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Rep.Vasquez launches 2026 reelection bid

Michael Smith
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Rep.Vasquez launches 2026 reelection bid

Staff Reports

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, launched his 2026 reelection campaign last week, making stops with supporters in Albuquerque’s West Side, Los Lunas, Truth or Consequences and Mesilla. Vasquez will be running against former radio talk show host and 2021 Albuquerque mayoral candidate Republican Eddy Aragon.

“From Silver City to Mesilla, Southern New Mexico is my home and the place I deeply care about,” Vasquez said in a statement. “Following in the footsteps of powerful women in my family and honoring our immigrant history, I’ve been able to represent my community in Congress with determination and authenticity. Constituents from across the district trust me to uphold our values, be objective and get things done when others can’t.”

His top priorities include lowering the cost of living, protecting access to affordable health care, border security and immigration reform, keeping communities safe and safeguarding New Mexico’s public lands, according to a press release.

“Their priorities are my priorities,” Vasquez said. “From protecting public lands, funding critical infrastructure projects, funding local police departments and fighting to lower health care costs, I’m proud of the wins I’ve delivered, and I’m just getting started.”

Aragon, who announced his candidacy in May said in a statement that he views immigration, crime, the economy and health care as the top issues of his campaign.

He supported the hard-line immigration stance of President Donald Trump, leading to increased deportations of migrants and stricter requirements for immigration into the U.S.

Aragon also supported the President’s push to reduce government spending on education.

“We need more privatization of education,” he said. “I think the approach that’s being taken at the national level is important. We don’t want to do without the money, but we definitely want to do without the bureaucracy.”

Aragon also ran for Congressional District 1 in 2021, against current U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM).

He shifted to the Second District after New Mexico’s congressional district lines were redrawn following the 2020 U.S. Census, a process largely controlled by the state’s leadership in the Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the Legislature.

Vasquez narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Yvette Herrell in the 2022 by just more than 1,000 votes and again in 2024.

The redistricting added more votes to the district around New Mexico’s northern urban areas, including Albuquerque’s south valley, while removing votes from conservative-leaning Lea County.

Aragon said the shift could work in his favor, as he said he has ties to Albuquerque and nearby Valencia County, portions of which are also now included in the Second District.

“You are going to need somebody from up here, because this is where a majority of the population, the voting population, is going to be in Valencia County, where my family is from and the South Valley and West side, where I had grown up,” Aragon said in a campaign statement.

Highlights of the Artesia vs. Lovington football game

JT Keith
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Highlights of the Artesia vs. Lovington football game
Artesia running back Bryce Parra runs through a hole against Lovington on the first series of the game. Artesia won the game 56-23. JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press
Artesia quarterback Derrick Warren scrambles for a first down against Lovington on Friday, Sept. 26.
Artesia running back Cristian Pando makes a move on a Lovington defensive player during action at the Bulldog Bowl.
Artesia field goal kicker Corbyn Dominguez makes a field goal against Lovington on Friday night at the Bull Dog Bowl.
Artesia’s kickoff team huddles up after scoring a touchdown and gets ready to kickoff to Lovington during action on Friday night.
Artesia’s Corbyn Dominguez kick-off to Lovington during Friday nights game.
A look at the Bulldogs’ defense before the snap of the ball against Lovington on Friday night.
Artesia defensive back Tootie McNeil intercepts a pass from Lovington quarterback Jayden Gutierrez and returns it for a touchdown.
Artesia defensive back Tootie McNeil celebrates a touchdown return after picking off Lovington quarterback Jayden Gutierrez during game action on Friday night.
Artesia football player Edel Villa tries to tackle Wildcats’ quarterback Jayden Gutierrez during action at the Bulldog Bowl on Friday night.
Artesia football player Alejandro Ontiveros puts a hit on Lovington quarterback Jayden Gutierrez during game action Friday night at the Bulldog Bowl.
Artesia wide receiver Jack Byers goes up for a pass against Lovington on Friday night at the Bulldog Bowl.

