For Bulldogs basketball coach Michael Mondragon, losing a state championship was painful.

Saying goodbye to his seniors hurt more.

This is something the Artesia Bulldogs boys’ basketball team is not used to. They aren’t used to coming up short on the final night or standing off to the side while someone else celebrates. But after a 71–62 loss to the Highland Hornets in the Nusenda Credit Union Class 4A state championship game, that was the reality.

They also aren’t used to speaking second.

When they did, senior guard Charlie Campbell IV’s eyes were puffy and bloodshot red. Head coach Michael Mondragon sat nearby, doing his best to keep his emotions in check as he addressed the media — though it was clear this moment went far beyond a scoreboard.

The Bulldogs fell to a Highland program that has now won three of the last four state championships, and with another high-stakes meeting on the biggest stage, a rivalry has clearly taken shape.

Mondragon said during the post-game press conference that his team handled the pressure that came with carrying a target all season long.

“First of all, God’s good,” Mondragon said. “It has been a hell of a journey — these guys, this group of seniors coming back here. All year long, the pressure and the target on our backs. They didn’t worry about that. They stayed present, focused on each other, and loving each other.

“It hurts that we have a group that is so close, that has come this far and hasn’t finished it.”

Mondragon credited Highland for its performance and said the Hornets deserved the win, noting that nearly every bounce seemed to go their way.

But the disappointment of the loss was quickly overshadowed by something deeper.

Mondragon said he felt blessed to coach a team with 10 seniors — a group he described as great people first, great basketball players second.

“The hardest part of this all,” Mondragon said, his voice cracking, “I have to say goodbye to them. And that’s tough.”

The Artesia boys basketball team gathers together before playing in the championship game against Highland.

The Bulldogs never panicked, even after falling behind by 17 points at halftime. They chipped away in the second half, cutting the deficit to 50–46 and refusing to quit.

“In the end,” Mondragon said, “they never quit. They kept fighting. I love them, and I’m proud of them.”

This team finished the season with 25 wins — the most in school history — leaving a mark not just on the record books, but on a community.

“We told these guys yesterday that no matter what happens, they’re state champions,” Mondragon said. “They’ve changed the community. The band stayed here with us all week, and the community came out to support us.

“I told them I’m proud of them, and I love them.”

Mondragon acknowledged the disappointment that comes with being so close and falling just short, calling it the other side of the coin. But he made it clear there was no shame in this ending.

“These kids have nothing to hang their heads about,” he said. “At the end of the day, I’m proud of them, and I love them.”

And long after the final buzzer fades, Mondragon believes what remains will matter far more than a trophy.

“These guys are going to be great young men,” he said. “This is so much more than basketball. It’s the relationships. It’s the family we’ve built. My kids are going to look up to them.

“It’s way more than basketball. I love them.”

No matter what happens Saturday in the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union boys’ Class 4A championship game between the Artesia Bulldogs and the Highland Hornets, the Class of 2026 has already secured its place in school history.

They’ve stacked titles in multiple sports. And once more, they’re within reach of another championship.

But championships aren’t what separate this team.

What makes this group different is simpler — and stronger. They play for each other. They care about each other. They love each other.

Every player, from Charlie Campbell IV to Clay Kincaid, says the same thing.

They love each other.

The Artesia bulldogs celebrate after forcing Hope Christian to call a timeout during a game at the Pit on Thursday.

Of course, this team has lost games along the way. That happens in sports. But rarely have the stakes been this high, and rarely has the response been so consistent.

These kids have been playing together since they were little, working their way through youth sports in Artesia, growing up on the same fields and in the same gyms. They watched older Bulldogs win state titles and learned what was possible. Now a younger group is watching them, dreaming of doing the same one day.

Bulldogs coach Michael Mondragon says success breeds success, especially at Artesia High School, where athletes are encouraged to compete across multiple sports.

“When you are winning in other sports,” Mondragon said, “you gain experience that carries over. One thing that is unique about these guys is that Jack Byers is going to Arizona for baseball. It would have been really easy for him to say, ‘Coach, I don’t want to play basketball. I want to get ready for baseball and my scholarship.’

