BULLDOG BASEBALL

D4 Series vs. Goddard

PICTURED: The 2026 District 4-AAAA Champion Bulldog baseball team poses for a photo Thursday, May 30, after defeating Goddard 2-1 to take the title.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Artesia-Goddard has been the end game for countless district and state showdowns over the years. Everyone has a memory. So many of the stories have become legendary in New Mexico sports... a few have even become infamous. And in the latest chapter, Class 4A baseball's collision course was set from the very start; once again, that course turned out to be U.S. 285.

As the defending 4A state champions, the Bulldogs naturally began the season atop the polls. But although they wouldn't drop from that spot immediately following a 3-1 loss to the Rockets in a March 28 meeting at the Sal Puentes Memorial in Rio Rancho, by the following week, they'd slid into second. What was a bit odd, considering the closeness of the outing in question, was how many first-place votes accompanied the Rockets to the top in the coaches' poll: 12 to Artesia's three. Also odd was the fact that not even a pair of Goddard losses to Carlsbad -- whom the 'Dogs swept in their Eddy County War double header -- changed more than one or two minds. Up until the final poll, released on April 28, the Rockets were a firm No. 1 with 13 first-place votes to the Bulldogs' three.

But when that happens, there's only one recourse: Make your statements on the field. The Diamond 'Dogs avenged that early loss with a 2-1 series win over the Rockets, taking Game One Wednesday, April 29, at Brainard Park, 4-1, before splitting Games Two and Three Thursday, April 30, at the Launch Pad in Roswell, falling 8-6 in the opener before locking down the D4 championship with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap. And with that, the Bulldogs reclaimed the top ranking when it mattered most: state tournament seeding.

PICTURED: At top, senior pitcher Jack Byers deals from the mound in Game One Wednesday at Brainard Park. Above, Diego Morales, on with a double, slides home on an RBI single by Charlie Campbell.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Artesia sent Arizona-bound Jack Byers to the mound in the single-game portion of the series Wednesday at Brainard to face a Rocket offense averaging 10 runs and 10 hits per game to that point. After seating Goddard in order in the top of the first on a chopper in front of the plate and a pair of strikeouts, the Bulldogs would give themselves an early advantage in the home half when Jett Fuentes -- on with a leadoff double against Rocket starter Lucien Betancur -- advanced to third on an infield hit by Derrick Warren and scored amidst a 1-3-5 double play. On the legs of a leadoff double of their own in the top of two by catcher Jadon Herrera, the Rockets were able to tie the game on an error in the outfield, but the 'Dogs wasted no time pulling back in front in the bottom of the inning, making it 2-1 on a Diego Morales double and an RBI liner off Betancur by Charlie Campbell.

Goddard put two on with one out in the third via a single golfed to left by Airell Aguilar and a walk, but Aguilar was caught attempting to steal third by catcher Brant Usherwood, and a line drive to Daelon Pacheco at first ended the at-bat. Byers proceeded to strike out the side in the top of the fourth and retire the Rockets in order again in the fifth, and following a K for the first out of the sixth, a single by Marcos Rodriguez was erased by a 6-U-3 double play by Fuentes. The 'Dogs, meanwhile, added a pair of insurance runs in their fourth and fifth trips to the plate, with Morales launching a solo homer over the fence in left to make it 3-1 and Warren -- on with a leadoff triple -- putting Artesia up 4-1 after scoring on an RBI ground out.

PICTURED: At top and at center, Diego Morales belts a solo homer to left in the fourth and is congratulated by his teammates. Above, third-baseman Elijah Carrasco tags Airell Aguilar out on a stolen base attempt in the top of the third.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Goddard had a solid shot at a rally in the top of the seventh when, following a diving catch of a liner to center by Jett Whitmire, pinch hitter Cohdy Seely beat out an infield single and advanced to third on a single-turned-error by designated hitter Jose Porras. Seely would be gunned down at home by third-baseman Elijah Carrasco on a fielder's choice, however, and a fly ball to Whitmire ended the threat and the game.

Byers finished with five hits, no earned runs, nine strikeouts, and just one walk to his credit through seven complete, while -- at the plate -- Morales was 3-3 and a triple away from the cycle with one RBI and Warren 2-4 with the elusive triple. The victory was a decidedly significant confidence-booster for the boys in orange, bumping their overall record to 17-7 and their district mark to 7-0, while Goddard suffered their first D4 loss (18-6, 6-1). More importantly, it put Artesia in the driver's seat heading into Thursday's double header in Roswell, needing just one win to secure the district title.

PICTURED: At top, center-fielder Jett Whitmire makes a diving catch for the first out of the top of the seventh. Above, shortstop Jett Fuentes completes a 6-U-3 double play to end the top of the sixth.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Artesia boys looked poised to spare Bulldog Nation the suspense where the district title was concerned in Thursday's opener in Roswell. It took the 'Dogs a bit to adjust to the pitching of Rocket senior Cameron Brown, who seated six batters in order in his first two innings on the hill. But with two away in the top of the third, a base hit to left-center by Campbell sparked a rally, as both Fuentes and Warren followed with singles of their own, Warren's a ground ball to right for an RBI that made it 1-0 Bulldogs. The 'Dogs continued to produce at the plate in the fourth, with consecutive singles by Whitmire and Usherwood putting two on for the bottom third of the order, who came through with flying colors in the form of a well-placed safety squeeze by Carrasco that scored the speedy Whitmire and a two-RBI double into the gap in left-center by Morales that saw Usherwood and Carrasco home.

That 4-0 lead should have been enough for the Bulldogs. But a few untimely errors in the home half of the fourth wound up costing Artesia dearly, as the Rockets were able to bat around in the extended half-inning, ultimately coming away with a 7-4 edge. It looked as though Artesia might overcome its first error of the at-bat, which had loaded the bases for Goddard, when Herrera -- aboard with a leadoff single -- was thrown out at home by starting pitcher Pacheco. But a walk gave the Rockets a freebie and, following an RBI single up the middle by Drake Brown that cut Artesia's lead in half, 4-2, Aguilar would clear the bags with a double to the fence in left-center to give Goddard its first lead, 5-4.

PICTURED: Charlie Campbell kicks up a little dust with the first run of Game One, sliding safely into home plate on a Derrick Warren base hit in the third.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Two more Rocket runs would then come around on a throwing error during a pick-off attempt and on an RBI double to center by Herrera in his second appearance of the inning. Still, the Bulldogs had three remaining at-bats to respond, and following a one-out single to left-center by Byers in the top of the fifth, they seemed on their way to doing so. A fly ball to left, however, gave Goddard two outs, and Whitmire would be thrown out at second by Rocket right-fielder Rodriguez for Out No. 3 while attempting to stretch a single. The situation would not improve in the next two half-innings, as the Rockets tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on an error and Brown struck out the side in the top of six.

Artesia was finally able to mount a rally in the top of the seventh, but unfortunately, it was of the two-out variety. And while two runs would score on a Byers double that plated Warren -- on with a base hit up the middle -- and an RBI single from Pacheco, a ground out ended the game, 8-6. Brown allowed 11 hits and six earned runs through seven for the Rockets while striking out 11. Painfully, Bulldog pitchers Pacheco and Campbell -- who came on in relief midway through the bottom of the fourth -- gave up zero earned runs, allowing just four hits between them and striking out five and four, respectively. Whitmire, Warren and Byers were all 2-4 at the plate, the latter two with one RBI apiece.