National Guard to be deployed to Española

Michael Smith
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National Guard to be deployed to Española

Patrick Lohmann

Source New Mexico

New Mexico’s National Guard Adjutant General announced Monday that guardsmen will soon be deployed to Española, a town of roughly 10,000 people in Northern New Mexico whose leaders recently asked for state help dealing with a crime, drug and housing crisis.

Española will be the second New Mexico city to receive National Guard troops. Albuquerque, the state’s biggest city, has seen a monthslong troop deployment in support of the Albuquerque Police Department.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the deployments to both cities in emergency orders that cite rising crime and short-staffed law enforcement agencies. The governor’s Aug. 13 emergency order for the Española area authorized National Guard deployments, along with funding for emergency housing or healthcare help. Her office stressed at the time that there were no imminent plans to deploy National Guard troops to Española.

According to the executive order, police calls in the Española area have doubled in the last two years, and police dispatches to businesses have quadrupled in that same period. She also cited Rio Arriba County’s high overdose death rate, “with residents struggling with addiction to fentanyl and other illicit substances.” Lujan Grisham’s order also authorized $750,000 in emergency spending. Last week, the state health department reported Rio Arriba County is one of three in Northern New Mexico with surging overdose deaths and overdose emergency room visits.

While the decision has now been made to send them, the number of troops, as well as their assignment, is still being determined, Miguel Aguilar told Source New Mexico on Monday after presenting in Albuquerque to the interim Courts, Corrections and Criminal Justice committee of the Legislature.

“We don’t even know what the number is going to be,” Aguilar told Source. “It’s just a matter of what the scope is.”

Aguilar and Española Police Chief Mizel Garcia presented to the committee to answer questions about the role the guard could play in Española and elsewhere, and to address swirling controversy about President Donald Trump’s use of the National Guard in American cities, including Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Aguilar said his troops’ presence in Albuquerque since April has freed up Albuquerque police to make more arrests. The National Guard has taken some administrative tasks off police officers’ hands, including compiling case files for prosecutors, directing traffic and monitoring surveillance cameras.

Garcia said the guard will be useful in his town, assisting an under-staffed police department in some form. But he acknowledged that their deployment could face public opposition.

“My biggest concern right now is fear,” he said. “Because of the cultural background that we have in Espanola, there’s always been a fear of the National Guard coming in.”

He said he and his staff had multiple community meetings in recent weeks, in which they sought to reassure the community that police and the guard are working together “as a team.”

Garcia said the troops’ arrival could occur as soon as early October.

Several lawmakers said they were concerned about the prospect of an expanded military presence in New Mexico communities, especially given Trump’s use of the guard.

Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) said defining a mission for the guard’s deployment in Española is vital, as is more clarity about who is in charge and who is accountable.

“I’m currently not understanding the strategy, even looking to Albuquerque as a way in which I can try to understand what’s going to happen in Española,” she said.

The committee invited Naureen Shah, an expert and attorney for the national American Civil Liberties Union, to lay out her concerns about civil rights for civilians who are increasingly interacting with domestic military forces.

She said that, while she does not pretend to understand all the local forces that might be used to justify the guard’s presence in New Mexico, deploying the guard here gives Trump cover.

“This administration wants to be able to deploy the military at the president’s whim as a tool against his political opponents,” she said. “And the more that happens at a state level, the more it normalizes it for the Trump administration.”

New Mexico outshines Colorado in tourism attractions but not numbers

Michael Smith
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New Mexico outshines Colorado in tourism attractions but not numbers

Sherry Robinson
All She Wrote

My plan was simple. I was going to meet my brother and his family at a favorite haunt in western Colorado. I’m no longer 50, when I drove great distances without a care, so I figured I’d drive as far as I could, grab a motel room and finish the next day.

It was the road trip from hell.

