PICTURED: The 2025-26 Runnin' 'Dog basketball team poses with its City of Champions Classic runner-up trophy at Bulldog Pit.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

FOOTBALL

The 2025 Bulldogs celebrated the program's 33rd state title Dec. 8 with the end-of-season banquet. Players, coaches, families and friends gathered at the First Baptist Church Total Life Center to recognize the team for its outstanding effort throughout the season and incredible comeback win over Roswell High in the championship game. Athletes receiving special recognition, above, included, from left:
• Corbyn Dominguez, Keith Butler Special Forces Award
• Daelon Pacheco, Reese Hunter Award
• Edel Villa, Reese Hunter Award
• Marco Soto, Defensive MVP and Meacham Tackle Award
• Miguel Soto, Corey Tolle Fighting Heart Award
• Bryce Parra, Offensive MVP
• Derrick Warren, Leadership Award
• Joel Ochoa, Offensive Trench Award
• Chris Aguilar, Defensive Trench Award.

Eight members of the State Champion Bulldogs, below, then went on to compete Saturday, Dec. 6, in the New Mexico High School Coaches' Association's large-school Red-Green All-Star Game. Both the small- and large-school events were held at Bulldog Bowl, leading to a celebratory weekend like none other in the City of Champions. In addition to the All-Star Games, the City of Champions Classic kicked off basketball season in Artesia, and the Light Up Artesia electric light parade Thursday featured the hoops squads, the 5A champion Bulldog football team, and all members of the All-Star rosters. The Green Team came out on top in the large-school showdown, 20-13. Pictured with head coach Jeremy Maupin, center, are, from left:
• Bryce Parra
• Chris Aguilar
• Derrick Warren
• Marco Soto
• Jack Byers
• Tootie McNeil
• Charlie Campbell
• Edel Villa

(Photos by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

SOCCER

On Saturday, Nov. 15, two members of the 2025 Class 4A State Semifinalist Bulldog soccer team represented the City of Champions in the New Mexico High School Coaches' Association's Red-Green All-Star Soccer Game. Competing for the Green Team were, pictured above from left with Artesia head coach Phillip Jowers, midfielder Moises Corza and defender Cutter Summers.

During the team's end-of-season banquet, the following players received special recognition for their efforts throughout the season:
• Moises Corza, Varsity MVP and Varsity Golden Boot
• Anton Wodarz, Varsity Offensive Player of the Year
• Damian Lopez, Varsity Offensive Player of the Year
• Adan Rojas, Varsity Midfielder of the Year
• Joshua Vazquez, Varsity Defensive Player of the Year
• Cutter Summers, Varsity Defensive Player of the Year
• Adan Alva, Varsity The Bulldog Award
• Jayden Soto, Varsity Most Improved
• Ryker Hays, Varsity Golden Glove
• Azael Luna, JV MVP
• Nathan Perez, JV Golden Boot
• Emilio Gutierrez, JV Offensive Player of the Year
• Noel Ceniceros, JV Midfielder of the Year
• Aries Aguirre, JV Defensive Player of the Year
• Ediel Miranda, JV The Bulldog Award
• Dustin Yaste, JV Most Improved
• Maddox Hall, JV Golden Glove

Receiving All-State honors for the Bulldogs were:
• Moises Corza, First-Team forward
• Anton Wodarz, Second-Team midfielder
• Adan Rojas, Second-Team midfielder
• Cutter Summers, Second-Team defender

All-District First Team recipients included:
• Cutter Summers and Joshua Vazquez, defenders
• Moises Corza, Anton Wodarz and Adan Rojas, midfielders
• Samuel Nielson and Damian Lopez, strikers/forwards.

Named to the All-District Second Team were:
• Jorge Martinez and Couper Foster, defenders
• Jayden Soto and Adan Alva, midfielders
• Alexis Montanez and Jonathan Corza, strikers/forwards
• Ryker Hays, goalkeeper

All-District Honorable Mention went to Jackson Hollinger and Paul Miller, defenders. Corza was named District 4-AAAA's All-District Player of the Year, and Artesia head coach Phillip Jowers was named All-District Coach of the Year.

