Gadsden High Boys Soccer Makes History With First State Finals Berth

The Gadsden High School Panthers will play for a state championship on Thursday in Albuquerque, the first time in school history the boys soccer program has reached the state finals. The berth changes what the program means for Anthony, New Mexico, and for the families who have carried the team through years of weekend leagues, KFOX14/CBS4 reported.

School officials announced the milestone Monday in a social media post after the Panthers beat Santa Teresa High School. The win sends Gadsden to the state finals in Albuquerque on Thursday.

Santa Teresa Vs Gadsden | New Mexico PLAYOFFS LIVE Boys Soccer ⚽

A First for the Program, and a First-Year Coach

Boys head soccer coach Efrain Garcia, in his first year leading the team, told KFOX14/CBS4 on Wednesday that the group’s mindset has shifted as the postseason progressed.

“It’s unreal. We’re excited. The boys are ready. This is my first year coaching them, and for sure I knew that these kids were going to do great, and so now we’re in this position, and it’s not just me, man. It’s them, it’s my coaching staff. The moment that we started playing as a team, the kids, but their mentality, you can see it in the last, especially the last couple of games. Now they’re playing to win, they’re playing for the team, not just themselves,” Garcia said.

Garcia added that the Albuquerque opponent has a strong program, but Gadsden plans to match it: “They have a really, really good program up there in Albuquerque. But we have to step up and show what we can do here, too.”

Instagram

The Community Shows Up

To mark the occasion, the Anthony Police Department escorted the team bus as it left Gadsden High School at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Garcia said the send-off showed how much the moment means beyond the players.

“I’m really happy to see how the community reacted. This is something that is so important to these kids, to us. It just shows that it’s also something important to them. And I really, really appreciate how much they show support to the kids, because they’re going to value that in the long run,” Garcia said.

The coach also pointed to the sacrifices behind the run, from parents driving to Sunday and Saturday leagues to buying new cleats, and to older generations who set an example.

Compete with Class Moment presented by Nusenda Credit Union The Gadsden High School boys soccer team beat Santa Teresa 1-0 to advance to the state soccer final for the first time in school history. The players from both teams exchanged hugs and congratulations after the hard… pic.twitter.com/3nLzIH7p0u

— https://x.com/_NMAA/status/2118010735217553642

“It’s exciting. One of the things that comes to mind, right, is the people that we represent, right? Our families, we were just talking about it earlier, from their parents, making the sacrifices, Sunday league, Saturday leagues, getting them a new set of cleats, those sacrifices start from home. Other generations who have set an example for them, and now I think this isn’t just a win for them,” Garcia said.

School officials echoed that pride in their announcement, thanking coaches, parents, families, staff, students, and fans, and singling out the players: “What an incredible night for our Panthers! It was a very tough game against STHS, but our boys showed so much heart and fight! We are making history… Your hard work and dedication have brought us to this unforgettable moment. You have made our entire Panther community proud.”

What Thursday Means for Anthony

For a community where high school sports anchor fall Saturdays, a first-ever state finals appearance is more than a scoreboard entry. It is the payoff of the weekend leagues and family sacrifices Garcia described, and it gives the Panthers a chance to bring a state title home to Anthony. The team departs with a police escort and a town behind it, playing Thursday in Albuquerque for the program’s first championship.