Here it is in a nutshell: Cloudbursts that caused lines of travelers to hunker down on the roadside with their flashers on, mobs of tourists in Colorado, and ordinary motels charging $300 a night – the going rate, and that’s if you could find a room. Add to that road construction in Salida that made it impossible for a stranger to get through town. And a corrupted Google maps app barking out the wrong directions. And a $300 room with walls so thin, the couple having sex in the next room should have asked if it was good for me too.

Driving back the next day, I could only ask myself, why on earth do people go there? And in droves. In Colorado you can eat the same bland food you find anywhere and escape into nature with a hundred companions crowding the trails. Colorado is not only overdone, over-exposed and over-priced, it’s boring!

As a Colorado native, I can say New Mexico has everything Colorado has and so much more – a beautiful and varied landscape, the cultural treasures of our Native American and Hispanic residents, a vastly more interesting history, and a vigorous art scene. Where else can you find in one place: hoodoos, caverns, opera, little green men, Billy the Kid, hot springs, hot air balloons, Route 66 and a duck race? Icing on the cake: Buy jewelry directly from Native American artisans.

If the tapped-out Colorado tourists drove south a couple of hours, they would find Ojo Caliente, Chama, Taos, Raton, Angel Fire, Red River and Farmington – each with excellent offerings and ready to entertain you without breaking the bank. Drive farther south and discover a great deal more.

Many feel this way. On Reddit I found this post: “Why isn’t New Mexico as popular as Colorado or Texas? I recently visited New Mexico and was blown away by its natural beauty. All the places I drove to like Carlsbad, Cloudcroft, White Sands, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe – the scenery was absolutely stunning… Why isn’t New Mexico bigger as a tourist destination or economically? It feels like such an underrated gem with so much to offer.”

Here are a few responses:

“Colorado is stupid expensive and, well, Texas is Texas. No thanks.”

“I know! I went this year and I so enjoyed it. I loved the fact that it wasn’t overrun with people. Got a solid dose of peace and quiet!”

“Me too!!! Less traffic, not too many people, small scenic towns. What’s not to love?”

“For folks looking to get away and connect with nature, it’s perfect. Ski resorts aren’t sold out, the mountains are just as beautiful as Colorado (fight me)… Texas has barely any (national) parks the size of what we have here… I’m a transplant and I love New Mexico with all my heart.”

Also commenting were many New Mexicans who like being undiscovered. These two posts were typical: “Shhhhhhhhhh” and “Good. Stay away. Shoo.”

Back in New Mexico, I learn that we’re even less discovered than usual this year. After breaking records in 2024 with 42.6 million visitors who spent $8.8 billion, our tourism has taken a hit. International visitation is off and people of modest means are staying home. Considering that tourism employs 95,219 people, or 8.1% of the state’s workforce, this is concerning.

Foreign guests are only 1.8% of New Mexico’s visitors, but they spend five times as much as Americans, according to the state Tourism Department. Canadians represent the biggest decrease. Why? Make a wild guess.

The travel press also blames inflation, rising airfares, and the overall cost of travel.

Surprisingly, tourism in Taos declined two years in a row, according to the Taos News, because of construction on the town’s major arterial, a dry winter and political uncertainty. Said one business owner: “The times are incredibly uncertain and people are scared.”

Even powerhouse Santa Fe has seen visitation slip. The city’s tourism executive attributes it to economic uncertainty.

I’d like to see New Mexico’s promoters focus on Colorado and its hordes of exploited tourists. It shouldn’t be too hard to lure some of them to New Mexico. We would only be a bit less undiscovered.

Sherry Robinson is a longtime New Mexico reporter and editor. She has worked in Grants, Gallup, the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico Business Weekly and Albuquerque Tribune. She is the author of four books. Her columns won first place in 2024 from New Mexico Press Women.

Catfish and trout are biting at New Mexico lakes

Michael Smith
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Catfish and trout are biting at New Mexico lakes

Information and photo provided by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

Fall has officially arrived but the change of seasons has not changed fishing conditions at New Mexico lakes and streams.

