Sights from Artesia football team 51-0 romp over Mayfield
Who let the dogs out? Bulldogs leave no doubt on Halloween
When the No. 1-ranked 5A Artesia Bulldogs struggled to beat the Goddard Rockets on Oct. 24 in the Bulldog Bowl, 24-14, Artesia football coach Jeremy Maupin took it personally and vowed to right the ship.
Boy, did he ever.
Maupin let the dogs out and unleashed wide receiver Jack Byers and speedster Bryce “White Lightning” Parra, who has run around and through teams all season. That combination led the Bulldogs to a 51-0 mercy rule win over the Mayfield Trojans on Halloween night.
Challenged
“Yes, I thought our guys really came out with some firsts,” Maupin said. “We challenged them after last week. I thought we came out really flat last week, especially offensively. Our defense made a big stop right away, and we had great field position. Sawyer (Whitehead) had a catch, and on the first play made some guys miss, and we scored in two plays. At that point, it felt like everything was rolling. That is how we wanted to start, a three-and-out.”
Maupin said the defense played really well, and the offense moved the ball, with some solid drives and big plays.
The game could have been over before halftime, with the clock running midway through the second quarter. Mayfield, with three minutes to play in the second quarter, seemed content to survive and make it to halftime by running the ball rather than trying to score.
It did the Trojans no good. With 7:55 to play in the third quarter, Bulldog kicker Corbyn Dominguez made a 34-yard field goal to end the game at 51-0.
Starting fast
To begin the game, the Bulldog defense stopped Mayfield on downs. Artesia quarterback Derrick Warren then threw a 30-yard pass to slot receiver Sawyer Whitehead, who was tackled at the Trojan 3-yard line. On the next play, Parra ran it in for the first of his four touchdowns on the night. A two-point conversion run by Edel Villa made it 8-0.
“I think Derrick is one of the best quarterbacks in the state,” Maupin said of his play-caller. “I think he is the best quarterback in 5A. I think there is a good margin there, and there are some good quarterbacks in 5A, but that is not confidence in him. He (Warren) can sling it, he thinks the game, and he is smart, he’s a great kid, and I am just really proud of his season so far.”
A 2K season
Warren reached 2,000 yards passing on the season in this game, and had one of his best performances on the season. Warren twice hit a streaking Jack Byers for an 81-yard touchdown pass and again on a 55-yard touchdown pass.
“We were stuck in a third and long,” Maupin said. “We put in a new concept this week that we had seen other teams have success against Mayfield. He (Byers) ran an excellent route, and it was a great throw. Byers had to stiff-arm the guy.”
Parra rushes for 1,000
Parra achieved over 1,000 yards rushing for the season, earning 103 yards on six carries against the Trojans.
“Parra, you get the ball in his hands, and he is lightning in a bottle,” Maupin said. “He can score at any time. We don’t talk a lot about stats; we keep them, but we just know that he is a solid kid who comes from a good family.”
The Bulldog defense limited Mayfield to 66 yards of total offense for the game. The Trojans had just five first downs, ran the ball 28 times for 37 yards and threw the ball 2-of-11 for 29 yards.
The Bulldogs’ defense scored for the eighth time in 10 games.
Artesia (9-1, 6-0 District 2-5A) should be the No. 1 seed in the state when The New Mexico Activities Association announces playoff brackets for the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union State Football Championships.
“Now, it is just win,” Maupin said. “The rest of this season, you just have to win. I think it was good for us to find a way to win even when things weren’t clicking, and we did. To come back tonight and have our- I would say have more of who we are tonight, it was good to see our guys excited.”
Stats tell the tale
Artesia had 11 first downs: 11 rushes for 116 yards, eight receptions for 218 yards – 8-of-13, two touchdowns. One penalty for 15 yards. Four of five on third down conversions.
Bryce Parra had six rushes for 103 yards and four touchdowns. Warren was 6-of-8 for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Byers had two touchdowns for 136 yards. Houghtaling one for 33 yards, Whitehead one for 28 yards, Destin Pacheco had one for 19 yards, and Jett Fuentes had one reception for seven yards. Egeland had one catch for one yard.