“Tootie McNeil could have said the same thing. He’s going to New Mexico Highlands on a football scholarship.”

But they didn’t.

Charlie Campbell IV didn’t.
Braylon Vega didn’t.
Clay Kincaid didn’t.

They stayed.
They played.
They committed.

“These guys love each other,” Mondragon said. “That’s the culture we have.”

Mondragon credits that culture to cooperation across the athletic department. Athletic director Jeremy Maupin, who also serves as head football coach, works closely with baseball coach Jackson Bickel and the rest of the staff. They text. They call. They support each other.

It shows.

Mondragon said what Artesia builds — and how it builds it — starts at the top and carries all the way down.

“These guys are a special group,” he said. “It’s something we start when they’re really young, and we encourage them to do all they can do.”

No one knows what the future holds for each of them. Life has a way of scattering even the closest teammates.

But this group will live on in Bulldog lore.

Their Class of 2026 football helmet will hang in Bulldog Stadium. The trophy case will hold their basketball and baseball hardware.

And when they return someday to be honored, they’ll share stories only they can truly understand.

They’ll remember the championships.

But more than anything, they’ll remember the love they shared growing up together in Artesia, New Mexico.

There has been plenty of debate about who wears the crown in Class 4A basketball. The answer may come down to a familiar showdown.

Defending champion Artesia and Highland — last year’s state finalist — are on a collision course once again. The Bulldogs edged the Hornets 55-48 for the title a year ago, and to keep their crown, they’ll likely have to go through Highland one more time.

Artesia enters with something to prove.

The Bulldogs opened the season ranked No. 1 and held that spot until a 64-63 loss to Portales on a last-second buzzer-beater Feb. 3. That remains Artesia’s only loss to a Class 4A opponent this season, but it was enough to shift the narrative — and the top seed.

Artesia guard Braylon Vega has been shooting the lights out of the basketball. He lit up Gallup with 40 points on Wednesday.

Fight over No. 1

Since that night, Highland has taken over the No. 1 ranking and enters the tournament as the top seed.

Artesia coach Michael Mondragon said the matchup feels like déjà vu.

“Playing Highland is like looking in a mirror,” Mondragon said.

The Hornets are veteran-heavy, led by five seniors and a group back from last season’s championship run.

“It’s going to take our best game of the season,” Highland coach Justin Woody said. “We’ve played all the best teams in the state. Sometimes you’re successful, sometimes you’re not, but we’re as prepared as we can be.”

Same team, different jersey

When the Bulldogs and Hornets line up, there won’t be many surprises.

Highland’s offense runs through four guards, led by senior Nico Sanchez, who averages 19.9 points per game. Sanchez can score at all three levels — attacking the rim, drawing fouls or pulling up from deep. He’s shooting 34% from 3-point range, second on the team behind Fede Nunez, who connects at 38%.

“They’re tough,” Mondragon said. “They’ve got shooters, good guards, and No. 2 is their best player. It’s a tough challenge, but I like where we’re at.”

Mondragon said Highland wants to play fast and push the tempo — much like his Bulldogs. Highland thrives off mistakes, turning live-ball turnovers into quick points before defenses can get set.

Big man in the middle

Highland’s defensive identity starts inside.

The Hornets gamble for steals, confident they have a safety net in junior Jerry Moody, the team’s primary rim protector. Moody has 50 blocks this season and was a difference-maker in last year’s meeting, even though he scored just one point in 21 minutes.

His impact showed up everywhere else — altering shots, deterring drives, and erasing easy looks at the rim.

“He’s their last line of defense,” Mondragon said. “That changes everything.”

Mondragon sees plenty of similarities between the two teams.

“They’re very similar to us,” he said. “We have a big presence inside, but they’re good — and they’re ranked No. 1 for a reason.”

For Artesia, the formula is simple and familiar: take care of the ball, defend, and rebound.

Do that, and the Bulldogs give themselves a chance.

The winner won’t just claim a trophy — they’ll have captured four of the past five Class 4A state championships, further cementing a rivalry that has defined the division.