In northern New Mexico at Charette Lakes, trout fishing was good using silver-and-yellow Panther Martin spinners.

Fishing for trout at Hopewell Lake was good using flies and all kinds of spinners.

At Monastery Lake, fishing for trout was slow to fair using PowerBait.

Fishing for catfish was slow at Ute Lake using jig heads with 3-inch Gulp minnows.

At Bluewater Lake, fishing for tiger muskie was slow using jointed minnow lures.

In the Jemez Waters, fishing for trout was particularly good when using brown-and-yellow Bob Hoppers on Jaramillo Creek.

Fishing for trout was fair to good using black Woolly Buggers and Rooster Tails.

In southern New Mexico at Bill Evans Lake west of Silver City, fishing for catfish was very good using jerky.

At Elephant Butte Lake near Truth or Consequences, fishing for largemouth bass was good using live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good using worms and minnows.

Fishing for white bass, walleye, drum, and crappie was fair to good using minnows from the bank.

Along the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, fishing for catfish was fair to good using shrimp in the back ditch at Bernardo Waterfowl Management area.

In southeast and eastern New Mexico, fishing for catfish at Bataan Lake near Carlsbad was slow to fair using shrimp.

At Bonito Lake in Lincoln County, fishing for trout was slow to fair using PowerBait.

In Lovington at Chaparral Park Lake, fishing for catfish was good using white spinner baits.

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

County approves with $5.7M courthouse renovation

Michael Smith
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County approves with $5.7M courthouse renovation

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press

Eddy County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to proceed with a $5.7 million plan for exterior renovation of the county courthouse.

The county will now seek a general contractor for the estimated year-long project through a competitive bidding process expected to take about five weeks. The work will include renovation of exterior windows and doors and repairs to cracked stucco on exterior walls.

Built in the 1890s, the four-story, 46,000-square-foot Eddy County Courthouse at 102 N. Canal St. in downtown Carlsbad houses the county’s branch of New Mexico’s Fifth Judicial District, which also includes Lea and Chaves counties.

Ahead of the vote, representatives of Albuquerque-based Studio Southwest Architects gave a presentation outlining the project, which officials said would ensure the building will retain its historical look and feel while repairing weather damage and improving its structural integrity for the future.

Studio Southwest designed the renovation plan in consultation with county officials.

“What we’ve been working on is to develop the design documentation, said Theodore Edaakie, architect and project manager at Studio Southwest. “We’ve completed the drawings and the project manual. We’re not going to remove certain aspects of the building that make it historical.”

He said the project will restore 103 windows, replace 63 windows and repair about 41,400 square feet of stucco using a synthetic stucco product instead of the traditional, concrete-based material.

“That will allow the whole system to breathe and prevent issues down the road,” he said. “We’re looking forward to going out and finding qualified contractors.”

District 1 Commissioner Ernie Carlson asked if the synthetic stucco the firm planned to use in the project would be “rigid” and if that could lead to cracking.

“With any stucco finish there is going to be cracking,” Edaakie said. “What you want to avoid is the structural cracking when cracks are significantly wide.”

The exterior project is part of a broader effort to renovate the courthouse – inside and outside – which the county estimated in November 2024 would cost about $15 million. That was when commissioners voted to renovate the 85-year-old structure rather than build a new courthouse, following months of public meetings and discussion.

The county also planned a $4.8 million rebuild of the Eddy County Courthouse’s air conditioning system, which was the first priority outlined in the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan approved by commissioners in May.

Carlson, who grew up in Carlsbad in the 1950s said the courthouse was a cornerstone of the city’s history, and it should be maintained as a local landmark.

“How do you know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been? That is part of our heritage in Eddy County, specifically Carlsbad,” he said. “We have to maintain it and keep it in good order. We want something we are proud of and that visitors to Carlsbad are proud to see.”