PICTURED: At top, Diego Morales celebrates his two-RBI double in the top of the fourth in Game Two. At center, Jett Whitmire slides head first into home on an Elijah Carrasco safety squeeze and is congratulated at the dugout by assistant coach Tony Jaramillo. Above, pitcher Daelon Pacheco lunges forward as he tosses the ball to catcher Brant Usherwood for a force out.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Rockets saved their top arm for the series-deciding game, pitting junior Herrera -- who entered the contest with an ERA under 1.00 -- against Bulldog senior Diego Morales. And while Herrera ultimately limited the Artesia bats to just four hits while striking out 11, it was the 'Dogs' turn to do more with less in the D4 championship game, compensating for the light output at the plate with a stellar defensive effort.

The boys in orange threw down the gauntlet in the top of the first with back-to-back singles from Warren and Byers, who would follow one another home on a two-RBI double to the fence in left by Pacheco. From there, however, it took sheer will and resolve for the 'Dogs to hang onto their advantage. Another 6-U-3 double play by Fuentes kept the Rockets quiet in the bottom of one, but Goddard would load the bases in the second before a fly out to Warren in right ended the threat. The boys in blue were able to cut the Bulldogs' lead in half in the third, however, after Aguilar led off with a double to center and Herrera helped his own cause with a two-out RBI two-bagger.

Artesia's bats, meanwhile, had gone all but silent, as Herrera put the Bulldogs down in order in their second, fourth and fifth trips to the plate. The 'Dogs were able to put two on in the third via errors, but both were left standing. The Artesia D fended off two more charges by Goddard in the bottom halves of the fourth and fifth, starting with a no-out, bases-loaded situation in the fourth. A bunt to first-baseman Pacheco saw the senior go home for the force and Out No. 1, and Morales bore down from there for consecutive Ks. The Rockets put two on with no outs in the fifth, but a fly out to Whitmire in center and two more big strikeouts by Morales left those runners stranded as well.

PICTURED: At top, shortstop Jett Fuentes turns a 6-U-3 double play to end the bottom of the first. Above, Derrick Warren crosses the plate for the first run of the game on a Daelon Pacheco two-RBI double.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Artesia boys were finally able to give themselves a modicum of breathing room in the top of the sixth when, with one away, Pacheco reached on an error, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and was singled in by an Usherwood ground ball past Goddard's diving third-baseman. A Morales strikeout and a force out of pinch hitter Oliver Wakefield following a single in the bottom of the sixth helped the 'Dogs strand two more Rocket runners on a lunging line-drive catch by Warren in right. And on the mound to close Morales' win in the bottom of the seventh, Carrasco left no doubt, sandwiching another fly out with a pair of Ks to secure the 3-1 victory and the district crown.

Morales closed out his six innings of work with seven hits and just the one earned run allowed, striking out eight and walking three amidst an error-free ballgame by the Bulldogs. Usherwood, Warren, Byers and Pacheco accounted for the Bulldogs' four hits on the evening, the former with one RBI and the latter with a double and two runs batted in.

PICTURED: Brant Usherwood powers an RBI single through the 5/6 hole in the top of the sixth to give the Bulldogs their third and final run.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

With that crown, of course, came an equally valued prize: the top seed heading into the 2026 Class 4A State Tournament. That found Artesia paired with the tourney's 16th-ranked team, and as so often happens, the foe will be a familiar one: Lovington. The Diamond 'Dogs swept their April 23-24 district series against the Wildcats (10-16) in a trio of five-inning run rules: 22-8, 12-0 and 22-0. The Bulldogs will host the first-round best-of-three series this weekend at Brainard Park, with Game One set for 6 p.m. Friday, May 8, and Game Two for 11 a.m. Saturday, May 9, with Game Three to immediately follow if necessary. Tickets must be purchased via GoFan and are available online now. Click here to purchase tickets for Friday's Game One. Click here to purchase tickets for Saturday's Game Two/Three.

Other first-round matchups included No. 15 Bernalillo at No. 2 Goddard, No. 14 Valley at No. 3 Santa Teresa, No. 13 Moriarty at No. 4 Deming, No. 12 Los Alamos at No. 5 Albuquerque Academy, No. 11 Belen at No. 6 Hope Christian, No. 10 Bloomfield at No. 7 Aztec, and No. 9 St. Pius at No. 8 Grants.

Should Artesia win, they'll advance to the state quarterfinals, where they'll take on the winner of St. Pius/Grants at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex in Albuquerque. Click here to view the full 4A baseball bracket.

STAT BOX

Game One

Goddard 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Artesia 1 1 0 1 1 0 - 4

Artesia (17-7, 7-0)
Batting: Jett Fuentes 1-4 (1-2B); Derrick Warren 2-4 (1-3B); Jack Byers 0-2, 1-BB, 1-RBI; Daelon Pacheco 1-3; Jett Whitmire 1-3, 1-RBI; Brant Usherwood 0-3; Elijah Carrasco 0-2, 1-BB; Diego Morales 3-3 (1-2B, 1-HR), 1-RBI; Charlie Campbell 1-3, 1-RBI
Pitching: Byers, sr.: 7-IP, 5-H, 1-R, 0-ER, 9-K, 1-BB
Team: 9-H, 2-E, 0-SB, 4-EBH, 4-RBI, 7-LOB

Goddard (18-6, 6-1)
Batting: Airell Aguilar 1-3; Jaden Fuentes 0-2, 1-BB; Marcos Rodriguez 1-3; Jadon Herrera 1-3 (1-2B); Cameron Brown 0-3; Donovan Davis 0-2; Jose Porras 1-3; Oliver Wakefield 0-2; Drake Brown 0-3; Cohdy Seely 1-1; Brady Duer 0-1
Pitching: Lucien Betancur, sr.: 4-IP, 7-H, 3-R, 3-ER, 1-K, 0-BB; Carmelo Ortega, jr.: 2-IP, 2-H, 1-R, 1-ER, 1-K, 2-BB
Team: 5-H, 1-E, 1-SB, 1-EBH, 0-RBI, 5-LOB

Game Two

Artesia 0 0 1 3 0 0 2 6
Goddard 0 0 0 7 1 0 - 8

Artesia (17-8, 7-1)
Batting: Jett Fuentes 1-4; Derrick Warren 2-4, 1-RBI; Jack Byers 2-4 (1-2B), 1-RBI; Daelon Pacheco 1-4, 1-RBI; Jett Whitmire 2-4; Brant Usherwood 1-3; Elijah Carrasco 0-3, 1-RBI; Diego Morales 1-3 (1-2B), 2-RBI; Charlie Campbell 1-3
Pitching: Pacheco, sr.: 3 1/3-IP, 3-H, 6-R, 0-ER, 5-K, 5-BB; Campbell, sr.: 2 2/3-IP, 1-H, 2-R, 0-ER, 4-K, 4-BB
Team: 11-H, 4-E, 0-SB, 2-EBH, 6-RBI, 5-LOB

Goddard (19-6, 7-1)
Batting: Airell Aguilar 1-4 (1-2B), 3-RBI; Jaden Fuentes 0-3, 1-BB; Marcos Rodriguez 0-3, 1-BB; Jadon Herrera 2-3 (1-2B), 1-BB, 1-RBI; Cameron Brown 0-3, 1-BB; Brady Duer 0-1, 2-BB; Donovan Davis 0-2, 1-SAC; Cohdy Seely 0-2, 1-BB, 1-RBI; Drake Brown 1-1, 2-BB, 1-RBI
Pitching: C. Brown, sr.: 7-IP, 11-H, 6-R, 6-ER, 11-K, 0-BB
Team: 4-H, 1-E, 1-SB, 2-EBH, 6-RBI, 6-LOB