Both the Bulldog and Lady Bulldog soccer teams delivered historic seasons for the City of Champs, with the two programs earning undefeated District 4-AAAA championships at 6-0. The Bulldogs earned a No. 4 seed and a bye through the first round of the state playoffs before defeating Los Alamos 2-1 in a double-overtime state quarterfinal thriller at the Mack Chase Athletic Complex. The 'Dogs came up short of top-ranked and eventual state champion St. Pius in the semifinals in Albuquerque, 5-0. The No. 5 Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, also treated their home fans to overtime glory at The Mack, defeating Goddard in a sudden-death shootout to advance to the quarterfinal round. They fell there to No. 4 Los Alamos on the road, 3-0.

Pictured below are members of the Lady Bulldog team receiving special recognition at the end-of-season banquet. They are, from left:
• Marisa Martin, Set the Bar Award
• Marlyn Corza, MVP
• Mayra Garcia, Fighting Heart Award
• Abigail Jowers, Golden Boot
• Nataly Montanez-Acosta, Most Improved

Receiving Class 4A All-State honors were Corza, Second-Team defender, and Jowers, Second-Team forward/striker.

VOLLEYBALL

The Bulldog volleyball team held its end-of-season banquet in November, where awards were presented for achievements over the course of the 2025 season, which saw the Artesia finish as the runners-up of District 4-AAAA and a Class 4A state semifinalist. Pictured above from left are players receiving special recognition at the banquet:
• Adrienne Harvey, Bulldog Heart Award
• Avery Frederick, Most Improved
• Kailee Padilla, Most Outstanding Player and Coaches' ACEE Award (Attitude, Character, Enthusiasm and Effort)

Pictured below are athletes receiving All-District honors, from left:
• Jenna Whitmire, First Team
• Kirklyn Miller, First Team
• Kailee Padilla, First Team
• Breckyn Miller, Second Team
• Kaitlyn Addington, Second Team

(Pictures by Alan Williams)

BULLDOG BASKETBALL

City of Champions Classic

PICTURED: Charlie Campbell sinks a 10-foot jumper against Kirtland Central.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

As so often happens in the City of Champions, the 2025-26 Bulldog basketball team had essentially just met when the eponymous tournament began.

Ten of the 12 members of the 'Dogs' varsity roster were suiting out for the Class 5A state championship football game just five days prior. No sooner had they hoisted that blue trophy than they were swapping pads for jerseys and hitting the gym for the team's season opener against Kirtland Central in the first round of the City of Champs Classic. Needless to say, they would have been fully absolved had their performance been less than impressive. But in true Runnin' 'Dog style... it wasn't. At all.

The boys in orange came in like a wrecking ball Thursday, Dec. 4, against their fellow Class 4A Broncos at Bulldog Pit, putting on a show for the first dedicated indoor sports crowd of the season. Artesia hung 46 points on Kirtland in the first half alone while holding the Broncos to just 14 as they powered their way to a 73-20 win, announcing their presence as the defending 4A state champions with authority.

The football faction showed surprisingly few signs of rust in the outing. Trent Egeland came out on fire under the basket in the opening quarter, posting four baskets in the first four minutes of play. Charlie Campbell added a pair of buckets, Jack Byers two offensive putbacks, and Tootie McNeil one putback before the first eight minutes were up, with one of the team's only two gym rats -- Braylon Vega -- adding a pair of successful drives to the basket.

PICTURED: Jack Byers goes up and in with an offensive putback from beneath the rim.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

Up 22-7 going into the second, the 'Dogs kept the pedal to the metal, with Campbell posting the program's first treys of the season amidst 11 points in the period, Corbyn Dominguez adding five, Vega four, and Byers and Clay Kincaid a bucket apiece to Artesia's growing tally. The Bulldogs also held the Broncos to under 10 points for the second consecutive quarter to take a commanding 46-14 lead in at the break.