Other business

County Finance Director Roberta Gonzales reported about $6.7 million in tax revenue was received from the oil and gas industry in July, the most recent month tracked by the Finance Department, and $6.4 million in gross receipts tax.

As of July, Gonzales reported, the county had collected about $74.9 million of the $236.4 million in revenue budgeted for Fiscal Year 2026, which runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. About $62 million was expended of the $444.3 in budgeted expenses for FY 2026.

Commissioners also approved a permanent easement for a natural gas pipeline in the county, allowing Energy Transfer to run the line through property owned by Sendero Midstream. The land was subject to an industrial revenue bond issued by the county, meaning any easements must be approved by the Eddy County Commission.

Artesia welcomes alumni back with blowout win over Lovington

JT Keith
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Artesia welcomes alumni back with blowout win over Lovington

You don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit in the wind, you don’t pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with Jim.

A lot of quarterbacks that face the Artesia Bulldogs defense ought to know the Jim Croce song, “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim.” There’s another sentence that could be added to that chorus.

You don’t throw the ball on Tootie McNeil.

All McNeil did was intercept two passes and return one to the house for a 35-yard touchdown, as the Bulldogs defeated Lovington 56-23 Friday night at the Bulldog Bowl for their 24th consecutive win over the Wildcats. The defense has scored five touchdowns in six games for the ’Dogs.

Artesia defensive back Tootie McNeil intercepts Lovington quarterback Jayden Gutierrez and returns it 35-yards for a touchdown. JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press

“Our defense played really well tonight,” said Artesia coach Jeremy Maupin. “Our defense scored another touchdown tonight, and we got turnovers. Our defense kept us in the game in the first half. “

The Bulldogs (5-1 overall, 3-0 in District 2-5A) seemed to start the game in a Homecoming hangover. On the first two Bulldog possessions, the team threw an interception and fumbled the ball. 

“I don’t know what it was,” Maupin said. “We threw a pick on the first one, and what we had called. I think we got a little antsy in the pocket. We came back and ran that same play in the second half for a 30-yard gain. It wasn’t something they stopped; it’s just that we got a little zealous and tried to throw a route that we shouldn’t have. If you look at the other one, we had a big play and Bryce (Parra) is breaking it up the field for a touchdown, and they (Lovington) started stripping the ball on him from behind. We came back and responded in the second half, but we have to clean those up (turnovers).”

Once the Bulldog offense got going, Parra ran for 152 yards and scored twice carrying the ball and once receiving the ball. Quarterback Derrick Warren was 19-of-30 for 251 yards and four touchdowns with one interception, and reserve quarterback Lucas Atkins was 2-of-5 for 36 yards and threw one touchdown to Destin Pacheco. Sawyer Whitehead had four receptions for 57 yards, Cael Houghtaling grabbed two receptions for 47 yards, Jack Byers caught three passes for 40 yards and one touchdown. Trent Egeland had three receptions and scored twice for 39 yards. Jett Fuentes grabbed three passes for 28 yards, and George Blackburn caught one pass for 13 yards.

Artesia quarterback Derrick Warren runs by a Lovington defender before heading out of bounds during Friday night action at the Bulldog Bowl. JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press

The Bulldogs had 481 yards in total offense; running the ball 34 times for 194 yards and throwing the ball for 287 yards.

Lovington (2-4, 1-2) lost quarterback Jayden Gutierrez in the game and also had to play without its backup quarterback, Justin Allen, relying on Kyler Reaves, who led the ’Cats to a couple of scores in the second half.

“I’m not going to make any excuse that losing Jayden (Gutierrez) was why we lost the game,” said Wildcats coach Josh Bailey. I felt like our defense played really, really strongly. We had two quick turnovers and takeaways, and if our offense had been grooving earlier, it could have been a different story. At the end of the day, you cannot do anything like that against the Artesia Bulldogs, because they are good and coached well. I just think you have to put all of the pieces together.”

