Conquest Stadium is crowded, it is noisy, people are conversing, laughing, enjoying themselves — for the first time in a year-and-a-half. The football team emerges a few minutes after midnight, ready to put on a good show.

It was Big Bad Blue’s first event of the year. The annual tradition known as Midnight Madness, held Aug. 14, lasted two hours. All were welcome to hangout on the bleachers for a great preview.

“It’s a really good environment and I get to see some of my old friends,” graduate Marcos Ramirez said.

However the small number of concession stands suggest that the school did not expect such a large turnout.

“I just wish they had more snacks,” Ramirez said.

Some coaches verified the increase in fans.

“The crowd was definitely bigger and better this year, much louder too,” offensive line varsity coach Erik Ramirez said.

Due to the pandemic, the tradition was not held last year and newcomers to the school have not experienced this tradition which has now been held for 22 years.

“I think this year’s crowd is a bit bigger because last year’s freshmen missed out and now there’s new freshmen,” senior Jacob Hernandez said.

Despite the interruption some students are glad to return to these gatherings.

“It feels a lot better to be back this year post quarantine,” junior Samuel Cerecerez said. 

Some coaches agree.

“It felt good to have a sense of normalcy again and the fans seemed excited,” coach Ramirez said.

Many students have become accustomed to supporting sports events.

“I come to a lot of the football games for JROTC,” junior Vianey Contreras said.

  And others even earned a role in the event.

“Playing on the drumline for an audience again felt right,” junior Anthony Jordan said.

This tradition has become important to the school’s community.

“The crowd was at least as big as last year and they seemed excited to get back to it. I was shocked that so many people would come out in the middle of the night to watch a practice, and it was drizzling!” conditioning and safeties coach Rick Fette said.