Derrick Ruiz walks into the Artesia defensive backfield looking every bit like Clark Kent. Then the ball is snapped, the imaginary glasses come off, and he plays as if a bright red “S” is stretched across his chest.
On Friday night, the sophomore went full Superman. Ruiz turned three Chaparral punts into touchdowns, sending the Bulldogs soaring to a 51-0 victory and landing himself in the NMAA record books.
“I thought he played well,” Artesia coach Jeremy Maupin said. “He, along with our whole team, just got after it.”
A cape, three house calls and history
This was no one-night transformation. A week earlier against Alamogordo, Ruiz intercepted four passes and returned one for a touchdown. His four interceptions rank No. 3 all-time in the NMAA record book for a single game.
Seven days later, Chaparral discovered the same problem from a different angle. Ruiz traded the defensive secondary for open grass and became a blur in the return game, turning every punt into a warning siren.
He struck from 65, 41 and 64 yards, a record-book performance for punt-return touchdowns in a single game. By the time Ruiz completed the hat trick, he had covered 170 return yards and made the field look far too small. He didn’t just flip it; he erased it.
Ruiz’s burst gave Artesia the spark it needed on a night the Bulldogs were without senior running back Cristian Pando, who has missed the past two weeks, and fellow starter Logan Rodriguez. Chaparral also played without its starting quarterback and running back, but once the avalanche began, the Lobos could not slow it.
Bulldogs bury Lobos before halftime
The Bulldogs needed only 55 seconds to strike. Lucas Atkins found Tyler Egeland for a 31-yard touchdown, and Corbyn Dominguez soon swallowed up Chaparral’s quarterback in the end zone for a safety and a 9-0 lead.
Atkins followed with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Layton Whitmire. Then Ruiz fielded a punt, found the crease and shot 65 yards down the sideline, pushing Artesia ahead 23-0 and turning a fast start into a rout.
Jaime Madrid’s 1-yard touchdown run closed the first-quarter barrage. Ruiz took over again in the second, racing 41 yards for one score and 64 for another. Three punts, three touchdowns — and no answer from the Lobos.
Chance Hocker put the finishing touch on the half with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Fernandez with 34 seconds remaining. Jarod Flores added an interception as Artesia carried a 51-0 lead — and every ounce of momentum — into halftime.
Bulldogs recharge; Roswell awaits
Artesia (4-3 overall, 4-0 District 2-5A) now gets an open date, a chance to heal and a little time to let Ruiz’s latest performance sink in. The Bulldogs return to host district rival Roswell at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at the Bulldog Bowl.
JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061 or on X at @JTKEITH1.