Defense continued to play a huge role for the Runnin' 'Dogs in the second half. Led by two baskets and two from the stripe by Dominguez in the third, Artesia would hold Kirtland to just a single basket in the final seconds of that period, and the Broncos were able to log only two -- both courtesy of junior Mallaki Atcitty -- in the fourth. Campbell scored Artesia's first nine points in that 15-point quarter as the boys in orange cruised to the 73-20 win and a trip to their home tourney's semifinals.

PICTURED: Braylon Vega puts one off the glass over Kirtland's Ethan Begaye.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

STAT BOX

Artesia 73
Kirtland Central 20

Artesia (1-0): Charlie Campbell 10, 3-5 26; Corbyn Dominguez 4, 3-5 11; Jack Byers 5, 0-0 10; Braylon Vega 5, 0-0 10; Trent Egeland 4, 0-0 8; Jace Deans 1, 0-0 2; Tootie McNeil 1, 0-2 2; Diego Morales 1, 0-0 2; Clay Kincaid 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 32, 6-12 73

Kirtland Central (0-4): Mallaki Atcitty 3, 0-2 6; Kollin Brady 2, 0-0 4; Ethan Begay 1, 0-0 3; Devon Charley 1, 0-0 3; Kole Boy 1, 0-0 2; Isaiah Dan 1, 0-0 2; Terrell Tanner 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 9, 0-4 20

Field Goals: Artesia 32; Kirtland Central 9
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Campbell 3); Kirtland Central 2 (Begay 1, Charley 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 6-12 (50%); Kirtland Central 0-4 (0%)
Turnovers: Artesia 8; Kirtland Central 18
Fouls: Artesia 5; Kirtland Central 9
Fouled Out: None

PICTURED: Trent Egeland puts up a jumper during the first half against Alamogordo.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Bulldogs' first Class 5A test of the season came in the form of the perennially tough Alamogordo Tigers, and as a Friday-night treat for a packed house at the Pit, the contest proved to be a fight to the finish.

Despite a pair of drives to the basket by Vega and a Kincaid fader early, the 'Dogs trailed the Tigers 12-7 at the midway point of the first quarter. With just under three minutes to go, a trey from Campbell gave the Bulldogs a boost, and a shot off the inbound pass under the basket by Kincaid and two from the line by Campbell put Artesia up with 1:48 on the clock, 14-12. Alamo was able to tie it up on a bucket from Aaron Herrera in the final seconds, however, and headed to the second up 16-14 on a drive for a layup at the buzzer by Jaedyn Hernandez.

The boys in orange got increased production in the paint from Kincaid -- who posted a shot off the glass and a pair of offensive putbacks in the period -- and Egeland -- who added a pair of buckets -- in the second quarter, along with an early running jumper and a three at the 40-second mark from Vega. But Alamogordo fared a bit better from both the field and the line in the final minutes of the first half, outscoring Artesia 19-16 to take a five-point lead in at the break, 35-30.

PICTURED: Clay Kincaid goes up for two over Alamogordo's Julian Favela in the third quarter.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

But the pause did the Bulldogs well. Artesia came out gangbusters on both ends of the court in the third quarter of their semifinal. The Tigers were able to outdo the 'Dogs 6-4 in the opening minutes of the half, but from there, the boys in orange would answer Alamogordo in bursts. A Hernandez baskets was followed by a drive to the hoop by Campbell and a free throw apiece from Kincaid and Vega to make it a three-point game, 41-38, with 5:20 to go, and one from the stripe by the Alamo sophomore was countered with a 6-0 run by Artesia that included an alley-oop putback by Egeland on the offensive boards, a shot off the glass by Kincaid off the dish from Campbell, and another long assist by Campbell that ended in a Cael Houghtaling dunk.

The 'Dogs' final rally would come in the final 3:25 of the quarter, as they once again held Alamo to a single basket before reeling off seven points on a shot in the paint and an old-fashioned three-point play from Vega and 1-2 showings from the line by Byers and Dominguez. That gave Artesia what turned out to be a vital seven-point lead going into the final eight, 51-44.