Bailey said that his defense has played well all year, and the game came down to depth. While the Wildcats got two turnovers, key players had to turn around and play offense. The coach stated that until Lovington reaches a point where it no longer has to do that, it will be tough to beat Roswell and Artesia.

“Winning those games against those teams, Roswell and Artesia, is going to be hard,” Bailey said. “We have beaten Hobbs, Carlsbad, and Roswell until we get to that point; winning those games is going to be hard. It’s not impossible, but hard. As we went, our guys kept trying harder, but they are also tired.”

The Bulldogs will face the Santa Teresa Desert Warriors at 7 p.m. Friday at the Bulldog Bowl. The Desert Warriors are (0-5, 0-2) winless on the season, losing to Roswell 54-0 on Friday night.

Lovington football looks to end 23-game losing streak

JT Keith
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Lovington football looks to end 23-game losing streak

This story has not been released until kickoff. It is a bonus to our readers and subscribers. The Artesia Daily Press will update the score and football coverage at halftime of the Lovington football game.

For Lovington football coach Josh Bailey, the Wildcats’ game against the Artesia Bulldogs has ties that cross. at 7 p.m. at the Bulldog Bowl. This game – kicking off tonight at 7 p.m. at the Bulldog Bowl – is not only about beating their rivals down the road. It’s also about breaking a 23-game losing streak to the Bulldogs that includes Bailey’s time as a player for the Wildcats, a 49-27 loss in his senior year. 

“We were playing them pretty tough,” Bailey said about playing Artesia in 2009. “We were at the top of our class (3A), and they were at the top of their class (4A), and we played them the first game of the season at Lovington. Artesia was the measuring stick for where we were as a program. We always felt like we wished we could have played them later in the year. Now we get to. It is a district opponent, and there is a lot more at stake than when we were playing. I think coach Maupin has continued the great legacy that the Hendersons (L.G., Cooper, and Rex) have done.”

3 keys for Lovington to win

Bailey said the three keys to breaking the losing streak will be: 1. The Wildcats need to control the football on offense. 2. Limit the Bulldogs’ explosive plays in all three phases of the game (offense, defense, and special teams.) 3. Play fearlessly. Forget about not beating Artesia in 23 years – just play football. 

The Henderson factor

Bailey parlayed a successful high school career into a scholarship to Wayland Baptist, where he spent five years as a player and then coached under Butch Henderson – brother to Cooper. Bailey was part of Wayland’s inaugural season in 2012, when the college revived its football program after a 72-year hiatus.

“Butch is a powerful Christian man,” Bailey said, “he does things the right way. He taught me a great deal about organization. He was very organized and very prepared. I liked the way that he led by example. Coach Henderson would always jog everywhere that he went. He lived his life by example rather than speaking his mind. I always appreciated that about him. There is a lot of pressure in our job, and he always kept his composure, and that is a lesson that I learned from him for sure.”

Complex offense

Bailey said Artesia does so much stuff, and they want to kill opponents on the preparation side of things, starting with the kickoff and starburst.

“I think their aggressiveness starts with the kickoff,” Bailey said. “They are trying to recover the football most of the time. They try to get you to make mistakes on your kickoff return. On the starburst, you have to be creative unless you can kick the ball out of the end zone every time.”

Bailey said that on offense, the Bulldogs have an answer for everything, and defensively, Artesia moves around all the time and give offenses different looks, which makes teams overanalyze and overprepare. Bailey said Artesia does that by design to try to get teams to slow down and think too much instead of just playing. 

“You have to prepare for everything Artesia does or could do,” Bailey said, “and that’s a tall task. Artesia has one of the best coaching staffs in the state, and I have to tip my hat to them.”

Rough district start

The Wildcats come into the game at 2-3 overall, 1-1 in 2-5A after beating Goddard 44-26 at home on Sept. 19. 

