BULLDOG BASKETBALL

PICTURED: The Bulldog basketball team comes off the court near the end of the second quarter Friday in Hobbs.

For the better part of three quarters Friday in Hobbs, the Runnin' 'Dogs joined the host Eagles in putting on a show for the packed house at Tasker Arena. It was fast-paced, run-and-gun basketball, and the boys in orange were giving Hobbs all they could handle.

But the Eagles aren't ranked third in Class 5A for nothing. In the final seconds of the third quarter, Hobbs went into hyperdrive, turning a five-point lead into a 17-point advantage. They'd keep the pedal down in the fourth, delivering an offensive barrage the 'Dogs just couldn't match in an 88-54 loss for Artesia.

As expected in their rowdy home confines, the Eagles came out strong in Friday's regular-season finale. The Bulldogs were able to take a 4-2 lead on a hard drive to the basket by Charlie Campbell and a Trent Egeland offensive putback, but Hobbs rattled off a 20-4 run from there. A Steven Williams trey with under a minute to go could only get the 'Dogs back within 11, 22-11.

But the Bulldogs put on a strong defensive performance in the second quarter, and the result was just a seven-point showing for the Eagles. Hobbs didn't post a bucket until under three minutes remained in the first half. And while the 'Dogs were unable to take full advantage of the drought -- managing just four points of their own in the first five minutes of play -- they did double up on the boys in gold. Campbell led the way with eight points in the quarter, four from the line, while Egeland added four and Braylon Vega two to see Artesia down by just four, 29-25, at intermission.

Artesia came out firing in the second half, with a Cael Houghtaling jumper and a three from Vega giving them a 30-29 lead. Hobbs responded with six unanswered to go back up by five, but the Bulldogs were able to keep it within that margin through the bulk of the quarter with help from another Vega trey and four points each by Campbell and Egeland. But in the waning moments of the period, the Eagles exploded for 12 consecutive points to take their largest lead of the night going into the fourth, 60-43.

There was little the 'Dogs could do from there as Hobbs just continued piling on the points. Artesia produced just two field goals -- a pair of late buckets from Jack Byers -- in the quarter, scoring their remaining seven points from the stripe, as the Eagles capped off a 34-point win that by no means indicated the closeness of the majority of the contest.

Campbell finished with 17 points to lead the Bulldogs in scoring on the night, followed by Egeland with 13. Hobbs' Abraham Pena led all scorers with 25.

The Bulldogs now have a week to prepare for the start of the second season. They close out regular-season play with a record of 12-7 and a top rank in Class 4A in the most recent New Mexico High School Coaches' Association polls. They'll open their District 4-AAAA schedule at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, against Lovington in Lovington.

STAT BOX

Hobbs 88
Artesia 54

Artesia (12-7): Charlie Campbell 5, 7-8 17; Trent Egeland 3, 7-8 13; Braylon Vega 3, 0-0 8; Clay Kincaid 2, 1-2 5; Jack Byers 2, 0-0 4; Cael Houghtaling 1, 2-2 4; Steven Williams 1, 0-0 3; Tootie McNeil 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 17, 17-22 54

Hobbs (17-3): Abraham Pena 11, 3-7 25; Peyton Hodge 7, 4-8 19; Parker Henderson 4, 2-2 10; Lyric Soria 3, 2-2 10; Josiah Clay 4, 1-1 9; Jairus Turrubiates 3, 0-4 7; Javen Hernandez 2, 0-0 4; Brock Beaty 1, 0-0 2; Amryn Wheeler 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 36, 12-24 88

Field Goals: Artesia 17; Hobbs 36
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Vega 2, Williams 1); Hobbs 4 (Soria 2, Hodge 1, Turrubiates 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 17-22 (77%); Hobbs 12-24 (50%)
Turnovers: Artesia 24; Hobbs 6
Fouls: Artesia 14; Hobbs 15
Fouled Out: Artesia 1 (Kincaid, 4Q); Hobbs 0

LADY BULLDOGS

PICTURED: The Lady Bulldog basketball team prepares to break the huddle Friday in Hobbs.

In Artesia, where no sports program ever shies away from taking on the best of the class above, those matchups sometimes turn into a trial by fire. Such was the case for the Lady Bulldog basketball team Friday versus 5A top-ranked Hobbs on the road.

The Lady Eagles couldn't miss from the field on their home court at Tasker Arena. The Lady 'Dogs, meanwhile, had a tougher time. Their offensive opportunities were often limited by turnovers or rushed due to harrying defense by the girls in gold. Unfortunately, Artesia was unable to break double-digit scoring in any of the four quarters, and the result was a 79-30 loss in their final game of the 2024-25 regular season.