Game Three

Artesia 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3
Goddard 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

Artesia (18-8, 8-1)
Batting: Jett Fuentes 0-4; Derrick Warren 1-2, 1-SAC; Jack Byers 1-3; Daelon Pacheco 1-3 (1-2B), 2-RBI; Jett Whitmire 0-3; Brant Usherwood 1-3, 1-RBI; Elijah Carrasco 0-3; Diego Morales 0-3; Charlie Campbell 0-3
Pitching: Morales, sr.: 6-IP, 7-H, 1-R, 1-ER, 8-K, 3-BB; Carrasco, jr.: 1-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 2-K, 0-BB
Team: 4-H, 0-E, 1-SB, 1-EBH, 3-RBI, 4-LOB

Goddard (19-7, 7-2)
Batting: Airell Aguilar 1-3 (1-2B), 1-BB; Jaden Fuentes 0-3; Marcos Rodriguez 0-3, 1-BB; Jadon Herrera 2-4 (1-2B), 1-RBI; Cameron Brown 1-4; Jose Porras 0-2, 2-HP; Donovan Davis 1-3; Cohdy Seely 0-1, 1-BB, 1-HP; Drake Brown 0-1; Brady Duer 1-1; Oliver Wakefield 1-2
Pitching: Herrera, jr.: 7-IP, 4-H, 3-R, 2-ER, 11-K, 0-BB
Team: 7-H, 4-E, 0-SB, 2-EBH, 1-RBI, 11-LOB

D4 Series vs. Lovington

PICTURED: The Artesia Bulldog baseball team celebrated Senior Night Friday, April 24, at Brainard Park.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Bulldog baseball team by no means drug out its penultimate District 4-AAAA series against Lovington. In 14 innings scattered across two days and 64 miles, the Diamond 'Dogs racked up a whopping 56 runs on 38 hits while allowing just eight runs -- all of those coming in the opening game. In the midst of the 22-8 victory logged Thursday, April 23, in Lovington and the 12-0 and 22-0 shutouts that followed Friday, April 24, at Brainard Park, Artesia's pitching allowed just 15 hits, with senior Jack Byers notching a five-inning two-hitter accompanied by 11 strikeouts in Game One Friday and senior Charlie Campbell, junior Lucas Atkins and freshman Kai Greathouse combining for a one-hitter in Game Two with 11 strikeouts between them. Errors totalled just three.

On the heels of an equally dominant sweep of Portales the week prior, it was Sign No. 2 that the defending Class 4A State Champion 'Dogs were peaking at precisely the right time.

Artesia got things going in the single-game portion of the series Thursday in Lovington with two runs facilitated by two big swings of the bat: a one-out double to right field by Derrick Warren, who would come home on an RBI ground out, and a solo home run over the fence in left by starting pitcher Daelon Pacheco. The Wildcats made a play at defending their home turf in the bottom half, tying things up on an RBI single from Juan Sepulveda and an error, but the Bulldogs would shatter the deadlock with a 12-inning top of the second.

Coming three batters away from running the lineup twice, a Brant Usherwood single, an Elijah Carrasco double, and a base hit to left by Diego Morales -- the latter for an RBI -- got the ball rolling in the marathon at-bat. Three more runs would cross on Lovington errors in the Bulldogs' first go-round at the plate, with an RBI double by Jett Fuentes, an RBI base hit by Byers, and a two-run bomb to right-center by Pacheco for his second homer in as many ABs making it 10-2 Artesia... with no outs yet recorded.

PICTURED: At top, Diego Morales slides into second with a stolen base Friday against Lovington at Brainard Park. Above, courtesy runner Jarod Flores heads for home.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

That first out would come after Lovington made its first of two pitching changes in the contest, but the boys in orange weren't done yet, plating four more on back-to-back RBI singles by Morales and Campbell, Fuentes' second RBI double of the half-inning, and a wild pitch. The Bulldogs would tack on six more in the third on a WP, a two-RBI liner to left by Campbell, yet another double -- this time for two RBI -- from Fuentes, and a throwing error following a wild pitch. Down 20-2, the 'Cats were able to spark a few rallies of their own in their final trips to the plate, batting the lineup and scoring four in the fourth on an RBI base knock by Paul Sanchez, a two-RBI double by Jude Madrid, and an Auden Paredes sac-fly. But the 'Dogs would tack on two more in the top of five on a single-turned-two-base-error by Greathouse to negate Lovington's final runs in the home half and set the 22-8 final.

Pacheco and Carrasco combined on the mound to allow 12 hits and seven earned runs while walking four. At the plate, Fuentes was 3-4 with a trio of doubles and four RBI, Pacheco 2-3 with two taters and three RBI, and Morales and Campbell both went 2-2 with two and three runs batted in, respectively.

The next day's double header saw plenty of excitement contributing to the winning atmosphere at Brainard Park, with the program celebrating both its eight seniors -- Warren, Byers, Fuentes, Campbell, Morales, Usherwood and Jett Whitmire -- and the local Little League. As hot dogs, ice-cream sandwiches, and children kept energy levels high throughout the 'Dogs' venerable home digs, Artesia made quick work of the Wildcats in Game One, with Byers striking out the side in three of Lovington's five half-innings of offense. A double and a single by Madrid in the first and fourth, respectively, were all the boys in blue could manage on the day.

PICTURED: Jack Byers sends a strike to the plate in Game One.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, picked up nine runs in their first three at-bats, starting with a trio in the first on RBI singles from Warren and Usherwood and a Whitmire sacrifice fly. The Artesia boys batted around in the second to add five more on RBI base hits by Campbell and Whitmire, a Fuentes RBI double, a ground out, and a wild pitch, then notched their ninth run on an error at first following a dropped third strike. Artesia put the run rule in effect in the fourth, 12-0, on a passed ball, a ground out, and a Morales sac-fly before Byers fanned the 'Cats in order in the top of five. The 'Dogs were led at the plate in the contest by Morales, 2-2 with an RBI, and Whitmire, 1-1 with two RBI.

Artesia then unleashed a final offensive onslaught on Lovington in Friday's nightcap, going up 8-0 in two innings before batting around twice in the third to make it 22-0, which would hold as the final. The Bulldogs' first three runs crossed in the first on a Warren RBI single to right, a Pacheco sac-fly, and a throwing error during a double-steal. Five more came around in the second on RBI singles by Warren and Whitmire, a Fuentes RBI double down the third-base line, and a pair of errors. The 'Dogs would then proceed to bring all nine of its batters home in its first trip through the lineup in the third -- again before a single out was recorded.

PICTURED: At top, Derrick Warren slides into third with a stolen base. Above, Daelon Pacheco heads for the plate on an RBI single by Jett Whitmire.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

That feat began with a leadoff triple by Morales, who scored on an infield hit from Campbell. Campbell crossed on Fuentes' sixth double of the series, and Fuentes scampered home on a passed ball. An error facilitated the 'Dogs' fourth run of the half-inning, while runs five through nine would score on a Pacheco RBI base hit, another passed ball, a two-RBI single to right by Morales, and a two-RBI triple to right-center from Campbell. Artesia's remaining nine at-bats of the third included back-to-back RBI doubles by Warren and Byers, an Usherwood RBI base hit to left, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from Morales.