The two squads spent the opening minutes of the fourth going blow for blow, but Alamogordo was able to pull within a shot, 56-53, on a basket by Hernandez and a Herrera free throw. A Dominguez three off the bank with 4:30 remaining and back-to-back baskets by Egeland, however, bumped Artesia's advantage to 10, 63-53, as the contest fell under three minutes. The Tigers sandwiched a Kincaid offensive putback and countered a Campbell free throw with three points to cut their deficit to six, 66-60, but at that point, just 33 seconds remained in the game. Kincaid hit the second of two from the line at the 15-second mark, and the Tigers missed their final free throws five seconds later as Artesia closed out the 67-60 win.

Kincaid finished with 23 points for the Bulldogs, followed by Vega with 16, Campbell with 11, and Egeland with 10. Alamogordo's Hernandez led all scorers with 25.

PICTURED: Cael Houghtaling throws down a dunk on a long pass from Charlie Campbell.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

STAT BOX

Artesia 67
Alamogordo 60

Artesia (2-0): Clay Kincaid 10, 3-6 23; Braylon Vega 6, 3-6 16; Charlie Campbell 3, 4-6 11; Trent Egeland 5, 0-2 10; Corbyn Dominguez 1, 1-4 4; Cael Houghtaling 1, 0-0 2; Jack Byers 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 26, 12-26 67

Alamogordo (2-1): Jaedyn Hernandez 11, 3-7 25; Aaron Herrera 6, 2-7 16; Julian Favela 2, 2-2 8; William Bynum 1, 2-4 4; Jaycob Ochoa 0, 3-4 3; Ethan Grinder 1, 0-0 2; Andrew Herrera 0, 2-2 2
Totals: 21, 14-26 60

Field Goals: Artesia 26; Alamogordo 21
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Campbell 1, Dominguez 1, Vega 1); Alamogordo 4 (Favela 2, Aa. Herrera 2)
Free Throws: Artesia 12-26 (46%); Alamogordo 14-26 (54%)
Turnovers: Artesia 15; Alamogordo 13
Fouls: Artesia 16; Alamogordo 24
Fouled Out: Artesia 0; Alamogordo 1 (Ochoa, :36-4Q)

PICTURED: Braylon Vega hits a three over Rio Rancho's David Santistevan during the first half.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Bulldogs weren't looking for a free ride in their season debut, loading their home tournament with some of the top competition in the state. Their advancement to the City of Champions championship, therefore, saw them squaring off Saturday with the then-top-ranked team in Class 5A: the Rams of Rio Rancho.

The Rams wasted no time putting their physicality on display, but the Bulldogs were by no means backing down, hanging right with them through the first quarter of play. An opening fader from Vega was followed by a dunk and a jumper by Kincaid to give Artesia a quick 6-2 lead. Rio Rancho introduced what would become their difference-making prowess from beyond the arc via back-to-back treys from senior guard Jordan McNeely, but a three and two from the stripe from Vega and a Campbell jumper helped keep the 'Dogs within five going into the second, 18-13.

As the Rams continued also to display their rebounding technique -- knocking people flat -- in that period, the Bulldogs began to show their first real signs of fatigue on the weekend. That led to a few uncharacteristic turnovers and easy opportunities for the boys in blue and green, and by the time Kayden Decker drained Rio Rancho's fourth three-pointer of the contest with 2:30 to go in the first half, Artesia's five-point deficit had ballooned to 15, 34-19. Unfortunately, Decker's trey also opened a 10-0 run for the Rams, who rode a Cayden Richardson dunk, a longball from Davi Santistevan, and a Colton Marker layup to a 22-point halftime lead, 41-19.

The Bulldogs came out refreshed for the third quarter, getting good looks in and out of the paint that resulted in six points for both Kincaid and Campbell in the period. Three more treys from Rio Rancho, however, helped them outscore Artesia 19-17 regardless, and from there, the Rams were able to coast, once again limiting the Bulldogs to single-digit scoring in the fourth while knocking down three more trifectas to round out the 79-44 final and take the City of Champs first-place trophy. The 'Dogs' runner-up, 2-1 showing on just three days of practice, however, let the state know that the defending champs were back in business. Campbell finished with 45 total points on the tournament, Kincaid 39, and Vega 35.