By the time the Artesia girls posted their first points of the night with just over five minutes to go in the first quarter, the Lady Eagles had already compiled an 11-0 lead. Four more baskets gleaned from turnovers soon followed, along with a pair of treys. And although the Lady 'Dogs got a pair of baskets late from Ashton Craft and Hattie Harrison, along with a pair of Kailee Padilla free throws, Hobbs senior point guard Brynn Hargrove drained a three at the buzzer to put an exclamation point on the Eagles' 33-9 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs again had trouble getting their offensive motor running in the early goings of the second, and Hobbs took full advantage, reeling off 19 unanswered before Artesia hit its first bucket with around three minutes to go in the half. That shot, on a baseline drive by Harrison, was followed by a jumper from the senior, and when Hobbs' Matysen Zepeda hit a three at the 2:35 mark, Carmen Harvey answered with one of her own. But the Lady Eagles' lead at the half was a commanding one, 57-17.

Hobbs' shooting wasn't quite as deadly in the second half, but there was simply too much ground for the Lady Bulldogs to make up. Buckets from Harrison and Gracen Kuykendall combined with two from the line by Avery Frederick to make it 72-23 going into the fourth, and Padilla would do the bulk of Artesia's scoring there. Three drives to the hoop and a free throw from Kuykendall to seven points from the Lady Eagles rounded out the 79-30 final.

Hobbs spread their scoring around in the game, with four players -- Hargrove, Zepeda, Kyndle Cunningham and Bhret Clay -- sharing top-scoring honors with 12 points each and finished with 10 total three-pointers. Padilla had 11 for Artesia.

The Lady 'Dogs closed out their regular season with an 8-11 mark and will join the Bulldogs Friday, Jan. 31, in opening District 4-AAAA play. The Artesia girls tip off at 5:30 p.m. against the Lady Wildcats in Lovington.

STAT BOX

Hobbs 79
Artesia 30

Artesia (8-11): Kailee Padilla 3, 5-6 11; Hattie Harrison 4, 0-0 8; Carmen Harvey 1, 0-0 3; Gracen Kuykendall 1, 1-2 3; Ashton Craft 1, 0-0 2; Avery Frederick 0, 2-2 2; Jenna Whitmire 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 10, 9-12 30

Hobbs (19-1): Bhret Clay 3, 6-7 12; Kyndle Cunningham 6, 0-0 12; Brynn Hargrove 5, 0-0 12; Matysen Zepeda 5, 0-0 12; Kacelynn Muniez 3, 2-2 11; Nakia Mojica 3, 0-0 9; Aliana Armitage 3, 2-2 8; Adyson Everhart 1, 0-0 2; Alana Bolton 0, 1-2 1; Cadi Godwin 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 29, 11-15 79

Field Goals: Artesia 10; Hobbs 29
Three-Pointers: Artesia 1 (Harvey); Hobbs 10 (Mojica 3, Muniez 3, Hargrove 2, Zepeda 2)
Free Throws: Artesia 9-12 (75%); Hobbs 11-15 (73%)
Turnovers: Artesia 26; Hobbs 8
Fouls: Artesia 13; Hobbs 12
Fouled Out: None

AHS SWIMMING

PICTURED: AHS swimmers compete at the Last Chance Meet in Hobbs.
(Photos Courtesy Andrea Ciro)

The Lady Bulldog and Bulldog swim teams went one-two this week in their penultimate regular-season meet.

At the Last Chance Meet in Hobbs, the Lady 'Dogs took first overall, 75 points ahead of the second-place Lady Eagles, while the 'Dogs came in second behind the host Eagles, 498 to 352.

State-qualifying swims included:

• Girls' 200-Yard Medley Relay
- Artesia "A" (Sarah Plotner, Addisyn Hartman, Johanna Padilla, Ann Greenwood)
1st, 2:04.59
• Boys' 200 Medley Relay
- Artesia "A" (Layton Whitmire, Eli DeHoyos, Aidan Ciro, Andree Bautista)
1st, 1:46.78
• Girls' 200 Individual Medley
- Ann Greenwood, 1st, 2:18.88
• Boys' 100 Butterfly
- Eli DeHoyos, 4th, 58.60
• Boys' 100 Freestyle
- Aidan Ciro, 1st, 49.01
• Girls' 200 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "A" (Sarah Plotner, Addisyn Hartman, Johanna Padilla, Ann Greenwood)
1st, 1:47.51
• Boys' 200 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "A" (Andree Bautista, Eli DeHoyos, Layton Whitmire, Aidan Ciro)
1st, 1:33.22
• Girls' 400 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "A" (Addisyn Hartman, Johanna Padilla, Ann Greenwood, Sarah Plotner)
1st, 3:55.42
• Boys' 400 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "A" (Aidan Ciro, Andree Bautista, Layton Whitmire, Eli DeHoyos)
1st, 3:28.02