Suddenly down by 22, the shell-shocked Wildcats were able to put two in scoring position in the top of the fourth before reliever Atkins struck out the side and left another runner on second in the fifth as Greathouse closed out the game with two ground outs and a backwards K. Starter Campbell allowed just one hit and struck out seven in his three innings of work. At the plate, Warren was 3-3 with a double and three RBI, Morales 2-2 with a triple and three RBI, and Fuentes 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two runs batted in. With the trio of wins, the Bulldogs improved to 16-7 on the season, 6-0 in district play heading into their showdown with D4's other unbeaten: 4A top-ranked Goddard.

PICTURED: Shortstop Jett Fuentes tags Lovington's Paul Sanchez out on a pick-off throw from pitcher Charlie Campbell.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

STAT BOX

Game One

Artesia 2 12 6 0 2 - - 22
Lovington 2 0 0 4 2 - - 8

Artesia (14-7, 4-0)
Batting: Jett Fuentes 3-4 (3-2B), 4-RBI; Derrick Warren 1-4 (1-2B); Jack Byers 1-2, 1-HP, 2-RBI; Daelon Pacheco 2-3 (2-HR), 3-RBI; Jett Whitmire 0-2, 1-BB; Brant Usherwood 1-2, 1-BB; Elijah Carrasco 1-3 (1-2B), 1-BB; Diego Morales 2-2, 1-HP, 2-RBI; Charlie Campbell 2-2, 1-BB, 3-RBI; De'Angelo Catano 0-0, 1-HP; Kai Greathouse 1-1, 1-RBI; Lucas Atkins 0-2; Logan Rodriguez 0-1, 1-HP; Kolton Hamilton 0-2; Destin Pacheco 0-0, 1-BB; Jarod Flores 0-1; Kaden Chavarria 1-1
Pitching: Da. Pacheco, sr.: 2-IP, 4-H, 2-R, 1-ER, 2-K, 2-BB; Carrasco, jr.: 3-IP, 8-H, 6-R, 6-ER, 2-K, 3-BB
Team: 15-H, 2-E, 9-SB, 7-EBH, 15-RBI, 4-LOB

Lovington (7-14, 0-4)
Batting: Paul Sanchez 1-3, 1-BB, 1-RBI; Jude Madrid 2-3 (1-2B), 1-HP, 2-RBI; Auden Paredes 1-2 (1-2B), 1-BB, 1-SAC, 1-RBI; Juan Sepulveda 3-4, 2-RBI; Fidencio Lujan 2-3, 1-BB; Jonah Wood 0-4; Triston Barriga 0-3; Dallas Barrera 0-0, 1-BB; Peyton Thurman 2-3; Jeremiah Romero 1-1, 1-BB
Pitching: Angel Salas, so.: 1-IP, 8-H, 10-R, 9-ER, 2-K, 1-BB; Barrera, so.: 1 2/3-IP, 5-H, 10-R, 6-ER, 1-K, 3-BB; Romero, jr.: 2 1/3-IP, 2-H, 2-R, 1-ER, 0-K, 1-BB
Team: 12-H, 6-E, 1-SB, 2-EBH, 6-RBI, 10-LOB

Game Two

Lovington 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0
Artesia 3 5 1 3 - - - 12

Artesia (15-7, 5-0)
Batting: Jett Fuentes 1-3 (1-2B), 1-BB, 1-RBI; Derrick Warren 1-3, 2-RBI; Jack Byers 1-2, 1-HP; Daelon Pacheco 0-1, 2-BB; Jett Whitmire 1-1, 1-BB, 1-SAC, 2-RBI; Brant Usherwood 1-2, 1-BB, 1-RBI; Elijah Carrasco 0-3, 1-RBI; Diego Morales 2-2, 1-SAC, 1-RBI; Charlie Campbell 1-2, 1-HP, 1-RBI
Pitching: Byers, sr.: 5-IP, 2-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 11-K, 0-BB
Team: 8-H, 0-E, 12-SB, 1-EBH, 9-RBI, 4-LOB

Lovington (7-15, 0-5)
Batting: Paul Sanchez 0-2; Jude Madrid 2-2 (1-2B); Auden Paredes 0-2; Juan Sepulveda 0-2; Peyton Thurman 0-2; Jonah Wood 0-2; Dallas Barrera 0-2; Jeremiah Romero 0-2; Triston Barriga 0-1
Pitching: Sepulveda, sr.: 3-IP, 8-H, 11-R, 10-ER, 4-K, 5-BB; Thurman, so.: 1-IP, 0-H, 1-R, 1-ER, 1-K, 0-BB
Team: 2-H, 2-E, 0-SB, 1-EBH, 0-RBI, 2-LOB

Game Three

Lovington 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0
Artesia 3 5 14 0 - - - 22

Artesia (16-7, 6-0)
Batting: Jett Fuentes 2-3 (2-2B), 1-BB, 2-RBI; Derrick Warren 3-3 (1-2B), 1-BB, 3-RBI; Jack Byers 2-4 (2-2B), 1-RBI; Daelon Pacheco 1-3, 1-SAC, 2-RBI; Jett Whitmire 1-1, 3-BB, 1-RBI; Brant Usherwood 1-1, 2-BB, 1-HP, 1-RBI; Elijah Carrasco 1-3, 1-BB; Diego Morales 2-2 (1-3B), 1-BB, 1-HP, 3-RBI; Charlie Campbell 2-4 (1-3B), 3-RBI; Logan Rodriguez 0-1; Kai Greathouse 0-1; Jarod Flores 0-1
Pitching: Campbell, sr.: 3-IP, 1-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 7-K, 3-BB; Lucas Atkins, jr.: 1-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 3-K, 1-BB; Greathouse, fr.: 1-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 1-K, 1-BB
Team: 15-H, 1-E, 9-SB, 7-EBH, 16-RBI, 5-LOB

Lovington (7-16, 0-6)
Batting: Paul Sanchez 0-2, 1-BB; Jude Madrid 0-1, 1-BB, 1-HP; Auden Paredes 1-3; Juan Sepulveda 0-1, 1-BB; Peyton Thurman 0-0, 2-BB; Jeremiah Romero 0-2; Lukas Quintana 0-2; Lukas Borunda 0-2; Triston Barriga 0-2
Pitching: Paredes, jr.: 1 1/3-IP, 5-H, 8-R, 6-ER, 0-K, 3-BB; Madrid, fr.: 2/3-IP, 3-H, 5-R, 4-ER, 0-K, 2-BB; Jonah Wood, so.: 1/3-IP, 5-H, 8-R, 7-ER, 0-K, 3-BB; Daniel Martinez, so.: 1 2/3-IP, 2-H, 1-R, 0-ER, 1-K, 1-BB
Team: 1-H, 7-E, 0-SB, 0-EBH, 0-RBI, 6-LOB

LADY BULLDOG SOFTBALL

D4 Double Header vs. Portales

PICTURED: The 2026 District 4-AAAA Champion Lady Bulldog softball team poses for a photo following their second-season-ending sweep of Portales Saturday, May 2, at The Mack.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Competing in the Saturday sunshine rather than under the Friday-night lights following a day of rain that prompted the rescheduling of the Lady Bulldog softball team's final District 4-AAAA double header against Portales, the Artesia girls didn't let the lingering cool temperatures and occasional soggy spots dampen their spirits May 2 at the Mack Chase Athletic Complex. With practiced efficiency, the Lady 'Dogs got the job done in as few steps as possible, completing the series sweep of the Ramettes by five-inning finals of 15-2 and 10-0 to put an exclamation point on their D4 championship and assure themselves of the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class 4A State Tournament.

