By Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press

Artesia High School head football coach Jeremy Maupin knows Friday’s season opener against Carlsbad is the first step of many in a return to the postseason.

“It’s another game for us,” he said. “(Carlsbad) is a 6A team we look at it as a way to get better.”

“Carlsbad is big and physical and well coached,” Maupin said. The Bulldogs defeated Carlsbad last year 55-7 in the Cave City.

Bulldogs prepare for another playoff return

Last year Maupin and the Bulldogs defeated the Roswell Coyotes 35-21 in the state 5A football title game. Artesia won the state title in 2022 and as the season opener looms Friday, the Bulldogs seem prepared and ready to win a 33rd state title.

Maupin said Artesia’s offseason workouts generated plenty of excitement for the season opener. The Bulldogs had a preseason scrimmage against Las Cruces High School Aug. 15 at the Bulldog Bowl.

“Las Cruces is a really good team. They came down and really gave us a good battle,” he said.

The Bulldawgs finished second in District 6-3/4A and lost in the third round of the 6A playoffs in 2023 to Albuquerque La Cueva.

“Some of our playmakers showed up with big moments,” Maupin said of the preseason workout.

The biggest question for Artesia this year is the replacement of graduated quarterback Nye Estrada.

The two-year quarterback was instrumental in guiding the Bulldogs to the state playoffs, as he threw for 5,842 career yards.

Senior quarterback Izac Cazares gets the start against the Cavemen Friday night.

Maupin said the signal caller played multiple roles for the Bulldog offense last season.

Cazares has some experienced help on offense going into the game against Carlsbad.

Running back Frankie Galindo is a dual threat for the Bulldogs. Last year he carried the football 131 times for 1,144 yards with 25 touchdowns.

Galindo also provides help as receiver as he caught 23 passes for 387 yards and five touchdowns in 2023.

Wide receiver Ethan Conn also provides if Cazares decides to throw the long pass. Last year Conn had 58 catches for 890 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Maupin said Artesia’s defense would be anchored by defensive linemen Rafael Orozco and Kaden Grantham, he had 48 tackles and one sack last season for the Bulldogs.

Carlsbad scouting report

Cavemen head coach Cale Sanders said while both communities get caught up in the rivalry, the players and coaches do not.

“It means more to the general public. I get it, it’s the Eddy County War. For us, it’s one game,” he said.

Sanders went 2-8 in 2023, his rookie year. He hopes his second year as head coach provides stability to a program that had been a revolving door during previous seasons.

Gary Bradley coached Carlsbad in 2021. He was replaced by Oliver Soukup in 2022. He left at the end of the season to take an assistant coaching job at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) in Portales.

The Cavemen had a preseason scrimmage last week against the Deming Wildcats in Deming.

Sanders said it was a good test for the Cavemen, senior quarterback Kason Perez saw action in Deming.

Sanders is counting on him to get Carlsbad back to the state playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Perez completed 107 passes for 1,288 yards with 10 touchdowns last season.

Mike Smith may be reached at 575-308-8734 or via email at msmith@currentargus.com and may be followed on the X social media platform @MSmithartesianm.