Trout fishing conditions ideal as time changes across New Mexico
Information and photos provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Anglers seeking the best conditions for trout this week should travel to rivers or streams in either northern or southern New Mexico as the species are biting on various baits.
In northern New Mexico at Trout Lakes, fishing was incredibly good using Pistol Pete flies.
At Lake Maloya, trout fishing was exceptionally good using Pink Lemonade PowerBait.
Along the San Juan River, the streamflow near Archuleta was 367 cubic feet per second (cfs) as rainbow trout conditions were fair to good using salmon eggs.
Below the Taos Junction Bridge streamflow along the Rio Grande River was 327 cfs as fishing for brown trout was slow using flies, spinners, and worms.
Fishing for trout was good at Fenton Lake was good using Orange, Pink, and Garlic PowerBait.
Fishing for catfish at Cochiti Lake was slow using white flies.
In southern and southeastern New Mexico, fishing for trout was particularly good using orange-and-black Mepps spinners and worms at Grindstone Reservoir in Lincoln County.
Alto Lake, also in Lincoln County, had good conditions for trout using worms.
Between Artesia and Carlsbad, fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using plastic crawdads at Brantley Lake.
Near Fort Sumner, at Sumner Lake fishing for catfish was good using ¼-ounce jigs with curly tail grubs.
Near Truth or Consequences, fishing for catfish at Elephant Butte Lake was slow to fair using carp and shad cut bait. Fishing for crappie was good using white grubs.
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.
Eddy County sheriff’s deputy arrested for drunken driving in Carlsbad
Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
A deputy with the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office was arrested for drunken driving near the intersection of South Canal and Bronson Streets.
Simranjit Khurana, 31, was pulled over and arrested by another deputy, Cayden Bird, at about 2 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, according to court records.
Khurana refused to take a field sobriety test and was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated and failure to maintain traffic lanes – both petty misdemeanors. He was arraigned Oct. 27 before Carlsbad Magistrate Judge Kelly Callicoat and as of Wednesday was awaiting scheduling for a subsequent hearing.
Khurana was first hired at the sheriff’s office in 2018 and was commended by the Eddy County Commission in 2023 for five years of service. At the time of his arrest, Khurana was ranked as a sergeant.
Eddy County Lt. Kane Wyatt said that at the time of the arrest Khurana was on administrative leave due to an investigation into unrelated policy violations. Wyatt declined to comment on the alleged violations.
Wyatt said Khurana has resigned from the Sherriff’s Office since his arrest.
What follows is a compressed version of the events leading up to the arrest, according to a criminal complaint filed by Bird.
Bird first observed Khurana at about 2 a.m. driving a white GMC pickup truck on Church Street “at a high rate of speed” and swerving over the center line repeatedly, the complaint read.
The truck was observed nearly hitting the median several times near the intersection at Stevens Street and was clocked traveling 45 miles per hour, despite a speed limit of 25 miles per hour in that area.
Khurana was pulled over by Bird at the corner of Church and Bronson streets, and Bird said he smelled a “strong odor” of alcohol upon approaching the truck.
Khurana told the deputy he had just been at a party at Cal’s Shade Western, a bar on South Canal Street in Carlsbad, and admitted to having three or four drinks at the party, according to the complaint which said Khurana declined to take a breathalyzer test before failing other field sobriety tests.
Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
New ventures planned at Roswell Air Center
El Rito Media News Services
ROSWELL — Don Zaharia, founder and CEO of Aero Design Services (ADS), spoke to a group of local government representatives and others from the community on Oct. 17 about his plans for adding new operations at Roswell Air Center.
Zaharia announced that he wants to build a box hangar at the air center for manufacturing drones.
“I see an opportunity, I take the risk,” he explained.
Zaharia characterizes ADS as small but able to take on large projects and provide viable solutions quickly. The drones that Zaharia wants to manufacture will be safety-oriented equipment suitable for firefighting and other dangerous outdoor situations.
ADS also has another product in mind: manufacturing buses. Zaharia pointed out that the air center was the location of a bus factory for decades and that this type of product would fit again.