STAT BOX

Rio Rancho 79
Artesia 44

Artesia (2-1): Clay Kincaid 7, 0-0 14; Braylon Vega 2, 4-4 9; Charlie Campbell 3, 1-4 8; Trent Egeland 1, 2-4 4; Corbyn Dominguez 1, 0-0 2; Cael Houghtaling 1, 0-0 2; Tootie McNeil 1, 0-0 2; Derrick Warren 1, 0-0 2; Jack Byers 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 17, 8-14 44

Rio Rancho (5-0): Davi Santistevan 6, 1-1 17; Jordan McNeely 4, 0-0 12; Kayden Decker 5, 0-1 11; Noah Lovato 4, 1-2 10; Cayden Richardson 4, 1-1 9; Dashon Bynum 3, 0-1 6; Chris Lucero 1, 3-3 6; Jalen Johnson 1, 2-2 4; Colton Marker 1, 0-0 2; Ardem Morales 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 30, 8-11 79

Field Goals: Artesia 17; Rio Rancho 30
Three-Pointers: Artesia 2 (Campbell 1, Vega 1); Rio Rancho 11 (McNeely 4, Santistevan 4, Decker 1, Lovato 1, Lucero 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 8-14 (57%); Rio Rancho 8-11 (73%)
Turnovers: Artesia 17; Rio Rancho 5
Fouls: Artesia 12; Rio Rancho 20
Fouled Out: Artesia 1 (McNeil, 1:03-4Q)

Versus Valencia

PICTURED: Jack Byers lofts one off the backboard for two between Valencia's Markus Medina (11) and Luke Terrell (12).
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Bulldogs couldn't have gotten off to a much slower start Dec. 12 at Bulldog Pit in their second competition of the season against a fellow 4A opponent. But the boys in orange were able to shake off the shooting blues -- and a nine-point halftime deficit -- in the final quarters for a 45-30 win over the Valencia Jaguars.

Artesia couldn't seem to buy a bucket in its home gym in the first half. The 'Dogs managed just two field goals in both the first and second quarters: a Braylon Vega layup off a steal by Charlie Campbell and a Jack Byers offensive putback in the first, and another putback from Byers and a drive to the hoop by Vega in the second. That easily could have proven disastrous, but to their credit, the Bulldogs made up for it on the defensive end, holding the Jaguars to single-digit scoring as well: eight points in the first, nine in the second.

That left Artesia with an easily bridgeable gap at the break, 17-8, and they wasted no time getting construction underway in the third. The 'Dogs kicked off that quarter with an 18-0 run that included two old-fashioned three-point plays from Vega and two buckets apiece by Cael Houghtaling and Clay Kincaid to quickly turn the tables, 26-17. Valencia wouldn't post its first two -- and, as it happened, only -- points of the quarter until the 27-second mark on a pair from the line by Carin Bustillos, and the Bulldogs got two from Byers before period's end to lead 28-19 going into the fourth.

There, the Jags countered with their highest-scoring quarter of the game, but the damage had been undone and then done for the Bulldogs, who tacked 17 more -- including seven from Vega and four apiece by Houghtaling and Kincaid -- to their total to close out the 45-30 victory. Vega led all scorers on the night with 18, while Bustillos finished with 12 for Valencia.

STAT BOX

Artesia 45
Valencia 30

Artesia (3-1): Braylon Vega 7, 4-6 18; Clay Kincaid 4, 1-3 9; Jack Byers 3, 2-2 8; Cael Houghtaling 3, 2-2 8; Tootie McNeil 1, 0-2 2
Totals: 18, 9-15 45

Valencia (4-4): Carin Bustillos 4, 4-5 12; Jai Russ 4, 0-0 8; Markus Medina 2, 0-1 5; Javin Garcia 1, 0-0 3; Jared Porter 0, 2-2 2
Totals: 11, 6-8 30

