The Artesia Bulldogs will hit the road to take on the Goddard Rockets at 7 p.m. Friday at the Wool Bowl.
The final two games matter for the Bulldogs as the playoffs loom. Currently, Artesia holds the No. 3 ranking. As things stand, the Bulldogs should receive a bye and then host a playoff game. But they need to take care of business in the final two regular-season games.
The Rockets (4-4, 3-2 District 2-5A) enter the matchup on a two-game winning streak after victories over Deming and Mayfield.
The Bulldogs are coming off a loss to Roswell and are looking to get back on the winning track while building momentum for the playoffs.
Maupin said, “The loss has not taken away our goal and what we want to accomplish this season. There are six weeks until the championship. For now, we have to face Goddard and Mayfield, get some momentum, then go to the playoffs and figure some things out along the way.”
Here are three keys to getting back on the winning track.
1. Start fast
In three of the Bulldogs’ four losses, they have started slowly. Artesia spent a lot of energy fighting back from a 20-point deficit against Carlsbad, a 31-point deficit against Centennial and a 21-point deficit against Roswell. That is a tough way to win football games. The Bulldogs need to come out sharp, protect the football and match Goddard’s physical play from the opening kick. A quick start would let Artesia play from ahead instead of spending another night trying to climb out of a deep hole.
2. Flush the Roswell game
The Roswell game was a terrible night for the team, but the Bulldogs need to forget about it and move on. That should be easier because Artesia already overcame a three-game losing streak to start the season. One loss cannot be allowed to become two. The Bulldogs must learn from their mistakes, turn the page and put their full attention on Goddard. The best response is not talking about what went wrong. It is playing clean, focused football on Friday night.
3. Defense needs to be stout
The defense needs to fly around again and establish the line of scrimmage. The Rockets are big up front and will play physically. They want to run the ball. They are not as explosive as Roswell, but they will try to impose their will on the Bulldogs. Artesia must tackle well, win first down, and force Goddard into obvious passing situations. If the Bulldogs can limit long drives and get off the field on third down, they will give the offense more chances to control the game and put points on the board.
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