To borrow from Dr. Seuss, it was a great day for up at The Mack; it was an equally great day for over and out. The girls in orange launched six home runs at their scoreboard in left field and the Gary Sims Bleachers in center in the abbreviated contests, with senior Kayden Apodaca accounting for four of those, two in each game. Jenna Whitmire and A'dyn Levario added a pair of two-run shots in Game One, while junior Danyela Munoz tossed a five-inning one-hitter in the circle in Game Two and sophomore Katrin Marquez and Munoz combined for a three-hitter in the opener. It was just the sort of dominant performance the Lady 'Dogs were looking for in their final pre-playoff action of 2026, as they closed out a 22-4 regular season and a perfect 9-0 run through the district.

PICTURED: At top, Kayden Apodaca leans in to connect with a two-run homer in the first inning of Game One. Above, her teammates greet her at home plate.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Munoz got things going offensively for Artesia in the bottom of the first in Game One, beating out an infield single before scoring one batter later on Apodaca's first dinger of the day. Jade Hammond followed with a base hit up the middle, and she'd take second on a Whitmire single and third on a wild pitch before scoring on an error in left field. The Lady 'Dogs then made it 7-0 in the second on a double by Marquez that ended with an error on the relay from the outfield, an RBI ground out, and a two-run blast to center by Whitmire.

The Ramettes were able to get on the board, 7-2, in the top of the third with help from their first and only hits of the bout: a double to shallow center by pitcher Amaya Lujan and a home run to left-center by shortstop Annaleah Lujan -- both coming with two away -- that were followed by a single from Ruth Espinoza. But that would be it for Portales, as Marquez struck out two and forced a pop-up on the infield in the fourth and Munoz, on in relief, also K'd a pair and flew one out to Brooklyn Fuentes in left in the fifth.

The Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, had put the run rule in effect, 15-2, with a run in the third on a leadoff triple by Levario and RBI ground out and seven in the bottom of the fourth. Artesia batted around in that half-inning, getting two on Levario's shot over the left-field fence, four on a bases-loaded single by Marquez that was followed by a pair of errors to see all involved across the plate, and the 15th and final on Apodaca's second HR. Apodaca finished 2-2 at the plate with the pair of homers and three RBI, while Marquez went 3-4 with a double and one RBI, Isabel Cruz 2-2, Whitmire 2-3 with a HR and two RBI, and Levario 2-4 with a triple, a home run, and two runs batted in.

PICTURED: Jenna Whitmire sends a two-run homer over the fence in center in the bottom of the third in Game One.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Munoz delivered a dominant performance in the circle in Game Two to secure the one-hit shutout. Amidst four ground balls and four fly outs, Portales put just two runners on base through their first three at-bats -- both on errors -- before recording their lone hit in the top of the fourth on a one-out single by Espinoza. She'd be forced out at second preceding a line out to Whitmire at short, and the Artesia D retired the Ramettes with a fly out to center, a ground out to short, and a strikeout in the top of five.

Offensively, the Lady 'Dogs notched their first two runs on one swing in the bottom of the first, as Apodaca sent her third home run of the double dip rocketing over the scoreboard in left to score both herself and Munoz, on with a leadoff single. Artesia went up 5-0 in the third on Apodaca's final two-run bomb of the afternoon to left-center and an RBI single by Jaelynn Stroud. The girls in orange then walked off the run rule in the bottom of five on RBI singles from Whitmire and Leslie Molina, an Arianny Avitia bases-loaded walk, and a strange sequence of events that began with an accidental backward pitch by Annaleah Lujan and subsequent throwing error that turned one run scored into two to hit the 10-run threshold. Apodaca was 3-3 at the plate in the ballgame with two homers and four RBI.

PICTURED: At top, second-baseman Jade Hammond throws a runner out at first in Game Two. At center, Katrin Marquez ends the top of the fourth with a line-drive catch. Above, liftoff for Kayden Apodaca's fourth home run of the day.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

As expected, the Lady Bulldogs heard their name called first on Seeding and Selection Sunday. They'll join No. 2 Aztec, No. 3 Silver and No. 4 St. Pius in hosting this weekend's play-in and first-round state games. At the Mack Chase Athletic Complex, No. 9 Goddard and No. 8 Bernalillo will open the play-in round at 5 p.m., followed by Artesia versus No. 16 Bloomfield at 7 p.m. All play-in games are single-elimination. Competing in Aztec will be No. 10 Los Alamos/No. 7 Kirtland Central and No. 15 Valley/No. 2 Aztec. In Silver City, it'll be No. 11 Belen/No. 6 Gallup and No. 14 Santa Teresa/No. 3 Silver, and in Albuquerque, matchups include No. 12 Miyamura/No. 5 Lovington and No. 13 Deming/No. 4 St. Pius. The winners of each host site's two play-in contests will then meet in a state first-round game, which will count as both teams' first appearance in the double-elimination bracket. The first-round game is set for 11 a.m. at The Mack.

Tickets must be purchased via GoFan and are available online now. To purchase tickets for Friday's 5 p.m. game between Goddard and Bernalillo, click here. To purchase tickets for Friday's 7 p.m. game between Artesia and Bloomfield, click here. To purchase tickets for Saturday's 11 a.m. first-round state game, click here.

Should the Lady Bulldogs win both their play-in and first-round game, they would take on the winner of the Miyamura/Lovington, Deming/St. Pius series at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 14, in a winners' bracket quarterfinal game at the Cleveland High School softball complex in Rio Rancho. A loss would find them starting their Rio Rancho run in the losers' bracket at 12 p.m. Thursday versus the loser of that series. Click here to view the full 4A softball bracket.

STAT BOX

Game One

Portales 0 0 2 0 0 - - 2
Artesia 3 4 1 7 - - - 15

Artesia (21-4, 8-0)
Batting: Danyela Munoz 1-3, 1-BB; Katrin Marquez 3-4 (1-2B), 1-RBI; Kayden Apodaca 2-2 (2-HR), 2-BB, 3-RBI; Jade Hammond 1-3, 1-BB, 1-RBI; Jenna Whitmire 2-3 (1-HR), 1-BB, 2-RBI; Brooklyn Fuentes 1-3, 1-BB; A'dyn Levario 2-4 (1-3B, 1-HR), 2-RBI; Janae Molina 1-3 (1-2B), 1-RBI; Isabel Cruz 2-2, 1-HP
Pitching: Marquez, so.: 4-IP, 3-H, 2-R, 2-ER, 6-K, 2-BB; Munoz, jr.: 1-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 2-K, 0-BB
Team: 15-H, 2-E, 0-SB, 7-EBH, 10-RBI, 7-LOB