Field Goals: Artesia 18; Valencia 11
Three-Pointers: Artesia 0; Valencia 2 (Garcia 1, Medina 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 9-15 (60%); Valencia 6-8 (75%)
Turnovers: Artesia 20; Valencia 12
Fouls: Artesia 17; Valencia 13
Fouled Out: None

LADY BULLDOG BASKETBALL

Season Opener

PICTURED: Ashton Craft puts one up for two during the first half against Santa Teresa. Craft had seven points in the opening quarters.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The 2025-26 Lady Bulldog basketball team couldn't have been more efficient out of the gate in its traditional late-November opener against Santa Teresa at Bulldog Pit.

With the Lady Desert Warriors also seeing their first action of the season, both teams obviously spent much of the game shaking off preseason rust. But the Lady 'Dogs still hit the ground running offensively, posting 18 points in the opening quarter and 22 more in the second. With Santa Teresa, meanwhile, posting just a single, second-quarter field goal in the opening half, that gave the girls in orange a commanding 40-3 lead at the break.

Avery Frederick and Jenna Whitmire delivered six points apiece under the basket in the first quarter of play, while Artesia's shooting guards did the bulk of the damage in the second. Brooklyn Fuentes accounted for six points in that quarter, while Ashton Craft and Jordan Rone both added five.

Santa T. would not fare much better offensively in the final 16 minutes of play, going scoreless in the third period before putting up a pair of buckets in the fourth. The Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, knocked down their first three-pointers of the year -- two from Craft and one by Fuentes -- in a 23-point second half that saw Gracen Kuykendall take over the paint for five shots off the glass.

Craft finished with 15 points on the evening to lead all scorers, followed by Kuykendall with 12 and Fuentes with nine. Nine of the 11 Lady Bulldogs who saw action in the bout delivered points in the 63-9 win.

STAT BOX

Artesia 63
Santa Teresa 9

Artesia (1-0): Ashton Craft 6, 1-2 15; Gracen Kuykendall 5, 2-3 12; Brooklyn Fuentes 4, 0-0 9; Avery Frederick 3, 0-0 6; Desiray Savoie 3, 0-1 6; Jenna Whitmire 3, 0-0 6; Jordan Rone 2, 1-4 5; Peyton Barela 1, 0-0 2; Emma Morrisett 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 28, 4-10 63

Santa Teresa (0-1): Amberlee Rodriguez 1, 1-2 3; #2 0, 2-2 2; Jocelyn Gonzalez 1, 0-1 2; Kimberly Renteria 1, 0-2 2
Totals: 3, 3-9 9

Field Goals: Artesia 28; Santa Teresa 3
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Craft 2, Fuentes 1); Santa Teresa 0
Free Throws: Artesia 4-10 (40%); Santa Teresa 3-9 (33%)
Turnovers: Artesia 18; Santa Teresa 34
Fouls: Artesia 6; Santa Teresa 7
Fouled Out: None

City of Champions Classic

PICTURED: Avery Frederick puts up two ahead of Alamogordo's Julianna Centrella.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Lady Bulldogs knew when they scheduled Alamogordo as their City of Champions Classic first-round opponent that they were in for a test. With aggressive defense that helped limit the girls in orange to 10 points or fewer in all four quarters of play, the Class 5A Lady Tigers provided just that.

Despite their offensive struggles, Artesia was able to pull within five of Alamo with three minutes still remaining in the game. But in a contest that featured nearly three times as many free throws as field goals, the Lady 'Dogs missed a few too many from the stripe in a seven-point loss, 40-33.

Hindered by turnovers -- Artesia committed 18 in the opening half -- the Lady Bulldogs struggled from the field in the first quarter, hitting just a pair of shots from the field: an opening bucket in the paint from Gracen Kuykendall and a basket-and-one by Kailee Padilla in the final two minutes and 20 seconds of play. The Lady Tigers, meanwhile, came out a bit better, getting seven points from Madison Flores and four from Mariah Allen to lead 13-8 going into the second. Completely different factors came into play in that quarter, as the Lady 'Dogs showed improvement from the field -- getting two buckets from Avery Frederick and one each from Kuykendall and Ashton Craft -- compared to Alamo's one FG, but the Tigers went to the line 17 times to Artesia's four. Converting 10 of their freebies allowed the girls in gold to still outscore the Lady Bulldogs in the quarter, 12-10, to carry a 25-18 lead in at the half.

