Playoff-bound Gadsden High is breaking 50-year football playoff drought

Nov. 5—It's not easy to find someone in or around the Gadsden High School football program who was alive the last time the Panthers were involved in a week like this one.

Certainly not senior quarterback Tomas Herrera. Even his parents weren't born yet. Nor were many of the parents of his teammates.

And not head coach Dino Facio Jr., either. He is only 32.

"There isn't a person on my staff who was born at that time," Facio said with a laugh.

"That time" is 1972. It has been half a century since Gadsden last participated in a football playoff game.

"Everyone knows the history here," Herrera said. "We've been known for losing. It's good to change it up."

That 50-year drought for Gadsden officially ends on Saturday afternoon when the 10th-seeded Panthers (4-6) play at No. 7 Los Alamos (6-4) in the Class 5A first round.

"I'm excited," senior linebacker Matthew Granados said, "because it's been years since this place has been even close to it. ... This school, for us to be a part of this, to be in the playoffs, is a dream come true."

It is impossible to fully appreciate Gadsden's football travails without understanding the Panthers' long and often unforgiving road that led here.

For decades, Gadsden played in the extremely long shadows cast by rivals just to its north — primarily Las Cruces and Mayfield, then later Oñate (now Organ Mountain) and, briefly, Centennial.

Football success was not completely elusive. Yes, the school was a state independent champion in 1983 and 1984, but when attached to a district, the Panthers often languished at or near the bottom of the standings.

Even Roy Gerela, the former New Mexico State Aggie and longtime kicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, couldn't breathe life into the program when he became the Gadsden head coach briefly a decade ago.

But, Gerela did toot a horn that has frequently been heard out of Anthony, N.M., where Gadsden is located: the Panthers didn't belong in the state's largest football classification.

This season, after years of trying to drop down from Class 6A to 5A, the Panthers were placed in 5A as the school's enrollment now matches a 5A level.

Thus, Gadsden was placed in a class that is more of a comfort zone. And although the Panthers lost at Deming last week in the game to decide the District 3-5A championship, they knew they were playoff-bound, win or lose.

"I told the kids, 'This is a chance to rewrite the history book,' " Facio said. He was hired in 2018. "Gadsden has had its troubles the last 50 years, so let's write our own story, and our kids will cement themselves forever."

The last time Gadsden was in the playoffs, there were only four teams in its class, which was then Class 3A. The Panthers lost to Lovington. So there is naturally some catharsis that accompanies this playoff appearance.

"I'm so proud of these kids and our staff, and really the entire campus," Facio said. "They've embraced all the stuff we tried to put together."

Granados said when Gadsden's current seniors were in middle school, they vowed to be the group to end the playoff drought.

"For ourselves," he said, "and for the valley."

And now that the Panthers are a playoff team, they have tried to stick to their routine this week.

"I know it's been a while," Herrera said, "but the boys are preparing the way we do every week."

Gadsden was in a district (3/4-6) prior to the pandemic. Facio said because he had spent such little time with his players during a block of months, he asked his boss if the Panthers could play as independent for the fall 2021 season. Last December, they officially joined 5A.

So while Gadsden normally would have been turning in its equipment this week, instead they are immersed in some November football. And Facio said the mood this week, after the elation of qualifying had died down, had turned toward Los Alamos and this long road trip, which covers about 700 miles round trip.

"Business as usual for us," he said. "But the level of intensity goes up by a thousand."

If Gadsden gets the upset on Saturday, it would play at No. 2 Roswell next week in the 5A quarterfinals.

"What motivates us is breaking history," said Granados. "This is the year to change the perspective of Gadsden as a losing team."

2022 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships 5A