Other results included:

• Girls' 200 Medley Relay
- Artesia "B" (Tynlee Whitmire, Anikah Wisen, Morgan Fisher, Carly DeHoyos)
2nd, 2:22.78
- Artesia "C" (Ella Thomas, Amanda Murphy, London Acosta, Evelyn Yeager)
5th, 2:52.09
• Boys' 200 Medley Relay
- Artesia "B" (Alec Ciro, Dylan Florez, Javier Rodriguez, Chaz Rogers)
3rd, 2:05.22
• Girls' 200 Freestyle
- Addisyn Hartman, 1st, 2:09.23
- Evelyn Yeager, 5th, 3:36.80
• Boys' 200 Freestyle
- Chaz Rogers, 4th, 2:23.43
• Boys' 200 IM
- Layton Whitmire, 1st, 2:26.83
• Girls' 50 Freestyle
- Johanna Padilla, 2nd, 28.20
- Amanda Murphy, 7th, 31.18
- Aylin Yescas, 16th, 44.99
• Boys' 50 Freestyle
- Andree Bautista, 1st, 24.25
• Girls' 100 Butterfly
- Anikah Wisen, 2nd, 1:19.44
• Girls' 100 Freestyle
- London Acosta, 5th, 1:08.47
- Ella Thomas, 10th, 1:24.18
• Girls' 500 Freestyle
- Carly DeHoyos, 3rd, 6:31.21
• Boys' 500 Freestyle
- Alec Ciro, 1st, 6:03.11
• Girls' 200 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "B" (Anikah Wisen, Carly DeHoyos, London Acosta, Morgan Fisher)
4th, 1:59.81
- Artesia "C" (Amanda Murphy, Ella Thomas, Evelyn Yeager, Tynlee Whitmire)
7th, 2:28.95
• Boys' 200 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "B" (Dylan Florez, Chaz Rogers, Javier Rodriguez, Alec Ciro)
5th, 1:48.85
• Girls' 100 Backstroke
- Sarah Plotner, 3rd, 1:10.85
- Tynlee Whitmire, 6th, 1:26.21
• Boys' 100 Backstroke
- Javier Rodriguez, 4th, 1:09.52
• Girls' 100 Breaststroke
- Morgan Fisher, 1st, 1:15.60
• Boys' 100 Breaststroke
- Dylan Florez, 4th, 1:16.29
• Girls' 400 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "B" (Morgan Fisher, Carly DeHoyos, London Acosta, Anikah Wisen)
3rd, 4:28.34
- Artesia "C" (Tynlee Whitmire, Amanda Murphy, Evelyn Yeager, Ella Thomas)
4th, 5:44.96
• Boys' 400 Freestyle Relay
- Artesia "B" (Dylan Florez, Chaz Rogers, Alec Ciro, Javier Rodriguez)
3rd, 4:07.61

The teams have one final regular-season meet ahead: the Saturday, Feb. 1, Tom Casey Memorial in Albuquerque. The District 3-4 Meet will then take place Saturday, Feb. 8, in Hobbs.

AHS BOWLING

PICTURED: Mason Jeter poses in front of his scorecard after bowling a 300 game.
(Photo Courtesy Ken Clayton)

The Artesia High School bowling teams followed up last week's exciting home tournament with a big run this week through the final stretch of the 2024-25 regular season.

It started Tuesday, when senior Mason Jeter bowled a 300 game in practice, the third Bulldog to accomplish that feat this season. Then came the program's last pre-state outing Saturday at Starlight Lanes in Bernalillo, where the dynamic duo of Artesia #1 and Artesia #2 once again swept the top two spots in the Advanced Division.

Artesia #1 came out on top this time around with a team 3,482, 216 pins ahead of Artesia #2 at 3,266. Artesia #1 got some big games all around, with Payton DeMerritt leading the way with scores of 245 and 227 for a 472 total (236 average). Right behind him was Hagen Murph: 223-246=469 (234). Ayden Gomez rolled games of 171 and 245 for a 416 total (208); Brent McIntire 146 and 211 for a 357 (178); and Kambry Collins 182 and 145 for a 327 (163).