The third quarter was an evenly matched one for the most part. Alamogordo again outshot Artesia from the field, but Padilla made three trips to the stripe, making good on five of her six attempts to keep the Lady 'Dogs within striking distance going into the fourth, 36-27. Three more trips to the line by Padilla in the early goings of the fourth brought the Artesia girls within five, 36-31, with 3:09 on the clock. But the Lady Bulldogs did all of their scoring from the free-throw line in the final eight minutes, going 2-6 the rest of the way. The Lady Tigers, meanwhile, posted just a single basket of their own in the fourth, but it was enough to hold onto their lead in the 40-33 win.

Alamo's Allen led all scorers in the bout with 16 points, while Padilla finished with 13 for Artesia and Kuykendall 10.

STAT BOX

Alamogordo 40
Artesia 33

Artesia (1-1): Kailee Padilla 1, 11-19 13; Gracen Kuykendall 2, 6-8 10; Avery Frederick 3, 0-0 6; Ashton Craft 1, 0-2 2; Desiray Savoie 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 8, 17-31 33

Alamogordo (1-1): Mariah Allen 5, 6-9 16; Madisen Flores 3, 4-8 11; Addyson Gonzalez 1, 3-4 5; Julianna Centrella 1, 0-0 3; Danielle Covarrubia 1, 0-0 2; Breanna Padilla 1, 0-0 2; Kaydin Lueras 0, 1-2 1; Kylie Beach 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 12, 14-25 40

Field Goals: Artesia 8; Alamogordo 12
Three-Pointers: Artesia 0; Alamogordo 2 (Centrella 1, Flores 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 17-31 (55%); Alamogordo 14-25 (56%)
Turnovers: Artesia 25; Alamogordo 16
Fouls: Artesia 10; Alamogordo 7
Fouled Out: Artesia 1 (Padilla, 4Q); Alamogordo 1 (Gonzalez, 4Q)

PICTURED: Kailee Padilla puts one off the glass over Bel Air's Mia Duran in the final seconds of the third quarter.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

It again took the Lady Bulldogs a bit to charge their battery offensively in their next City of Champions Classic outing against El Paso Bel Air. But once they did, they kept the pedal to the metal, turning a 16-16 halftime tie into a 51-36 win to advance to the tournament's fifth-place game.

Artesia jumped out to an early lead in the contest on a pair from the line by Padilla and a shot off the glass on the inbound pass under the basket by Jordan Rone. An old-fashioned three-point play from Padilla and a Craft trey at the midway point kept the Lady 'Dogs' lead intact, and after Bel Air tied it up on an offensive putback from Danielle Puente, a Kuykendall free throw put Artesia back up by one going into the second, 11-10. That quarter would be a low-scoring one for both squads. A drive to the hoop and a free throw from Padilla would open the period for the Lady 'Dogs, but they wouldn't score again until the one-minute mark on a shot in the paint from Kuykendall. That left the door open for the Lady Highlanders to tie things up at the break on their only two field goals of the second: a pair of treys by Yanais Torres and Lillian O'Donnell.

The Lady Bulldogs came out strong on both sides of the ball in the third, however. Two quick layups off turnovers by Rone and Brooklyn Fuentes restored Artesia's lead, and a three-pointer from Craft was followed by a 6-0 run that consisted of two layups from Padilla and a Fuentes offensive putback. A last-second three from Bel Air's Torres cut the Lady 'Dogs' edge back to six, 30-24, heading into the fourth, but the girls in orange had saved their best for last.