“We feel like we let a couple of games get away from us,” Bailey said. “We did not play very well against Hobbs, obviously. That game was not close. In the other two, we let Roswell and Carlsbad get away from us. We have to make the plays to win the games. We think our football team is pretty good, and we are getting better.”

Bailey said the Wildcats have all the respect for Artesia and that they do it right and have done it right forever. One of the key things Bailey said he is looking for is fearless play and hard work.

Replace quarterback

The Wildcats have put Jayden Gutierrez in at quarterback, replacing starter Justin Allen. Bailey said he made the move because he felt that Gutierrez is explosive and gives Lovington the ability to put more stress on defenses.

“He is capable of making plays with his legs and throws a perfect deep ball,” Bailey said of Gutierrez. 

Due to his athletic ability, Gutierrez was moved to safety as a sophomore, as the team had other quarterbacks who could effectively get the ball to him. Gutierrez ended up an All-State selection at receiver and safety that year. 

“We always want our offense to be super complex to the teams that we play,” Bailey said. “But we want it to be super-easy for our kids. We have to be coaching it simple, because those kids are playing super-fast.”

This game is the 80th meeting between Lovington and Artesia. The two teams met at Brainard Park in 1932 and have played every year since 1974, excluding the 2020 COVID year. The last Lovington win over the Bulldogs was a 34-28 decision in 2001 at Wildcat Stadium, now known as Brian Urlacher Field. 

“I have all the respect for Artesia, but I want to get our kids to stop looking at the pressure of not beating them in 22 years. I told our team that the Lovington team that just goes and plays our game will be the first Lovington team that gets it done,” Bailey said. “I don’t know if that will be this year, but we have to get over the thought that this will be special, and the town will burn down if we win. We just have to go play football.”

According to New Mexico Activities Association records, Lovington has the second-most state championships in the state with 20 and trails only the Bulldogs (32). 

Artesia holds the series lead with 60 wins, 15 losses, and three ties, including a scoreless affair in the Class 3A state title game in 1987 which went into overtime before the teams were declared co-champions.

3 keys to Artesia beating Lovington

JT Keith
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3 keys to Artesia beating Lovington

The No. 1-ranked Artesia football team in 4-4A has been on a taking care of business tour. The Bulldogs have had two road trips to Deming and Gadsden over the past two weeks. Artesia football coach Jeremy Maupin needs the Bulldogs to continue taking care of business until the end of the football season. The road trip ends Friday with their Homecoming game against Lovington at 7 p.m. at the Bulldog Bowl.

“The reality is that everybody gets involved this week regarding homecoming,” Maupin said. “There is some good to that, and there is some bad to that. I told my team, ‘Guys, don’t forget that we have a football game on Friday night.’ There are many distractions in front of you. I hope the guys enjoy the bonfire and all the festivities, but they must remember that we have an excellent football team coming in. We need to play well, and what better way to do that than in front of a packed house? It is going to be a big crowd and a fun environment. We just have to make sure we play good football.”

Maupin is hoping the distractions will be minimal, as this is district game number three with a lot riding on the outcome – possible playoff seedings and implications for a District 4-4A title.

Marshall Mecham Artesia’s Tootie McNeil returns an interception 82-yards for a touchdown against Lovington

One of the players that Artesia (4-1, 2-0 district) will have to slow down is Wildcats receiver Elijah Rivero. Against Goddard last week, he caught a touchdown pass, returned a punt for a touchdown – his third this year – and intercepted a pass. Last week, Lovington (2-3, 1-1) was ranked No. 5 in the latest 5A coaches’ poll. 

Lovington quarterback Jayden Gutierrez told Peter Stein of Hobbs News-Sun, “We haven’t beaten them in a very long time, and it is always a goal of mine to beat the Bulldogs in the Bowl. I think we just need to come with even more intentionality and execute at the highest level. And I believe we can do that; we’re a very good football team.”