Universal child care needs legislators’ close scrutiny
Sherry Robinson
All She Wrote
Back in September, the governor announced that on Nov. 1 New Mexico would become the first state to offer universal child care. We made national headlines. It would be a huge benefit to working families and employers, of course, but legislative budget makers are starting to ask hard questions about costs. And they should.
This is when I like to remind readers that I’m not Hard Hearted Hannah. When I was a single mom on reporter wages, day care took such a big bite out of my paycheck that I had almost nothing left after rent and groceries. I didn’t resent the day care providers because I knew they were just trying to survive.
So I’ve been down that road and see the need, but I have a few problems with the idea.
Under this program, the state will offer free child care to everyone, no matter how much they make. It will save families an average of $12,000 a year per child. What we’ve had since 2021 is a cap of 400% of the federal poverty level, or about $120,000 a year for a family of four.
New Mexico has nowhere near the capacity to add the predicted 12,000 babies and toddlers to a program that now serves 27,000 kids. Typically there are three applications for every opening, and some areas are day-care deserts. But under the new program local governments and schools can apply for low-interest loans to expand or create new facilities. Elizabeth Groginsky, secretary of the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), projects 55 new child care centers and 1,000 new in-home providers.
Child-care workers will make more money (we hope). Reimbursement rates to providers, according to the state’s news release, “will rise to reflect the true cost of care. Programs that commit to paying entry-level staff a minimum of $18 per hour and offer 10 hours of care per day, five days a week, will receive an incentive rate.” Groginsky expects better pay to help recruit the additional 5,000 early childhood professionals that will be needed.
The governor intends to pay for all this from the Early Childhood Education Trust Fund. Created by a Constitutional Amendment in 2022, it’s ballooned from $300 million to $10 billion. (Thank you, oil and gas industry.) In addition, legislators increased the department’s budget by $113 million to $995 million; of that, $463 million is for child care.
Notice that the governor didn’t ask lawmakers for their blessings before launching the new program, but she’s counting on their support. And the ask just increased. The department raised reimbursement rates following feedback from day-care providers, which bumped up its funding request for the next legislative session from $120 million to $156 million, reported the Albuquerque Journal.
Rep. Nathan Small, chair of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, said the ECECD budget will get close scrutiny.
Sen. George Muñoz, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has a problem with the agencies’ approach to funding. “They announce initiatives but don’t know how to pay for them and leave it up to us,” he told me. “They make the Legislature the bad guy.”
When I spoke to Rep. Patty Lundstrom recently, she brought up universal child care and asked, “How are we supposed to budget for that?” As co-chair of the legislative Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee, she was astounded that the governor would kick off universal child care or any other new program at a time when the state faces daunting demands due to federal funding cuts.
As I write this, the state is scrambling to protect 450,000 New Mexicans who will lose SNAP (food stamp) benefits. Because of the federal government shutdown, states are out of money, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has refused to use its reserves to extend aid.
I agree with these legislators who know they’re in for a difficult session and a lot of tough decisions. I also question why I as a taxpayer should subsidize the day care of people making more money than I do.
What we see here is a governor heading into her final year as the state’s chief executive. She has her legacy in mind. Universal child care would be a dandy legacy during normal times. These are not normal times.
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.
Artesia girls’ volleyball team keeps its championship hopes alive
The visiting Portales Rams came into The Bulldog Pit and had upset intentions on their mind after winning the first set 15-25 against Artesia. The Lady ‘Dogs pulled it together to win the following three sets (25-17, 25-13, and 25-21), Thursday night.
“It was an excellent win, obviously,” Artesia volleyball coach Alan Williams said. “We had a big crowd tonight, and that really helped, and I think a big part of it was coming back after that first game. We did not play very well, and I thought, they (Portales), in fact, I thought that was their best game. We played them 10 sets this season, and that was the best I have seen them play, and that had me a little concerned.”
Williams said the way his team came back in the fourth set after being down 14-8, and he thought that was a big win for the Lady ‘Dogs.
With the Goddard Rockets 19-2 overall and 4-0 in District 4-4A, the victory is essential to Artesia because, with two games left in its season and two games behind Goddard, it needs help to win the District 4-4A championship.
