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Artesia girls softball team repeats as district champions

JT Keith
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Artesia girls softball team repeats as district champions

JT Keith

Artesia girls’ softball coach Sandra Pulido knew the team would have to endure some growing pains coming into the 2026 season. The team lost eight seniors in 2025 and had to replace several key starters and players from the squad that fell to Lovington in last year’s semifinals.

The team had to integrate new starters, key freshmen, and sophomores into the lineup. Freshman Isabel Cruz, A’dyn Levario, and sophomore Katrin Marquez have stepped up to anchor a young roster. Pulido, now in her 11th year, has guided this young squad through a challenging transition that many expected to take much longer.

The Lady Bulldogs officially secured their repeat as District 4-4A champions following a dominant stretch that included a 4-0 shutout victory over Lovington on April 28. That win extended a 14-game winning streak and solidified their position as the team to beat heading into the state tournament.

Kayden Apodaca has been the cornerstone of the rotation, posting a 2.91 ERA while leading the offense with 13 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .638 batting average. Supporting her at the plate, Jenna Whitmire has been a force with five home runs of her own. However, the real story of the team’s depth has been Marquez’s evolution. In addition to her offensive production, which includes nine home runs, Marquez has become the secondary pitcher the Lady Bulldogs needed to complement Apodaca. Pulido noted that Marquez has been “lights out” in the circle, providing a reliable second arm that has stifled opposing hitters throughout the district run.

The integration of freshmen talent like Levario, who has driven in 26 runs, proved vital as the team found its rhythm. The Lady Bulldogs’ ability to reload rather than rebuild is a testament to the culture Pulido has established in Artesia.

JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press, Artesia hitter Jade Hammond legs out a base hit against Portales on Saturday. Artesia would wrap up its ninth district championship in 11 years under head coach Sandra Pulido.

With the district title in hand, the focus now shifts toward the postseason. This report highlights a team that refused to let a rebuilding year define them. Instead, the Lady Bulldogs have set a new standard for excellence, proving that even with a young roster, the expectation in Artesia remains a championship. This is Pulido’s ninth district title in 11 years. The state tournament now awaits a squad that has matured rapidly under the lights.

jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X@JTKEITH1.

Ruidoso hosts Republican Governor candidates next week. Here are some details.

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Ruidoso hosts Republican Governor candidates next week. Here are some details.

Staff report

The Republican Party of Lincoln County will host a Governor’s Forum on Thursday, May 14 at Alto Lakes Country Club.

Candidates for Governor include Gregg Hull, Doug Turner and Duke Rodriguez. All will be given 30 minutes to make a presentation.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. The forum is at 6 p.m. Deadline to reserve attendance for the event is Thursday, May 7. Admission to attend the event is $20, with an additional $20 if the reservation includes dinner.

To make reservations, visit www.rplcnm.org or call 575-729-0020.

Some Republicans file lawsuits seeking Amy Barela’s removal as state GOP boss

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Some Republicans file lawsuits seeking Amy Barela’s removal as state GOP boss

Adrian Hedden
Alamogordo News
achedden@elritomedia.com

Political opponents from within her own party turned to the courts in their efforts to force Amy Barela to step down as state chair of the Republican Party.

A pair of lawsuits filed April 30 and May 1 challenged Barela’s right to serve as leader of New Mexico’s GOP while also running in the June 2 primary to retain her seat as District 2 representative on the Otero County Commission.

The suit filed April 30 by Barela’s primary opponent Jonathan Emery argued her position as party chair gives Barela an unfair advantage in the race for the Republican nomination to run for commissioner in the Nov. 3 general election.

The May 1 lawsuit, filed by a group of Republican county chairs, claims Barela’s candidacy in a contested primary disqualifies her from serving as state chair and asks the court to declare the chairmanship vacant.

Neither lawsuit has been scheduled for a hearing or any subsequent court proceedings.

Both cases cited a section of the New Mexico Republican Party’s bylaws:

“In the event the state chairman or any other state officer of the Republican State Central Committee files as a candidate for public office and there is another Republican who has filed for the same office, the state officer shall immediately vacate the party office.”

The litigation is the latest development in a months-long effort by Republican leaders in Sandoval and Bernalillo County to remove Barela as state chair.

Chairs Beth Dowling of Sandoval County and Daphne Orner of Bernalillo County were joined as plaintiffs in their lawsuit by county chairs from Chaves, Los Alamos, Valencia and Torrance counties.