Portales (7-17, 0-8)0
Batting: Addyson Mayberry 0-2, 1-HP; Amaya Lujan 1-3 (1-2B); Annaleah Lujan 1-2 (1-HR), 1-BB, 2-RBI; Ruth Espinoza 1-3; Anetzy Acosta 0-2; Tandi Foreman 0-1, 1-BB; Audrey Gonzales 0-2; Johanna Torrez 0-2; Ann Marie Crider 0-2
Pitching: Am. Lujan, so.: 3 1/3-IP, 14-H, 14-R, 14-ER, 1-K, 4-BB; An. Lujan, fr.: 2/3-IP, 1-H, 1-R, 1-ER, 1-K, 2-BB
Team: 3-H, 4-E, 0-SB, 2-EBH, 2-RBI, 5-LOB

Game Two

Portales 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0
Artesia 2 0 3 0 5 - - 10

Artesia (22-4, 9-0)
Batting: Danyela Munoz 1-3; Katrin Marquez 0-3; Kayden Apodaca 3-3 (2-HR), 4-RBI; Jade Hammond 0-1, 2-BB; Jenna Whitmire 1-3, 1-RBI; Brooklyn Fuentes 1-2, 1-BB; Jaelynn Stroud 1-2, 1-BB, 1-RBI; Leslie Molina 1-2, 1-HP, 1-RBI; Arianny Avitia 0-2, 1-BB, 1-RBI
Pitching: Munoz, jr.: 5-IP, 1-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 2-K, 1-BB
Team: 8-H, 2-E, 1-SB, 2-EBH, 8-RBI, 3-LOB

Portales (7-18, 0-9)
Batting: Addyson Mayberry 0-3; Amaya Lujan 0-2; Annaleah Lujan 0-2; Ruth Espinoza 1-2; Anetzy Acosta 0-2; Tandi Foreman 0-2; Audrey Gonzales 0-2; Carmelita Saiz 0-2; Ann Marie Crider 0-1; Lucy Roberts 0-0, 1-BB
Pitching: An. Lujan, fr.: 4 1/3-IP, 8-H, 10-R, 9-ER, 4-K, 5-BB
Team: 1-H, 3-E, 0-SB, 0-EBH, 0-RBI, 4-LOB

D4 Single Game vs. Lovington

PICTURED: The Lady Bulldog softball team poses at the APS Administration Building Thursday, April 28, after being treated to lunch by Alma's Restaurant prior to their departure for Lovington.

With a sweep of Goddard complete, Portales having been easily handled in the single-game portion of that series, and two big wins over Lovington in the books following an April 17 double header at The Mack, it all essentially came down to Thursday, April 28, for the Lady Bulldogs. Beat the Wildcats one more time, and there would be nothing anyone could do to take the District 4-AAAA crown off Artesia's head. And as it happened, the girls in orange were feeling decidedly royal.

On the legs of four runs spaced out over three innings and a complete-game, two-hit shutout of the Lady 'Cats by Katrin Marquez, the Lady 'Dogs made everything else a formality with their third win over Lovington. Artesia wasn't quite as prolific as usual from the plate in the road outing, but neither did they need to be. Marquez and her defense put the Wildcats down in order in the first, third and seventh innings, and the sophomore hurler didn't allow Lovington's first hit until the fifth, when Braelyn Hernandez managed a two-out single to left-center. She'd be left standing, however, as were Zemarie Ellis and Johanna Ochoa -- on with a double and a walk, respectively -- in the sixth.

The Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, saw their second baserunner of the game reach in the top of the second on an error. Brooklyn Fuentes proceeded to take third on an infield-single-turned-error by A'dyn Levario, and she'd put Artesia up 1-0 on a line drive to right by Jaelynn Stroud. Kayden Apodaca delivered a one-out double in the third and would score on a base hit up the middle by Jade Hammond. Hammond -- who took second on the throw to the plate and third on a subsequent error -- came home on an RBI fielder's choice by Levario, and Artesia would round out the final in the fifth when Hammond -- aboard with a leadoff base hit to right-center -- crossed on a Levario RBI ground out.

Marquez struck out five and walked three in her seven innings in the circle, and Apodaca and Hammond went 2-3 and 2-4 at the plate, respectively, the former with a double and the latter with an RBI. The win sent the Lady 'Dogs into the final games of their second season with a record of 20-4, 7-0.

STAT BOX

Artesia 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 4
Lovington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Artesia (20-4, 7-0)
Batting: Danyela Munoz 0-3, 1-BB; Katrin Marquez 0-4; Kayden Apodaca 2-3 (1-2B), 1-BB; Jade Hammond 2-4, 1-RBI; Jenna Whitmire 1-4; Brooklyn Fuentes 0-3, 1-BB; A'dyn Levario 1-3, 1-BB, 2-RBI; Jaelynn Stroud 1-4, 1-RBI; Isabel Cruz 0-3
Pitching: Marquez, so.: 7-IP, 2-H, 0-R, 0-ER, 5-K, 3-BB
Team: 7-H, 0-E, 1-SB, 1-EBH, 4-RBI, 10-LOB

Lovington (13-11, 4-3)
Batting: Leslie Corral 0-3; Delilah Ruiz 0-3; Zemarie Ellis 1-3 (1-2B); Johanna Ochoa 0-1, 2-BB; Andrea Hernandez 0-2, 1-BB; Zoey Ellis 0-2, 1-SAC; Baylee Garcia 0-3; Braelyn Hernandez 1-3; Jezarae Quiroga 0-2
Pitching: Quiroga, 8th: 7-IP, 7-H, 4-R, 2-ER, 7-K, 4-BB
Team: 2-H, 6-E, 0-SB, 1-EBH, 0-RBI, 5-LOB

AHS TENNIS

PICTURED: At top, the Lady Bulldog tennis team poses with its District 4-A-AAAA championship trophy after shutting out Goddard 7-0 Monday, April 27, in the D4 Team Tournament title round at the Mack Chase Athletic Complex. Above, the district champion Bulldogs pose with their trophy after topping NMMI 5-3 Tuesday, April 28, in the team tourney title round at The Mack.
(Girls' Photo Courtesy Melissa Warren)
(Boys' Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

It's been an historic ride for the Artesia High School tennis teams this season -- and it's not over yet.

It started with a pair of undefeated runs through their regular District 4-A-AAAA duals. One by one, the opponents fell: the Lady Bulldogs shut out Lovington, Portales and NMMI, 9-0, coming just a match away from a complete sweep following an 8-1 win over Goddard; the Bulldogs got a pair of shutouts over Portales and Goddard while notching 8-1 and 5-4 wins over Lovington and NMMI, respectively. The D4 Team Tournaments saw the Lady 'Dogs and 'Dogs remain unblemished in district team play, making their tandem back-to-back D4 champions status official with respective victories over Goddard (7-0) and NMMI (5-3). The subsequent District Individual Tournament yielded more exciting results: one singles and five doubles state tournament qualifications.

Then, with the release of the Class 1A-4A State Tournament brackets this week came more program history: Both teams were ranked in the top four, the Bulldogs for the first time. And on the individual side, the doubles duo of sisters Kirklyn and Breckyn Miller earned the classification's No. 1 ranking.

Needless to say, there was much to celebrate this weekend for the AHS netters.

On the merits of their 4-0 finishes in duals, both squads received the No. 1 seed and byes through the first rounds of the D4 Team Tournaments. That gave the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs two weeks to prepare for the team tournament championships, which found Goddard coming to town Monday, April 27, to take on the Artesia girls and NMMI on Tuesday, April 28, to square off with the boys.

