Artesia comes up short on two-point try in 28-27 loss at Hobbs
HOBBS — Artesia coach Jeremy Maupin is not afraid to gamble.
On Friday night, with the game in his hands and overtime one kick away, Maupin rolled the dice for the win. Hobbs linebacker McPherson stopped Cristian Pando at the 3-yard line on a two-point conversion try, and the Eagles held on for a 28-27 win over the Bulldogs at Watson Memorial Stadium.
“After we went three-and-out, and to give up a touchdown and have to drive the length of the field to score with no time left, I felt like momentum was with us,” Maupin said. ”So, I risked it there for us to go for it, to get in and win the game for us.”
The final 39 seconds were worth the price of admission.
Hobbs quarterback Junior Medrano connected with Zaylyn Sanders on a 35-yard touchdown pass to give the Eagles a 28-21 lead with 39 seconds left.
Artesia started its final drive at its 41-yard line. Artesia senior quarterback Lucas Atkins went deep for Kia Greathouse, and Hobbs was called for pass interference. The 15-yard penalty moved the ball to the Hobbs 38. On the next play, Atkins found Destin Pacheco down the left sideline at the Hobbs 6.
With 6 seconds left, Atkins hit Layton Whitmire underneath, and Whitmire scored as time expired to pull Artesia within 28-27.
The Bulldogs could have kicked the extra point and head into overtime. Instead, they went for the win. Atkins ran the option to the right side and pitched to Pando, who was tackled by McPherson short of the goal line.
“I was not too surprised they went for the win,” Hobbs coach Ken Stevens said. “A lot of coaches feel if you are on the road that you go for the win. If you are at home, go for the extra point. It was not a big shock that they went for it.”
Artesia’s defense set the tone early and pitched a first-half shutout, sending the Bulldogs into halftime with a 7-0 lead.
Artesia running back Cristian Pando runs through an open hole against Hobbs on Friday night.
By the numbers
The Bulldogs finished with 19 first downs and 332 yards of offense. Artesia rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries and completed 19 of 30 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns. Officials flagged the Bulldogs six times for 62 yards, and they lost one fumble, converting 4 of 9 third-down attempts and 0 of 2 fourth-down attempts.
Hobbs finished with 390 yards of total offense. Artesia’s defense made Hobbs work for it, holding the Eagles to 2 for 9 on fourth down.
Pando had 18 carries for 104 yards and one touchdown, and Greathouse added two carries for 19 yards.
Whitmire had five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. Pando caught six passes for 57 yards; Pacheco had three catches for 47 yards and a touchdown; Greathouse had two receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown; and Jaden Fernandez had one catch for 12 yards.
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