Emery filed his case in the 12th Judicial District, covering Otero and Lincoln Counties, while the party chairs filed in the Second District, which covers Bernalillo County.

The stage was set for the dispute at 9:06 a.m. on Candidate Signing Day, March 10, when Barela signed up at the Otero County Clerk’s Office to run for the Republican nomination to seek reelection as county commissioner.

Two minutes later, at 9:08 a.m., Emery filed to run for the District 2 nomination. Emery, who said he plans to retire this year as a deputy with the Otero County Sheriff’s Office, had announced his candidacy in January.

Barela was first elected to the Otero County Commission in 2022 and is running to win a second four-year term. She was elected GOP chair by the party’s state central committee in 2024, succeeding former Congressman Steve Pearce.

Commissioners are compensated with a $30,000 salary along with health and life insurance. The job of state chair is an unpaid position.

Barela said the argument over her eligibility to continue serving as state chair comes down to the bylaw’s wording, “… and there is another Republican who has filed for the same office,” meaning to her that she would have to vacate the chairmanship only if she were challenging a fellow Republican who had filed to run in the primary before she did.

Barela entered the race first, she said, and thus she did not violate the rule.

“Any officer can declare her office and then another Republican can declare for the same office just to get rid of me,” she said. “The rule was written that way for a reason so that another Republican cannot declare to remove an officer from their seat.”

Dowling and others have tried multiple times to convene a meeting of the state central committee to remove Barela as chair but have failed to generate the support needed to call such a meeting.

Unable to oust Barela using party procedures, the county chairs looked to the court system.

“It is the duty of Republicans to uphold our rules, and we believe there will be a confirmation by the judicial process that a vacancy exists,” Orner said.

Albuquerque-based attorney Robert Aragon, who represents the plaintiffs and is also a member of the state central committee, said the lawsuit was not initiated to seek monetary damages but was intended to force Barela to recuse herself from party leadership during the election.

“We hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but in reality, litigation is now our only recourse,” Aragon said. “It’s clear that Amy Barela refuses to follow the rules, and when it was suggested to her that she recuse herself from running for public office in a contested race in Otero County, she refused to take it under consideration.”

Barela accused those who are calling for her to step down of “weaponizing” the party’s internal rules to replace her with a leader from one of the state’s urban areas around Albuquerque in the northern part of the state.

“I’m not sure there is a Republican in Bernalillo County,” she said. “They don’t have the same value system as in southern New Mexico. That’s very apparent. They dictate everything.”

Scenes from Artesia baseball against Goddard

JT Keith
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Scenes from Artesia baseball against Goddard
JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press, Artesia hitter Derrick Warren beats out an infield hit against Goddard during district play.
Derrick Warren hits the ball and beats out an infield hit.
Derrick Warren gets ready to steal second base against Goddard during district play at Brainard Park on Saturday.
Jack Byers hits a line drive back to a Goddard pitcher. Artesia would win the first game of the three-game series 4-1 on Wednesday.
Jack Byers is thrown out at first base after hitting the pitcher with the ball.
An Artesia base runner is thrown out while trying to steal a base.
Here is the tag on the Artesia baserunner who was called out during district play on Wednesday.
Derrick Warren is called out at third base during a district game against Goddard at Brainard Park
Derrick Warren looks for the call of safe or out during a game against Goddard at Brainard Park on Wednesday.
Artesia coach Jackson Bickel flashes the safe sign as Derrick Warren looks at the umpire for the call.
A look at Jack Byers’ pitching motion as he sets to pitch against Goddard during district play.
Jack Byers in his pitching motion against Goddard.
The third frame of Jack Byers’ pitching motion.
The fourth motion in Jack Byers’ throwing his fastball against Goddard during district play.
Jack Byers releases the ball to a Goddard hitter during play at Brainard Park on Wednesday.
Jack Byers has movement on the ball as he looks at the catcher, Brant Usherwood, during district action.
Jack Byers on his follow through aginst a Goddard hitter.
Artesia catcher Brant Usherwood and Jack Byers talk during a moment before facing a Goddard hitter.
An Artesia baserunner gets ready to slide into home plate against Goddard.
An Artesia baserunner starts his slide into home plate.
An Artesia baserunner eyes home plate against Goddard.
An Artesia baserunner scores as he looks up to find the baseball.
Artesia catcher Brant Usheerwood looks to the bench for a sign to give to Jack Byers during district play action on Wednesday.
Artesia first baseman Daelon Pacheco applies the tag to try to get a Goddard baserunner out.
Artesia Jett Whitmire makes a diving catch against Goddard to save a run during district play on Wednesday.

