Artesia football coach Jeremy Maupin wanted laser focus. His Bulldogs delivered an offensive scoring wave — and a defense that gave the Mayfield Trojans little room to breathe.
Artesia rolled to a 49-10 victory Saturday at Field of Dreams Stadium, building a 36-3 halftime lead and giving Maupin plenty to like as the Bulldogs turned their attention to the playoffs.
“A lot of good,” Maupin said. “A lot of things we have to square up, but I am really proud of the way our defense has played.”
A defense with teeth
The Bulldogs piled up 430 yards of offense in the first half while holding the Trojans to 43. That gap told the story better than any scoring rundown: Artesia moved the ball, and Mayfield struggled to keep pace.
Maupin pointed to an early forced fumble near the goal line and said his players responded well despite penalties and some new positional assignments. Elijah Carrasco and Ulises Montanez also intercepted passes, helping keep the Trojans from finding a rhythm.
Big plays, bigger cushion
Artesia quarterback Lucas Atkins threw for 460 yards, stretching the field and letting his receivers turn short throws into big gains. Tyler Egeland scored on a 25-yard screen pass and later broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown, capping a four-play, 99-yard drive.
“He made some big plays,” Maupin said of Atkins. “We still have some things to clean up, but I am really proud of him, and he can ball.”
Bulldogs running back Logan Rodriguez supplied another dimension, scoring on a 10-yard reception and a 32-yard run on a speed option play. Corbyn Dominguez’s 27-yard field goal as the first half expired sent Artesia into the break with a 33-point cushion.
No letting up
The Bulldogs kept their foot down after halftime. Atkins found Layton Whitmire for a 17-yard touchdown in the third quarter, pushing the lead to 42-3 and bringing a running clock into play.
Chance Hocker added a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Kenyon in the fourth. Mayfield’s Israel Cabañas answered with a 71-yard touchdown run with 3:49 remaining, but the Bulldogs had long since taken control.
Playoff focus
Artesia finished 6-4 overall and 6-1 in District 2-5A after entering the game ranked third in Class 5A behind Roswell and Piedra Vista. Maupin expects a No. 3 playoff seed, which would give the Bulldogs a first-round bye and a home quarterfinal in the 12-team field.
The New Mexico Activities Association will announce the field at 11 a.m. Until then, Maupin plans film study, a normal practice week, and time for his players to rest.
“I want us to have laser focus,” Maupin said. “There should be some intensity heading into the playoffs.”
JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061 or on X at @JTKEITH1.