Artesia needs to defeat the Rockets at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3. Also, Artesia will still need some help and hopes that the Rams can beat Goddard in the season finale.
Williams said that he is comfortable with the way the seeding will shake out, going into the 2025 Rudy’s Real Texas Bar-B-Q 4A state championships, which will begin on Nov. 13.
“We’ve had our best success in the tournament going in as a low seed,” Williams said. ‘I’m not too worried about the seeding. We are more comfortable this year than last year. Last year, we did not know whether we would get in.
Living Like Jesus is Coming Today
Rick Smith
“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28).
How important is it that we believe and live as though Jesus were coming back today? The very fact that we are not told when Jesus shall return actually should encourage us to act as though today is that day. If Jesus came today would you be ready to meet Him?
John begins by saying, “And now, little children…”. The Greek word for little children is in some way related to the Scottish “bairnes”, my babies, my little children. John felt an intimate relationship to those to whom he was writing, He felt that they were his own little children, but more, they were God’s little ones through faith in Jesus Christ His Son. Nine times the phrase “little children” is used in first John. He draws these little children close to him with great tenderness. God, the Father, wants to do that with each and everyone of us that are His children in Jesus Christ. John is not speaking to strangers, but to his fellow members in the family of God.
“And now, little children, abide in him…”. Abide in him – abide in Christ. How shall we abide if we have never been joined to Christ, if we aren’t in Christ to begin with? Abide in the truth and the doctrine of Christ. We are not to abide in the traditions of men. Jesus said that the Jews “…made the commandment of God of none effect by (their) tradition.” (Matthew 15:6b). Abide in fellowship with Christ. Cling to Jesus Who is your only hope. There is a danger that some will stop abiding in Christ, but John has already given an answer to that issue. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2:19). Are you now abiding in Christ?
Are you looking forward to Jesus coming again? “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear…”. Jesus promised that He would come again (John 14:1-3). At His ascension the angels promised that Jesus would come again (Acts 1:11). All of the apostles believed that Jesus would come again. We even pray “Thy kingdom come.”. Jesus is coming to take us home to heaven to be with Him. But Jesus is also coming to judge. Both those in Christ and those outside of Christ will be judged for their works. Those in Christ will be judged to be rewarded for their works. But those outside of Christ will be judged and receive the wages of their sin (Romans 6:23a).
“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence…”. Do you have confidence in Christ? Is your hope built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness? When Jesus comes, is He coming for you? When you have doubts about these things, then your assurance is weakened. But when you live each day as though today is the day of Jesus return, then you will not be ashamed at his coming. In the parable of the wicked servant, the servant forgot – or never believed – that his master could return at any time. He said to himself, “My lord delayeth his coming” (Matthew 24:48). As a result that wicked servant began to beat his fellows servants, ate and got drunk with other wicked persons. He began living like he really was in his heart – he was lost and didn’t truly trust the master’s word. Sadly, many today are just like that. Their lives prove that they don’t even know the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are lost, then you are in great danger. Death can come for you at any moment. You have lied, stolen, hated others in your heart, lusted, and used God’s name as a filthy curse word. All of these, the Bible tells us, are worthy of death and judgment. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). The first half of this verse tells us that we will receive the wages for our sins which is death. That means the judgment of hell. The second half tells us of God’s gift of eternal life that is found only in Jesus Christ. Your only hope is God’s Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16). And God showed His love for us by Jesus dying for our sins while we were still sinners. Please repent and trust in Jesus Christ our Lord today.
If you have any questions, we invite you to visit with us this Sunday. Worship at 10:50 A.M. We are located at 711 West Washington Ave. Check our sermon videos on Youtube @ricksmith2541. Send comments and prayer requests to prayerlinecmbc@gmail.com.
City to revitalize Land-Sun Theater
Rebecca Hauschild
For the Artesia Daily Press
A shuttered movie theater in downtown Artesia could be getting revitalized after the City Council accepted donation of the theater from its corporate owner.
The Land of the Sun Theater passed into the city’s hands after councilors voted unanimously at their Oct. 14 meeting to approve the donation from AMC, also known as American Multi-Cinema Inc.