(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Lady Bulldogs went 3-0 in doubles play against the Lady Rockets, with Kirklyn Miller teaming up with fellow senior Adrienne Harvey to defeat Zoey Williams and Kiera Barrios in the No. 1 match, 6-4, 6-1; Renee Irvin and Abigail Jowers topping Dunya Mouhammad and Karlee Patterson in the No. 2 match, 6-2, 6-0; and Sadie Morris and Chloe Aguilar besting Madison Evans and Logyn Taylor in the No. 3 match, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. That allowed the Artesia girls to stop at four singles matches, which saw Miller battle out an 0-6, 6-4, 0-0 (10-5) win over Williams in the No. 1 match, followed by Harvey over Mouhammad (6-3, 6-4), Jowers over Barrios (6-1, 6-0), and Irvin over Patterson (6-1, 6-1).

On the boys' side, the Bulldogs were 2-1 over the Colts in doubles play, as Cutter Summers and Damian Lopez defeated Colin Zhang and Kevin Cheng 6-0, 7-5 and Adan Alva and Ediel Miranda bested Abdul Usmani and Ton Bach 6-2, 4-1, with Joshua Vazquez and Paul Miller coming up just short of Jose Gonzalez and Pablo Morales, 3-6, 5-7. NMMI was able to snatch the top two singles matches, with Cheng defeating Summers 6-2, 6-2 and Gonzalez topping Lopez, 6-4, 6-1. The 'Dogs would take their Nos. 4-6 singles bouts, however, with Miller winning over Zhang (6-1, 6-1), Jackson Hollinger over Bach (6-1, 6-1) and Miranda over Supakorn Tiravanichpomg (6-0, 6-0). The No. 3 match between Vazquez and Morales was left at a 6-4, 3-6 tie.

PICTURED: The Bulldog and Lady Bulldog tennis teams pose for a photo following the D4 Individual Tournament Saturday, May 2, at The Mack.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The District Individual Tournament Saturday, May 2, at The Mack saw the Bulldog and Lady Bulldog doubles teams dominate the competition. Artesia won doubles district championships in both divisions over... themselves. Miller and Miller took the girls' title over Jowers and Irvin, while Summers and Lopez won the boys' championship over Miller and Vazquez. Miranda and Alva, meanwhile, came in third to round out the state-qualifying efforts by all five AHS duos entered in district competition. The Lady Bulldogs also had one singles player qualify for state: district runner-up Harvey.

The squads departed dark and early Wednesday, May 6, for the state tournaments in Albuquerque. The 1A-4A Individual Tournaments begin first, with AHS athletes competing in their opening-round matches at the following times against the following opponents at the Albuquerque Academy tennis courts:

• #1 Miller/Miller vs. Valles/Littleton (Silver) - Noon
• Jowers/Irvin vs. #4 Harvey/Harvey-Romero (Santa Fe Prep) - Noon
• Summers/Lopez vs. #5 McMahon/Wooten-Rogers (Academy) - Noon
• Vazquez/Miller vs. #2 Friedland/Hirsch (Santa Fe Prep) - Noon
• Miranda/Alva vs. #3 Viswanathan/Witkowski (Los Alamos) - Noon
• Adrienne Harvey vs. Dana Rosales (Chaparral) - 1:30 p.m.

Should Harvey advance in singles play, she would compete again in the state quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Any doubles winners will advance to 3 p.m. quarterfinals.

As top-four teams, meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs and Bulldogs earned byes through the first round of play in the 1A-4A Team Tournament, which begins Friday morning. Both the No. 3 Artesia girls and No. 4 Artesia boys will open in the quarterfinal round Friday afternoon at the Ventana Ranch Park tennis courts, located at 1000 Universe Boulevard NW. The 'Dogs will begin doubles play at 2 p.m. and singles competition at 3:30 p.m., potentially against a very familiar foe, as #5 NMMI takes on unranked Valencia in Round One for the right to advance. The Lady 'Dogs will open with singles play at 4:30 p.m. and doubles play at 6 p.m. versus the winner of Hope Christian/#6 Silver. Winners will move to the Jerry Cline Tennis Complex Saturday morning for the state semifinals, with championships to be decided Saturday afternoon.

Click here to find complete state tennis brackets. The NMAA does not charge admission for the state tennis tournaments.

(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

AHS GOLF

District 4-AAAA Tournament

PICTURED: The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs pose for a photo following the District 4 tournament Monday, May 4, at the Lovington Country Club.
(Photo by Anna Whitmire)

As fate would have it, the one pre-state tournament the Bulldog golf team didn't win was district. But sometimes, 'Cats have their day as well.

Competing on Lovington's home course, the Wildcats were finally able to inch past the Artesia boys Monday, May 4, for the first time this year to take the District 4-AAAA team championship, 294-297. Goddard finished third with a 313 and Portales fourth with a 383. Lovington was spurred by first- and second-place individual rounds of 69 and 71 by Ramon Orosco and Kingston Martinez. The 'Dogs had placements three through five, with Beau Byers shooting a 73, Jack Byers a 74, and Steven Williams and Locklyn Gray tying for fifth with 75s. Joel Ochoa rounded out the day with an 80, and golfing individually, Lucas Atkins shot an 85.

The Lady Bulldogs came away from the Lovington Country Club with a district bronze, shooting a team 357 to Lovington's 324 and Goddard's 341. Finishing in the top 10 were Karli Horner with an eighth-place 86 and Danyela Munoz with a ninth-place 87. Hayli Greenwood came in 11th with an 89, Sophie Elsing 13th with a 95, and Ashton Craft 16th with a 96.

Both the Bulldogs, with their district runner-up finish and top ranking in Class 4A, and the Lady Bulldogs, with their district third placement, qualify for the 4A State Tournament, set for Monday-Tuesday, May 11-12, at the New Mexico Tech Golf Course in Socorro. Tee times have not yet been released. The NMAA does not charge admission for the state golf tournaments.

Artesia Invitational

PICTURED: At top, Beau Byers watches his putt into the hole. Above, Ashton Craft tees off.
(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Artesia boys' golfers completed an undefeated run through the 2026 regular season Monday, April 27, and as an added bonus, they did it on their home course.

The Bulldogs' first-place finish at the Artesia Invitational marked eight consecutive tournament wins, and the team turned in some impressive rounds at the Artesia Country Club. Closing out their pre-district campaign with a team 281, the 'Dogs saw brothers Beau and Jack Byers shoot first- and second-place scores of 66 and 69, with their fellow team members staying in the 70s: Joel Ochoa in third with a 72, Steven Williams in fourth with a 74, and Locklyn Gray in sixth with a 79. In individual play, Lucas Atkins, Bradley Duncan, Brent McIntire and Landon Hendricks placed in the top 10 as well with rounds of 75, 80, 84 and 86, followed by Veer Bhakta (87), Mason Fox (92), Isaac Guerrero (94) and Hudson Gibb (98).

On the girls' side, the Lady Bulldogs also notched a first-place finish with a team 353. Leading the way and tying for first place overall were Ashton Craft and Danyela Munoz with rounds of 83, followed by Sophie Elsing in third (91), Karli Horner in fourth (96) and Hayli Greenwood in sixth (104). The Lady 'Dogs' individual golfers also capped the tournament with top-10 placements, including Izzy Jones in fifth (98), Adaleine Bratcher in eighth (107), and Jade Aragones in 10th (126).

Hobbs Varsity Spring Invite

The Bulldog golf team notched its eighth tournament win of the season Friday, April 24, at the Hobbs Varsity Spring Invite at Rockwind Community Links, while the Lady Bulldogs came in fifth out of a competitive field.

