Two Gadsden Independent School District football teams begin their postseason runs Friday, Nov. 6, when the first round of the 2026 New Mexico Activities Association Class 5A State Football Championships gets underway.
Gadsden High (7-3), the No. 6 seed, will host No. 11 Mayfield High (2-8) at 7 p.m. at Gadsden High School in Anthony. Chaparral High (4-6), the No. 12 seed, will travel to No. 5 Alamogordo High (6-4) for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Alamogordo High School.
The matchups and records were reported by the Las Cruces Sun-News. Gadsden ISD also confirmed both games and their kickoff times in a Nov. 5 announcement.
Winners advance to the Class 5A quarterfinals, scheduled for Nov. 13-14. Gadsden's winner will face No. 3 Artesia, while the winner of the Chaparral-Alamogordo game will play No. 4 Los Lunas. The NMAA has scheduled the Class 5A championship game for Nov. 28, according to its 2026 football championship schedule.
As the Mesilla Valley Record reported Nov. 5, Las Cruces High also opens the playoffs Friday in a Class 6A matchup against Rio Rancho.
Gadsden vs. Mayfield: a rematch
The Panthers have already beaten the Trojans once this season. Gadsden defeated Mayfield 56-21 on Sept. 11, according to MaxPreps' game recap.
Gadsden enters the playoffs after closing the regular season with a 12-0 shutout of Deming on Oct. 30. The win gave the Panthers a 7-3 overall record, according to MaxPreps.
Mayfield enters at 2-8 and will have to travel to Anthony for the first-round matchup. The winner will advance to face No. 3 Artesia in the quarterfinals.
Chaparral at Alamogordo: another rematch
Chaparral faces a familiar opponent in Alamogordo. The Tigers defeated the Lobos 55-7 in the regular-season finale, according to 2nd Life Media Alamogordo.
Alamogordo enters the postseason with a 6-4 record and a four-game winning streak after starting the season 2-4. The Tigers allowed 47 total points over their final four regular-season games, according to the same report.
Chaparral (4-6) started the season 3-0 but lost six of its final seven games. The Lobos will try to reverse that trend against the No. 5-seeded Tigers.
Alamogordo is in Class 5A for the first time after moving down from Class 6A as part of the NMAA's 2026 realignment, 2nd Life Media reported.
Tickets and game-day details
Tickets for NMAA football championship games must be purchased online through GoFan. The NMAA does not accept cash for ticket purchases.
According to the NMAA's football information page, tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, seniors 65 and older, and military members. The NMAA's fall championship information says listed ticket prices include transaction fees.
Both Gadsden-area games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
