“Bittersweet,” Albuquerque High coach Desmond Anaya said, summing up a postseason scenario that feels both entirely unprecedented and strangely familiar.
During a typical high school football campaign, we would have already witnessed Volcano Vista and Cleveland squaring off. If they share a field this month, it will be in the season’s final game. The New Mexico Activities Association revealed Sunday that both the Hawks and Storm secured the top two spots in the Class 6A postseason bracket following undefeated 10-0 runs through their respective calendars.
With the 6A bracket now revealed, the timer officially starts on a matchup that these former district rivals have been hurtling toward for 11 weeks.
Familiar Foes Define the Class 6A Opening Round
Every single matchup in the opening round of Class 6A features a rematch, making this initial phase exceptionally intriguing. Highlighting the 6A bracket is the 11th-seeded Albuquerque High squad, securing their first postseason berth in nearly three decades. The Bulldogs face sixth-seeded Eldorado next week.
Here’s a look at the Class 6A bracket for the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships. @nusendacu pic.twitter.com/D6k89ZI6t7
AHS and Eldorado staged one of the memorable regular-season games in the state. Because of lightning, the second overtime never got underway after the teams remained level following the initial extra period at Wilson Stadium during Week 2. It was ultimately declared a 43-43 tie. That means unfinished business for both when they kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wilson Stadium.
“It’s one of those, you don’t know how to feel, you don’t know how to approach it,” Anaya said. “We’re a completely different team, as I’m sure they are, since Week 2.”
AHS securing a victory against West Mesa on Friday marked the official confirmation of their long-awaited return to the playoffs, which Anaya described as the most significant game of his tenure leading the program.
Rio Rancho and Las Cruces previously kicked off their campaign against each other in Rio Rancho, resulting in a 14-7 victory for the Bulldawgs. For this upcoming Friday night rematch, the eighth-seeded ‘Dawgs will host the ninth-seeded Rams at the Field of Dreams.
“I think we’re going to need the same type of defensive effort,” Rio Rancho coach Nate Pino said. “We played lights out.”
Chasing History Across Classifications
Holding the No. 3 seed, La Cueva also secures a first-round bye following their thrilling 43-42 triumph over Sandia on Saturday. Centennial holds the No. 4 seed despite dropping a 29-28 overtime decision to Las Cruces on Friday. Roswell, Bloomfield, St. Michael’s and Texico were the other top seeds. All of the 11-man No. 1 seeds — except Roswell — won state last year.
One of the noteworthy aspects in 5A was Santa Fe as the eighth seed. It means the Demons will host a playoff game for the first time in 41 years. Santa Fe faces ninth-seed Cibola in the first round. The Demons beat the Cougars 21-19 in Albuquerque on Oct. 9. This year, coach Adrian Gonzales said, “we wanted to one-up it.”
“They’re excited, man,” Gonzales said. “They’re ready to get back to work right away.”
Bloomfield’s quest for a three-peat in 4A may once more go through St. Pius, the runner-up to the Bobcats in each of the last two years. St. Michael’s is pursuing a fourth straight blue trophy. The unbeaten Horsemen, who closed the season with eight consecutive shutouts, were the easy choice for the top seed in Class 3A.
As the bracket clears and November football begins, the ultimate question remains whether Cleveland and Volcano Vista can avoid an upset and finally cross paths when everything is on the line.