Miller sisters end 65-year drought with Artesia’s first state tennis title

JT Keith
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Miller sisters end 65-year drought with Artesia’s first state tennis title

 Daniel Zuniga

Artesia tennis history was made Thursday at the Jerry Cline Tennis Center when sisters Kirklyn and Breckyn Miller claimed the 2026 Class 4A doubles state championship, securing the Bulldogs’ first tennis state title since 1961.

The Miller sisters defeated Española Valley’s Gabriela and Sofia Fulgenzi in straight sets to take the championship, capping off a remarkable run through the state tournament. Head coach Melissa Warren credited her team’s composure and determination for their performance on the sport’s biggest stage.

“They fought hard,” Warren said. “You could see the nerves, but they powered through it and came out on top. This was amazing.”

According to the NMAA database, the victory marks Artesia’s first tennis state championship in 65 years, and the program’s first state title in the 21st century. Overall, the Bulldogs now own seven tennis state championships.

Breckyn Miller joked about the moment after receiving her medal.

“I feel like I’ve accomplished my tennis career now,” she said with a smile.

The day began with a dominant semifinal performance as the Millers faced Albuquerque Academy’s Angela Norrod and Bella Padilla. Artesia controlled the match from start to finish, winning both sets 6-1 behind strong net play and aggressive poaching.

In the finals, the sisters took on the tournament’s No. 2 seed from Española Valley. The match was competitive, but the Millers found their rhythm, showcasing crisp overheads, smart positioning, and steady communication. Artesia took the first set 6-3 and closed out the championship with a 6-4 win in the second.

“It’s the talent and the relationship they have,” Warren said. “That can go both ways with sisters, but today the key was positive communication. That’s what pushed them through.”

Provided | Daniel Zuniga, The Miller sisters look at their opponents after a serve during the state doubles tennis championship on Thursday.

The bond between the sisters was evident throughout the match.

“The only time we fight is on the tennis court,” Kirklyn Miller said. “Other than that, we get along — we’re best friends.”

After the final point, Kirklyn took a moment alone near the fence, collecting herself before rejoining Breckyn for the medal ceremony.

“I was trying not to cry,” she said. “I didn’t want to get caught crying on camera.”

Kirklyn, a senior, will attend the University of Miami this fall and said the championship weekend has been especially meaningful as her high school career winds down.

“It’s hard knowing I’m moving next year,” she said. “Being able to spend time like this together means a lot.”

The Artesia Bulldogs will continue their state tournament run with team championships beginning Friday morning. If the Bulldogs advance, they will compete in the team title match Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Jerry Cline Tennis Center.

“We’re going to play hard and do our best,” Breckyn said.

Siah Correa Hemphill: New Mexico can lead term limits and restoring trust, as belief in government is stressed

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Siah Correa Hemphill: New Mexico can lead term limits and restoring trust, as belief in government is stressed

Siah Correa Hemphill

Trust in government is under real strain. Across New Mexico, from Silver City to Albuquerque to Las Cruces, I hear from families, small business owners, and working parents who want a system that feels more responsive, transparent, and accountable. Many feel that Washington can seem distant from the day-to-day realities they face.

It’s important to recognize that this concern is not about any one party or any one group of leaders. In fact, New Mexico is fortunate to have a congressional delegation that is deeply engaged with their constituents and committed to public service. Still, many residents across the political spectrum share a broader concern about how Congress functions as an institution and whether it consistently reflects the evolving needs of the people.

One reform that continues to draw attention across party lines is congressional term limits.

Term limits are rooted in the simple principle that public service is strongest when it creates space for both experience and renewal. The idea is not to diminish the contributions of those who serve, but to ensure that opportunities exist for new voices, perspectives, and ideas to enter the process over time. We already apply this concept in other areas of government, including the presidency through the 22nd Amendment.

Here in New Mexico, we have a long tradition of civic-minded leadership. Many people step forward to serve their communities and then pass the torch. Term limits reflect that same spirit. They are about maintaining a healthy balance between continuity and change, helping institutions stay dynamic and closely connected to the people they represent.

