colors were proudly displayed by coaches and spectators.

Most everyone at the game was there for Albie.

"Everybody — I mean our friends and family — this community has supported us and helped us out all day every day," Albert Alvarado said. "It's been amazing. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else."

He and his son talked about whether they should go to Mesquite for Saturday's game.

"I asked him after everything happened if he still wanted to come to this game and he said he wanted to," said Alvarado, his voice cracking.

"He said he wanted to play his last game so he could win for his mom."

With the score tied at zero in overtime, the Falcons picked up a loose ball Saturday afternoon and ran into the end zone for the victory.

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It was the team's first win of the season.

After the game, team members released multiple balloons into the air, sending them up to where all that inspiration came from.

Albie's mother, everyone there knew, was watching and was proud.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family with funeral and other expenses at www.gofundme.com/heatherAfight.

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