Lovington coach Josh Bailey, in his second year as coach, told Stein, “They’re No.1 for a reason. There’s a reason we haven’t beaten them in a long time, and it’s also why people tend to avoid attending the Bulldog Bowl. There are several reasons why we shouldn’t be able to perform well over there. But the main reason we should is that this team (Lovington) has turned it around, and they love each other; they are going to play hard. Artesia is good; they’re very good, skilled at every position, and coached well. But I feel like our team is capable of getting it done.”

Maupin said the scouting reports show Lovington is a spread team on offense and runs the ball 50-50 with the pass. If counting Gutierrez’s scrambles, that ratio is 60-40. Gutierrez will look at his read, and if it is not open, he will take off and run. Lovington will also show multiple formations on offense.

Defense

Lovington will show off front with a single high safety. They have one defensive back in the defensive backfield, positioned on either side of the field. Maupin said the team must recognize that.

Special teams

Maupin said that Lovington just puts their best players on the team, with Gutierrez and Rivero being its punt and kickoff returners as well.

Here are three keys to a Bulldog victory:

1. Contain Lovington’s quarterback

The Wildcats made a change at quarterback, replacing starter Justin Allen with Gutierrez. And Maupin Artesia has to contain him.

“Gutierrez is more of a runner,” Maupin said. “He has big play capabilities on every play.” 

2. Recognize what the Lovington defense is doing

“We have to recognize what they are doing defensively to us,” Maupin said. “We have to attack where they are vulnerable. They will do some things that overload a side, and we need to identify those early. We have to take what they give us offensively.”

3. Wear Lovington down

“We have to take advantage that their best players play both sides of the ball,” Maupin said. “Rivero, Gutierrez, offensive guard Fransico Arreola, and defensive tackle Alex Rivera. They will play offense, defense, and special teams. We have to try and wear those guys out and take advantage of our numbers and the guys that we have.”

Artesia girls dominate Ruidoso

JT Keith
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Artesia girls dominate Ruidoso

JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press

With one game to play before heading into District 4-4A play, the Artesia girls soccer team is starting to play its best.

The Lady ’Dogs defeated the Ruidoso girls soccer team 4-0 on a hot day on Sept. 20 at Robert Chase Field. The game was played at 11 a.m., and a Ruidoso player was treated by medical personnel due to the heat.

“It was a great team win,” said Artesia coach Tim Trentham. “We have been on a stretch of games that I thought would be the most challenging of the season and today was another one of those out of five games. Four of the five games I thought would be tough, and we won three of them. We are trying to build that head of steam going into district play starting next Saturday.”

Bulldog Abigail Jowers scored one of her two goals with 31:58 to play in the first half, and the 1-0 score would hold up until halftime. Ruidoso coach Sergio Castro said the Lady Warriors were playing shorthanded with five girls out, as well as the player who missed the game because of the heat.

Lady ’Dog Kaylee Berdoza scored the team’s second goal with 31:12 left in the game, and Jowers added her second goal with 25:19 to play, giving Artesia a 3-0 lead. With 9:17 to play, Kacy Neel added a final goal to cap the scoring and give Artesia a 4-0 victory.

The game was the second meeting between the two teams this season, with Artesia defeating Ruidoso 2-1 on Sept. 2 at Ruidoso.

Trentham said that Pack the Mack night was a great success, and it was good to get the community involved. It is a way for young kids playing in city leagues to experience what it’s like to be a Bulldog and to let them know that the coaches want them to be part of the soccer program in the future.

“We are really starting to come together,” Trentham said. “The chemistry has really developed quite a bit, and we are getting an understanding of what each player is doing in their specific position. Each player likes different things. Each player is starting to know who likes to make runs and do different things, and it seems like it is starting to click at the right time.”

The Lady ’Dogs (10-3) will play the visiting Roswell Coyotes (8-5) at 6 p.m. Tuesday before starting district play against Goddard on Sept. 27.

JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or @XJTKEITH1.

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