Some raise thoughtful concerns about preserving institutional knowledge in Congress, and that perspective deserves consideration. Experience matters. At the same time, many believe that structured turnover can complement experience by encouraging fresh thinking and reinforcing accountability. Term limits aim to strike that balance.

Another reason term limits continue to resonate is their potential to strengthen public confidence. When people see a system that regularly opens doors to new leaders, it can reinforce the sense that government remains accessible and representative to not just to a few, but to many.

This is why the idea enjoys broad, bipartisan support nationwide. At a time when consensus can be difficult to find, term limits stand out as an area where Americans often agree on the value of exploring reform.

That brings us to the role states can play.

Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, states have the authority to participate in proposing constitutional amendments. This process was designed to ensure that states have a meaningful voice in shaping the structure of our federal government, particularly when there is a widespread desire to consider change.

New Mexico has an opportunity to be part of that conversation. By considering a resolution related to a term limits convention, our state can join others in examining whether this reform is the right step forward. It is a way to engage constructively in a national dialogue about how to strengthen trust and improve how government works.

This effort is not about criticism of any individual officeholder. It is about looking ahead at how to reinforce accountability, encourage participation, and ensure that our institutions continue to serve the public effectively for generations to come.

New Mexicans value independence, fairness, and practical solutions. Exploring congressional term limits is consistent with those values.

It is worth having the conversation.

Siah Correa Hemphill is New Mexico State Chair, U.S. Term Limits.

Cal Thomas: Who is monitoring the federal debt? It’s $39T and rising

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Cal Thomas: Who is monitoring the federal debt? It’s $39T and rising

Cal Thomas

People of a certain age will recall a lyric from the Tennessee Ernie Ford song “Sixteen Tons”: “Another day older and deeper in debt.”

I thought of that song as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth asked Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion budget for fiscal year 2027 to put the military on what he called a “wartime footing.” Hegseth says the Pentagon needs the money for more drones, munitions and modernized systems. Though President Trump has denied it, bragging that we have the strongest military in the world, it would appear that the Iran conflict has significantly depleted U.S military resources.

Whatever Congress decides to do in response to Hegseth’s request will be done with borrowed money, because we don’t have enough resources – and haven’t for some time – to pay for the unrestrained spending Congress loves to do. Notice there were no pledges of cost reductions in Hegseth’s request. There never are when it comes to government

If you want to be shocked, assuming we are shocked about much these days, visit usdebtclock.org and watch the numbers rise faster than a space rocket. It’s $39 trillion and counting with the average cost to each American family of $114,130, according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. No nation in history has ever been able to shoulder such debt and survive. The politicians don’t seem to care as long as they can dole out money to keep themselves in office.

I have written about the debt before, but it bears repeating until Congress takes action. What frustrates those who are paying attention to the debt is that it is not an unsolvable problem. It’s been fixed before, even within recent memory for many people.

In the mid-1990s, an unlikely partnership was forged between President Bill Clinton and Speaker Newt Gingrich to address the debt, which had increased from $4.8 trillion to $5.6 trillion. Chump change compared to today. From fiscal years 1998 to 2001, thanks to the 1997 Balanced Budget Amendment, the federal government achieved four consecutive budget surpluses. There was still debt but surpluses were reducing it. What created the surpluses?

Clinton and Gingrich addressed the biggest drivers of the debt – Medicare and Medicaid, the so-called “third rail.” They managed to cut $115 billion in Medicare spending, $14 billion in Medicaid, along with significant reductions in discretionary spending to eliminate the deficit by 2002. Much of this was done by removing fraudsters and the unentitled from the rolls. Sound familiar? While Vice President JD Vance has been tasked with rooting out fraud as in the child care centers in Minnesota, no one wants to re-visit Medicare and Medicaid, especially with elections just five months away.

Somebody has to do it. According to the Kiplinger Retirement Report and numerous other projections, the “Medicare Hospital Insurance (Part A) trust fund is projected to be exhausted by 2033-2040, requiring automatic benefit cuts of 11-13% if not addressed. While Medicare itself won’t totally ‘run out,’ it will only cover roughly 89-90% of costs. Medicaid is funded differently via federal/state taxes, so it does not face the same ‘trust fund’ insolvency, but is facing severe funding pressure, with 2025 legislation implementing significant cuts.”