The theater, which sits at 418 W. Main St. in downtown Artesia, was opened in the 1940s but closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and never reopened.
A study was conducted in February 2024, city records show, finding the theater in a state of disrepair and unable to reopen. The city of Artesia and Artesia MainStreet will undertake the project to restore and reopen the venue and will seek funding from the state of New Mexico to help pay for the project.
“The Land-Sun Theater is a long-standing/historic feature of downtown Artesia, which with the advent of COVID and the resultant downturn in the economy during that time frame, fell into a state of disrepair and has not been in operation for a number of years,” read the donation agreement signed by city councilors following the vote.
Other business
Improvements including sidewalk repair and repaving on 26th Street moved into the third phase, said Community Development and Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair, shifting to a stretch of the road between Washington and Mann avenues.
Landfair also said the city’s main water well was under-producing at 750 gallons per minute – it typically produces 1700 gallons per minute – and needed repairs that would take it out of production while the work was taking place. Landfair said he expected the work to be completed within 24 hours.
Fire Chief Kevin Hope said emergency calls for cardiac arrest have doubled since 2021. He said the city received about 18 calls in 2021 while so far this year medical staff have responded to 37. Hope said officials need to dig deeper into the numbers to understand the increase.
New hangars at the Artesia Airport are being built, with the work expected to be completed by January or February.
Councilors approved a public celebration permit allowing Pecos Flavors to serve alcohol at the Balloons, Bands & Brews Festival on Nov. 8.
For Artesia father and daughter, the Lady ‘Dogs’ last soccer game will be bittersweet
It only took an instant to see her smile when she was tiny and could not speak, and after he held his daughter, Marisa Martin, in his arms, he was hooked—a girl dad.
Being a girl Dad has allowed Jerry Martin to experience the highs and lows of living vicariously through his daughter.
That athletic experience almost came to an end when the Artesia Lady ‘Dogs were stretched to the limit. A penalty kick by Artesia goalie Aubrie Edwards saved its season when she gave them a first-round victory over the Goddard Rockets 2-1 on Tuesday night at Robert Chase Field.
Artesia coach Tim Trentham said that Marisa (Martin) is a seasoned defender that has been an integral part of the defense for several years. Her speed and toughness helped her shut down most attackers on her side of the field.
“As a senior, she has stepped up into a leadership role,” Trentham said. “She has made an impact on her younger teammates.”
“Last night was something that I have never witnessed,” Jerry Martin said. “Our girls overcame so much adversity from all angles, and I am extremely proud of each one of them. It truly is a team sport, and their heart and drive showed up when it counted. I’ll be honest about how I felt last night, and there was a lot of anger. At this point in my daughter’s career and what the team has accomplished, I prayed it did not come down to a very questionable call.”
Martin, 45, moved here when he married his wife, Gracie Martin, who is from Artesia. Jerry played football and basketball at Andress High School in El Paso, Texas. He said he never paid any attention to or played soccer until his 4-year-old daughter, Marisa, wanted to play. That is when he joined the Artesia Youth Soccer Association as a board member and is now its vice president.
When Marisa plays her last game, another daughter’s soccer career is just beginning: the youngest, Zoey Martin, 6, who played in the Artesia Youth Soccer Association for the past three seasons. Jerry said that when this season ends, he will feel sad that it is over for this group of seniors, who have played together since their time in Artesia Youth Soccer.
Jerry said that Marisa’s senior class has been together since they were 4 years old, played in the league for three to four years, and did the traveling league.
Marisa will continue her education at Texas Tech and plans to pursue a career in nursing. She has found her true calling in soccer and excelled, and Senior Night was very special for the family. Jerry said that everything had happened so quickly from the time she (Marisa) was 4 years old to now.
“Whenever the season ends for Marisa, it will be a bittersweet feeling,” Jerry said. “With the Goddard victory, there was so much emotion at the end, I don’t believe I saw a dry eye. There were tears of joy, relief, pain, everything came at once, and we were blessed to be a part of it. I told the girls (Marisa and Zoey) about an old saying I grew up with: “The ball never lies.” No matter what, the game will end how it is supposed to, and it did. God bless our girls and the life lessons they have experienced through the years.”