Jeter turned in Artesia's best score of the tournament, with 245 and 229 games for a 474 (237). Other scores for Artesia #2 included:

• Brenden Depew: 226-169=395 (197)
• Chase Collins: 210-182=392 (196)
• Damian Lopez: 194-160=354 (177)
• Jace Miles: 172-144=316 (158)

Meanwhile, Artesia #3, #4 and #5 all moved up to test their mettle amongst the 16 teams comprising the Advanced competition. Both Artesia #4 and Artesia #3 finished in the top 10 -- seventh and ninth, respectively -- while Artesia #5 came in 12th.

Artesia #4
• Talyn Pacheco: 218-177=395 (197)
• Axel Hartley: 179-170=349 (174)
• Gael Ruiz: 169-177=346 (173)
• Darius Mendoza: 190-139=329 (164)
• Alejandro Bahena: 144-142=286 (143)

Artesia #3
• Destiny Powell: 152-200=352 (176)
• Adam Longoria: 179-139=318 (159)
• Jody Roberts: 135-182=317 (158)
• Diego Molina: 154-140=294 (147)
• Ayden Dean: 123-164=287 (143)

Artesia #5
• Maggie Morris: 169-183=352 (176)
• Ayden Huffman: 147-203=350 (175)
• Ricardo Huerta: 163-137=300 (150)
• Sebastian Gonzalez: 145-148=293 (146)
• Grant Johnson: 111-133=244 (122)

Artesia #6 and #7 both competed in the Novice Division, with the former placing seventh and the latter 14th in the 15-team field.

Artesia #6
• Edwin Villarreal: 172-111=283 (141)
• Elliott Gonzales: 136-128=264 (132)
• Justin Rodriguez: 136-126=262 (131)
• Kaine McCall: 96-119=215 (107)
• Jackson Parker: 105-82=187 (93)

Artesia #7
• Sophie Kitchen: 89-168=257 (128)
• Adaleine Bratcher: 126-95=221 (110)
• Mia Campbell: 99-110=209 (104)
• Kaden Grantham: 110-84=194 (97)
• Mia Duran: 89-89=178 (89)

Coach Ken Clayton reported the top six averages for the regular season belonged to Depew (205), Gomez (203), Murph (200), DeMerritt (199), Jeter (192) and Collins (190).

This year's state tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, at Silva Lanes in Albuquerque, where defending champ Artesia will be looking to secure its 10th NMHSBA bowling title.
Go, Bulldogs! Take state!

AHS WRESTLING

The Artesia wrestling teams came away with some solid results Friday at the St. Pius Sartan Scuffle at the Rio Rancho Events Center.

Isabel Irvin once again came up big for the Lady Bulldogs in the girls' 100-pound weight class, taking down opponents from Moriarty, Atrisco Heritage and Valley on her way to the championship match. There, she squared off against Miyamura's Amber Gutierrez, winning the tournament by fall in 3:31.

For the Bulldogs, Rylee Kelley took fifth overall in the 160-pound class, reaching the semifinals of the championship bracket before coming up short of Los Lunas' James Bachica. He defeated Cayden Nevarez of Aztec in the fifth-place match by 6-1 decision. The 'Dogs had three other athletes reach the quarterfinals in the championship brackets: Hagan Crockett in the 139-pound class, Alejandro Ontiveros in the 215-pound class, and Ethan Shannon in the 285-pound class.

Full results included:

• Boys' 127-Pound Weight Class
- Colt Moziejko def. Matthew Vigil (Grants), :48
fell to Trenton Hall (Ruidoso), 1:14
fell to Johnathan De La O (Cleveland), 2:40 (Consolation Round 3)
- Drake Thurman fell to Evan DeHerrera (Taos), 3:22
• Boys' 133-Pound Weight Class
- Jaedon Smith def. Zane Adams (Sandia), :40
fell to Adam Abdeljawad (Miyamura), 2:27
• Boys' 139-Pound Weight Class
- Hagan Crockett def. Robert Pino (Los Lunas), 1:43
def. Nathan Phillips (Sandia), 4:59
fell to Chauncey Lane (Atrisco Heritage), :47 (Quarterfinals)
def. Leland Keers (Cleveland), 1:30 (Consolation Round 4)
fell to Ayden Cordova (Los Lunas), 3:41 (Consolation Round 5)
• Boys' 145-Pound Weight Class
- Samuel Fodge fell to Nathaniel Roybal (Cleveland), :32
• Boys' 152-Pound Weight Class
- Daniel Madrid, bye
def. Andy Gutierrez (St. Pius), 1:12
fell to Zach Sanders (Aztec), TF 16-2 / 2:59
• Boys' 160-Pound Weight Class
- Rylee Kelley def. Gavin Fains (Albuquerque High), 3:11
def. Fabian Gonzales (West Mesa), :59
def. Ryan Means (Santa Fe), DEC 11-5 (Quarterfinals)
fell to James Bachica (Los Lunas), :20 (Semifinals)
fell to Robert Garcia (Atrisco Heritage), 2:36
def. Cayden Nevarez (Aztec), DEC 6-1 (Fifth-Place Match)
• Boys' 172-Pound Weight Class
- Edel Villa, bye
fell to Tatum Garcia (Atrisco Heritage), 2:38
- Masen Petersen fell to Michael Jaramillo (Albuquerque High), 1:02
• Boys' 189-Pound Weight Class
- Ivan Chavez, bye
fell to Alan Padilla (Pojoaque Valley), 1:58
fell to Elias Prieto (West Mesa), DEC 6-2 (Consolation Round 5)
• Boys' 215-Pound Weight Class
- Alejandro Ontiveros, bye
def. Liam James (Miyamura), 3:34
fell to Shaun Anaya (La Cueva), DEC 16-11 (Quarterfinals)
fell to Santana Routzen (Atrisco Heritage), 2:06 (Consolation Round 4)
• Boys' 285-Pound Weight Class
- Ethan Shannon def. Santiago Hurbina (Los Lunas), medical forfeit
def. Kiernan Bell (Grants), 3:51
fell to Manuel Jimenez (Santa Fe), 6:00 (Quarterfinals)
- Jonah Doporto fell to Omar Menchaca (Hobbs), 3:13
fell to Joshua Roybal (Atrisco Heritage), 1:47 (Consolation Round 2)

• Girls' 100-Pound Weight Class
- Isabel Irvin def. Lyla Woolsey (Artesia), :38
def. Sadie Barela (Moriarty), 3:36
def. Myriah Cordova (Atrisco Heritage), 1:16 (Quarterfinals)
def. Adrianna Berni (Valley), 2:00 (Semifinals)
def. Amber Gutierrez (Miyamura), 3:31 (Championship)
• Girls' 107-Pound Weight Class
- Alayna Petersen fell to Sarah Price (Las Vegas Robertson), :27
fell to Bailey Hayes (Cleveland), 1:59 (Consolation Round 2)
- Anna Lee Sorrells fell to Allyson Teel (Hobbs), TF 15-0 / 4:15
def. Alexis-Jade Eugenio (Cleveland), 3:45 (Consolation Round 1)
• Girls' 114-Pound Weight Class
- Pearl Bruton def. Leslie Nayarez (Atrisco Heritage), medical forfeit
fell to Layla Madrid (Santa Fe Capital), 4:19
• Girls' 120-Pound Weight Class
- Esmeralda Sorrells fell to Kayla Jose (West Mesa), 1:15
• Girls' 126-Pound Weight Class
- Peyton Stone, bye
fell to Myranda Pena (Santa Fe High), 2:24
def. Adriana Solis (West Mesa), TF 16-0 / 1:48 (Consolation Round 2)
def. Sydney Hayes (Cleveland), :48 (Consolation Round 3)
• Girls' 165-Pound Weight Class
- Fatima Alonso, bye
fell to Diana Gutierrez (West Mesa), :24
- Mattie Smith, bye
fell to Glamour Rodriguez (Rio Grande), 1:28
- Katie Dowell, bye
fell to Lily Conway (Volcano Vista), MD 12-1

The AHS wrestlers have one final dual on their schedule -- at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, with Alamogordo -- prior to the District 4-AAAA Duals, set for 1 p.m. Feb. 1 in Ruidoso.

AHS CHEER

PICTURED: The AHS cheerleaders pose with their awards Saturday in Las Cruces.
(Photo Courtesy Artesia Cheer)

The Artesia High School cheerleaders scored a big win Saturday in just their second competition of the season, placing first in Class 4A/5A All-Girl Cheer with Music at the NMSU State Spirit Championship in Las Cruces. The Bulldog cheerleaders were also awarded Best Use of Technique for the entire field.

The victory came on the heels of Artesia's first-place finish in Cheer with Music at Goddard's Rocket Spirit Blast, and the squad will be looking to keep the momentum going Saturday, Feb. 22, when they host the City of Champions Classic competition at Bulldog Pit.

Way to go, ladies! Click here to see a video of the cheerleaders' performance at the NMSU competition, and click here for a video of the squad accepting their first-place trophy!