These would not be tough choices if the public was properly prepared. The reduction in benefits and/or an increase in taxes is inevitable. Means testing, allowing people to choose a hybrid retirement fund combining reduced Social Security payments with investments in the stock market and other reforms would save the programs for those who need it and allow more individuals to care for themselves instead of burdening the government.

Simple, right? If only the politicians would do what they know must be done.

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).

David Grousnick: Living a language and the way it adapts over time

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David Grousnick: Living a language and the way it adapts over time

David Grousnick

First Christian Church

The difference between learning a language and living a language is revealed by how well we understand the unique idioms of our new TGiF world (Twitter, Google, Instagram, Facebook).

Living languages change and adapt to the worlds they are living in. So, there is a constant invention of new words, and even new dictionaries, like Urban Dictionary, that tells us what new words mean.

Ancient Latin and Koine Greek are beautiful, expressive languages. They speak of love in a language of love that is unsurpassed in beauty and vibrancy and they speak about our greatest desires for spiritual connections too. But these ancient languages have not been spoken for millennia. And they do not have any special words for new designations like the internet, or robots, or string theory, or sushi.

English has always been “on the move.” What is most familiar to you today? Words like “Facebook,” “Twitter,” “Apps.”, etc. These would have been gibberish a decade ago.

Consider some words added to the 2026 Oxford English Dictionary:

“Rage bait” (content created to provoke angry responses).

“Aura farming” (cultivating a charismatic image).

“Biohack (altering one’s lifestyle to optimize performance).

Strange new words are guideposts to our daily lives. That is the way a “living language” keeps alive. It keeps changing.

In the first century, as the disciples and first followers of Jesus encountered the reality of the cross, the whole concept of “Messiah” was looked over and under in a fresh way.

From the Hebrew tradition of Isaiah (28:16), God is identified as a foundation stone. God is an immovable rock, the primordial solid stone. Peter was identified as “petros,” the movable stone as opposed to petra, the immovable bedrock.

Peter knew his own weaknesses all too well and chose to write about a new kind of “rock.” The image Peter offers is even weirder than the identity Jesus had given him as a “stone,” as a petros (me stone), and upon this petra (we bedrock) Jesus promised to build his church.

The Me is built upon the We. In Christ, Peter’s insecurities will be made solid, as will ours. In other words, Jesus is counting on us!

A Tennessean wrote stories about growing up in that part of the country a generation ago. He told a story about Miss Caroline Walker, who was a music teacher. She had been doing it for as long as anybody could remember. She was something of a legend in her county in Tennessee.

She had two goals in teaching. One was to teach her girls to be ladies. She taught them manners as much as she taught them music. She also taught them to play one piece perfectly for the May recital.

She rehearsed them and drilled them all year long to play that one piece perfectly, including instructions on how to sit on the piano bench, to spread your skirt as you sit down, and how to announce the song by standing straight and holding your hands together at your waist.

The night of the recital came. It was held in the high school auditorium. When Ann Louise’s turn came, she was terrified. She thought she was going to faint. She knew she would never make it, but it was her turn, so she moved forward to the wings where Miss Caroline was waiting.

Ann Louise had become stiff and rigid. Miss Caroline put her hands on Ann Louise’s shoulders, and whispered in her ear, “You have worked hard. You know this piece. You have nothing to fear. And remember, I am counting with you all the way.”

With a little shove she pushed Ann Louise out onto the stage where, all of a sudden, she was facing this large audience of everybody’s relatives, including her own. She announced her piece, then spread her skirt, and sat on the bench.

She noticed that she was much calmer than she thought she would be. She noticed that Miss Caroline was still there in the wings.

She remembered the last words that she said to her, “I am counting with you all the way.” She didn’t say, “I am counting on you.” She said, “I am counting with you.”

And Drake wrote this. “She felt that they were held together by something beyond either of them alone. Teacher and disciple were as one. She realized that it was this that she had been preparing for all year long, this test. And the music, at her command, came cascading out of the baby grand into the darken auditorium full of joy and full of life, right on cue.”

Jesus said I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.

So let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

The Artesia track team is building momentum heading into state

JT Keith
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The Artesia track team is building momentum heading into state

With only a couple of meets left before the state championships on May 15–16, Artesia coach Adrian Olivas treated last weekend’s trip to Los Alamos like a state rehearsal. The Bulldogs made the six-hour drive the night before and stayed in a hotel, mirroring the routine they’ll follow when they return for the finals.

