Artesia wins fourth straight district championship and enters state tournament on an eight-game winning streak
No one will say it out loud, but maybe they should.
If anyone hasn’t noticed, the Artesia girls soccer team is becoming one of the most dominant programs in southeastern New Mexico.
With eight straight wins and victories in 13 of its last 14 matches, the Lady Dogs are building a reputation as the St. Pius X and Albuquerque Academy of the South.
Head coach Tim Trentham has guided Artesia through two of the program’s best seasons.
The Lady Dogs finished the regular season at 16-3-1 and, with two more victories, would match the 2025 team’s 18-win mark. In each of the past two seasons, Artesia has gone undefeated in District 4-4A play with identical 6-0 records.
BUILDING A WINNING STANDARD
“It means a lot to go undefeated,” Trentham said. “I think the girls, especially the returners, it would mean a lot to them to be a part of those two seasons. It means a lot for the younger girls to gain confidence going forward. It’s about creating expectations and doing it year after year.”
The Lady Dogs not only won the district championship this season but also secured their fourth consecutive District 4-4A title. Under Trentham, Artesia has won at least 10 matches in each of the last four seasons.
The sustained success has turned what was once a contender into a program that now expects to compete for championships every year.
WAITING FOR THE BRACKET
Now, the Lady Dogs await their postseason fate.
The New Mexico Activities Association’s seeding and selection show is scheduled for Monday evening after weather delayed regular-season contests for several teams statewide.
According to NMAA spokesman J.P. Murrieta, statewide weather issues forced some soccer programs to finish their regular seasons Monday.
“Because of statewide weather issues, several soccer teams will finish their regular-season games on Monday,” Murrieta said. “The seeding and selection for the 2026 NMAA State Soccer Championships will take place Monday evening. The first-round games are now scheduled to be played Wednesday and Thursday.”
Artesia forward Niyah Medrano chases a ball down against Organ Mountain earlier in the season.
DEPTH COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE
Trentham said one of this year’s squad’s strengths is its depth.
He believes the Lady Dogs have a deeper bench than last season, which could prove valuable as Artesia begins its state playoff run.
If Artesia is going to make a deep postseason push, having fresh legs and quality players available throughout the lineup could be one of its biggest advantages.
JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061 or on X at @JTKEITH1.