The Artesia boys finished with a team 304 in Hobbs America, seven shots in front of second-place Goddard (311). Host Hobbs and Lovington tied for third with 318s, while Carlsbad came in fifth (343) and Roswell High sixth (393). The 'Dogs were led by a tandem first-place overall finish from sophomore Beau Byers and junior Lucas Atkins, who both shot rounds of 73. Steven Williams came in eighth with a 78, and Joel Ochoa and Locklyn Gray tied for 10th with 80s. Individually, Veer Bhakta shot an 86 and Brent McIntire a 91.

Lovington won the girls' tournament going away, shooting a 347 to runner-up Goddard's 366. Hobbs was third with a 372, Carlsbad fourth with a 386, Artesia fifth with a 391, and Roswell High sixth with a 477. Hayli Greenwood, Karli Horner and Sophie Elsing all placed in the top 20 for Artesia with respective rounds of 96, 97 and 98, while Ashton Craft shot a 100 and Morgan Waldrip a 114.

RISD Spring Classic

PICTURED: At top, Beau Byers hits from the fairway Monday during Round One of the RISD Spring Classic at the NMMI Golf Course. Above, Joel Ochoa lines up his putt.
(Photos by Martin Green)

The Bulldog golf team put on their rally caps Tuesday, April 21, in the second round of the RISD Spring Classic in Roswell, overcoming a two-stroke deficit in Round One to win the two-day tournament by six strokes over runner-up Lovington, 593-599. With the victory, the 'Dogs expanded their undefeated streak to seven events with just two tourneys remaining on their regular-season slate.

The Wildcats were able to pull in front of Artesia in the first round of play Monday, April 20, at the NMMI Golf Course, 295-297, with help from an overall top individual round of 65 by Ramon Orosco. The boys in orange had a trio of golfers score in the Top 10 in Round One -- including Beau Byers in fourth with a 72 and Steven Williams and Locklyn Gray in seventh with 74s -- while Lucas Atkins and Joel Ochoa rounded out the day with rounds of 77 and 83, respectively. The Bulldogs then stayed consistent in Tuesday's second round at the Nancy Lopez Golf Course at Spring River with a team 296, while the 'Cats dropped into fourth on Day Two with a 304. Byers again led the charge for the 'Dogs with a seventh-place 71, followed by Gray (72), Jack Byers (75), Ochoa (78) and Williams (79). Golfing individually in Rounds One and Two, respectively, Veer Bhakta shot an 85 and Brent McIntire a 92.

On the girls' side, the Lady Bulldogs overcame a fifth-place team score in Round Two at NMMI that found them three strokes back of Clovis, 361-358, by outgolfing the Lady Wildcats on Monday at Spring River, 357-370. That gave the Artesia girls fourth overall in the tournament with a 718 behind Alamogordo (647), Lovington (675) and Goddard (690). The Lady 'Dogs were led in Round One by Ashton Craft with a 10th-best overall round of 85, with Danyela Munoz turning in an 88, Karli Horner and Sophie Elsing 92s, and Hayli Greenwood a 93. At NMMI, Munoz finished ninth overall with an 84, followed by Craft in 12th with an 87, Elsing in 15th with an 89, and Greenwood and Horner shooting 101 and 102, respectively. Golfing individually at Spring River, Morgan Waldrip shot a 114, and at NMMI, Nykol Duncan turned in a 95.

AHS TRACK AND FIELD

Larry Baca Memorial Invitational

The Bulldog and Lady Bulldog track and field teams made their final meet of the regular season one to remember Saturday, May 2, in Los Alamos, with the 'Dogs topping the 12-team field at the Larry Baca Memorial Invitational and the Lady 'Dogs coming in second only to the host Lady Hilltoppers.

The teams also came home with four new state qualifications on the weekend. For the Lady Bulldogs, Ellie McGaughy finished second in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.22, marking the first time this season the Artesia girls have qualified for state in a running event. The Bulldogs got their first 100-meter dash state qualification of the season courtesy of Noah Beardsley with a fourth-place time of 11.10 and their first pole vault qualification, with Colt Moziejko clearing 13 feet for second place in the event. Qualifying for the first time in the high jump was Cael Houghtaling with a fourth-place 6'2". Houghtaling also re-qualified in three other events: the long jump, with a first-place leap of 21'4.75", a season best; the triple jump, with a first-place mark of 43'; and the javelin, with a second-place throw of 169'3", also a season best.

The 'Dogs' total qualification list numbered a whopping 16, with other re-qualifications including: Tootie McNeil, first place in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles with times of 14.75 and 39.31, both season bests; Marcos Ornelas in the 110 hurdles with a second-place 15.07; Ulises Montanez in the high jump with a second-place 6'2", a season best; Jayden Leyva in the javelin with a first-place 179'8.5", a season best; and Marco Soto in the shot put with a first-place 51'10" throw. The Bulldogs also re-qualified in four relays: the 400 team of Fabian Moya, Ornelas, Beardsley and Ayden Kenyon with a first-place 42.93, a season best; the 800 team of Moya, Kenyon, Moziejko and Ornelas with a first-place 1:30.73, a season best; the 1600 team of Montanez, McNeil, Kenyon and Ornelas with a first-place 3:23.41, also a season best; and the 1600 medley team of Aden Garcia, Moises Corza, Beardsley and Josiah Carrillo with a first-place 3:43.74.

Also re-qualifying on the girls' side were McGaughy with a first-place pole vault of 10'; Peyton Barela with a third-place discus throw of 109'7.5", a season best; and Harper Murray and Brooklynne Ivans in the shot put with first- and second-place throws, respectively, of 37' and 35'3". The boys' 3200 relay team of Gabriel Garcia, Nathan Perez, Wyatt Knudsen and Aden Garcia came in second with a time of 8:40.67, as did Layton Whitmire in the long jump with a 20'0.5". Placing third were Perez in the boys' 800-meter run (2:11.70); Quinley Murray in the girls' triple jump (32'7.5"); and the girls' 1600-meter relay team of Kaylee Berdoza, Kaidence Hnulik, Marlyn Corza and Gabriela Aguilar with a 4:16.12. The girls' 400 relay team of McGaughy, Caiya Olivas, Alani Escareno and Aguilar were just .04 off the state mark with a fourth-place time of 51.15.

The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs will have one final chance to qualify for state and/or improve previous qualifying marks at the District 4-AAAA Meet, set for Friday, May 8, at Bulldog Bowl and Morris Field. The event is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online by clicking here. State qualifications can be earned by both mark and by finishing first or second in any event. The Class 4A State Meet is slated for May 15-16 in Albuquerque.

SPORTS TICKETING

Available online ticketing options for this week's scheduled sporting events:

Bulldog Baseball
Class 4A State First-Round Series
vs. Lovington
Game One: 6 p.m. Friday, May 8
Brainard Park
Click here to purchase

Game Two: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 9
Brainard Park
Click here to purchase

Lady Bulldog Softball
Class 4A State Play-In Game
vs. Bloomfield
7 p.m. Friday, May 8
The Mack
Click here to purchase

Class 4A State First-Round Game (must win play-in to advance)
11 a.m. Saturday, May 9
The Mack
Click here to purchase

AHS Track and Field
District 4-AAAA Meet
3 p.m. Friday, May 8
Bulldog Bowl and Morris Field
Click here to purchase