The boys dominated the meet, winning 129–97 over Los Alamos in a 14‑team field. The girls finished second.

Olivas said the weekend produced several key qualifiers. Colt Moziejko punched his ticket in the pole vault, Cael Houghtaling qualified in the high jump, and Noah Beardsley earned his spot in the 100. The Bulldogs also posted improved times in the 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400 relays.

“We used this meet as if you’ve already qualified for state,” Olivas said. “Or you’re really close to qualifying for state.”

Artesia entered the meet with 21 boys and seven girls already qualified. Olivas said he hopes to add more, especially on the girls’ side, before the deadline.

The Bulldogs have been consistent all season. The boys won the Hobbs meet and finished second in Clovis. The girls have placed in the top four or five at every meet they’ve entered.

Field events have been the backbone of the program. The boys carry depth in the long jump, triple jump and javelin. On the girls’ side, shot putter Harper Murray has thrown a personal‑best 38 feet, with reigning state champion Brooklyn Ivans close behind and teammate Peyton Barela closing the gap.

Artesia runner Fabian Moya runs away from a Cleveland runner during the 56th Artesia Invitational track meet.

Their competition doesn’t stop on meet day.

“In the weight room, they’re trying to do more reps and more weight than each other,” Olivas said. “They’re all trying to get better, and they’re competing with each other. That’s the best thing you can have.”

Olivas said having three strong throwers pushes the entire group and has helped Murray elevate her performance. He is also working to transition all of his shot putters to throwing the discus.

The team did receive one setback. Sprinter and relay runner Bryce Parra, who was expected to return this season, will not compete due to a shoulder injury suffered during football. Olivas said Parra is ahead of schedule in his recovery and continues to support the team at practice.

With the state meet a week away, Olivas said the Bulldogs are shifting fully into championship mode. Last year, the boys finished second at state.

jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X@JTKEITH1.

Artesia doubles duo advances to the semifinals at state tennis tournament

JT Keith
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Artesia doubles duo advances to the semifinals at state tennis tournament

Daniel Zuniga

Albuquerque, N.M. — The 2026 NMAA state tennis championships opened with Class 4A singles and doubles action Wednesday at the Albuquerque Academy Racquet Center, with Artesia well represented across the brackets.

“I hope we are here through Saturday, Saturday at 4 p.m.,” Artesia head coach Melissa Warren said.

Competing for the Bulldogs on the boys’ side were Damian Lopez, Cutter Summers, Adan Alva, Ediel Miranda, Paul Miller, and Joshua Vazquez. The girls’ lineup included Adrienne Harvey, Kirklyn Miller, Brecklyn Miller, Renee Irvin, and Abigail Jowers.

The highlight of the day came from the doubles team of Kirklyn and Brecklyn Miller, who advanced to the semifinals. Entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed, the Miller sisters dominated their matches, outscoring opponents 24–1 and cruising to a 12–0 win over Highland in the second round.

Provided | Daniel Zuniga, Arteisa’s Abigail Jowers serves during her match at the state tournament, at the Albuquerque Academy Racquet Center on Wednesday.

The Millers will face Albuquerque Academy’s Angela Norrod and Bella Padilla, the tournament’s No. 5 seed, on Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Jerry Cline Tennis Complex.

“They’ve been playing with a lot of confidence,” Warren said of the duo.

The Miller sisters were the lone Bulldogs to move on, but Artesia put together several strong performances.

Renee Irvin and Abigail Jowers nearly pulled off an upset against Santa Fe Prep’s fourth-seeded team of Harvey and Harvey-Romero, falling in three sets. Santa Fe Prep took the opener 6–3, Artesia answered with a 7–6 (3) win in the second set, but Prep closed it out 6–4.

“We tried our best and never gave up,” Irvin and Jowers said.

“I’m really proud of them,” Warren added. “They fought, and that’s all I can ask for.”

On the boys’ side, Cutter Summers and Damian Lopez pushed Albuquerque Academy’s No. 5-seeded tandem of McMahon-Wooten and Rogers, coming up just short in a competitive first set while showcasing strong serving.

“They fought really hard and had some really good points,” Warren said. “I’m proud of them.”

Individual play concludes Thursday, with team competition beginning Friday.

“I think we’ve come a long way since my freshman year,” Paul Miller said. “We’ve made state a few times, but this is the first year we’ve really had a chance to compete for a championship.”

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