Buckets from Padilla, Kuykendall and Craft bumped Artesia's lead to eight, 37-29, by the halfway point, but the Highlanders were able to inch back within a shot with help from another O'Donnell longball. A Fuentes putback and two under the basket from Frederick and Rone, however, would expand the gap once again, and Padilla went on a solo tear in the final two minutes of play, posting a trio of breakaway layups and two from the stripe to round out the 51-36 final.

Padilla led all scorers with 24 on the game, followed by Craft with eight. Torres had 14 for Bel Air.

STAT BOX

Artesia 51
El Paso Bel Air 36

Artesia (2-1): Kailee Padilla 8, 8-12 24; Ashton Craft 3, 0-0 8; Brooklyn Fuentes 3, 0-0 6; Jordan Rone 3, 0-0 6; Gracen Kuykendall 2, 1-2 5; Avery Frederick 1, 0-2 2
Totals: 20, 9-16 51

Bel Air (8-6): Yanais Torres 5, 0-2 14; Layla Guzman 3, 0-4 6; Lillian O'Donnel 2, 0-2 6; Danielle Puente 2, 1-2 5; Ailyn Tiscareno 1, 0-0 3; Janiyah Menarez 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 14, 1-10 36

Field Goals: Artesia 20; Bel Air 14
Three-Pointers: Artesia 2 (Craft 2); Bel Air 7 (Torres 4, O'Donnell 2, Tiscareno 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 9-16 (56%); Bel Air 1-10 (10%)
Turnovers: Artesia 12; Bel Air 19
Fouls: Artesia 11; Bel Air 13
Fouled Out: None

PICTURED: The Lady Bulldogs finished sixth overall in their home tournament.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The girls' division fifth-place game wound up a Southeast New Mexico special, as the Lady Bulldogs found themselves matched up with former longtime district rivals Roswell High. The now-Class 5A Lady Coyotes had fallen to Albuquerque Academy to open the City of Champs, 56-29, before taking it out on Carlsbad, 50-24. But while the girls in orange gave them all they could handle, Roswell was able to claim the consolation championship in the end, 58-53.

Both squads came out gangbusters Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Pit, doing damage both within and beyond the arc. An opening bucket from Craft and a pair of layups by Padilla combined with a Rone three-pointer to give Artesia an early 9-6 lead. Roswell was able to turn the tables with a 10-0 run that included treys by Seriyah Minner and Adamaris Vasquez, but the Lady 'Dogs would reel off seven unanswered of their own -- a three and a pair from the line by Padilla and a Kuykendall offensive putback -- to knot the game at 16 with just over a minute to go in the first. Another three from Minner helped put the Coyotes back in front, but a late basket by Rone kept Artesia within a shot going into the second, 20-18.

The Lady Bulldogs started that quarter strong on a pair of jumpers from Kuykendall but got a bit less potent offensively as the first half waned. That allowed Roswell High to piece together a 9-1 stretch that saw them up by nine, 32-23, with two minutes to go in the second. Again the Lady 'Dogs responded, however, with Padilla nailing a three at the 1:30 mark and Craft a second longball with 45 seconds to go to make it a five-point game at the break, 34-29.

The Artesia girls staged a coup in the third, quickly reversing the lead on an old-fashioned three-point play by Padilla, a modern trey from Craft, and a shot in the paint by Frederick that made it 38-37. The Lady Coyotes were thrice able to tie things up as the quarter progressed, but a bucket from Kuykendall with 12 seconds to go sent the Lady Bulldogs into the fourth with a two-point lead, 44-42. That advantage would hold through much of the first four minutes of play, thanks to a drive to the hoop and a free throw by Padilla. But with 4:30 remaining in the game, Vasquez would follow a three-pointer with a turn-around jumper and an and-one to put Roswell back up by four, 53-49. While holding the Lady 'Dogs scoreless, the Coyotes would tack on four more on a Vasquez jumper and a pair from the stripe by Jasmine Weathersby. And although a long two from Rone made it a six-point game, 57-51, with time left for another comeback, Artesia wouldn't score again until the final 14 seconds on a Padilla layup that set the final tally, 58-53.

Padilla delivered her second consecutive 20-plus-point game for Artesia with 22 on the afternoon, while Roswell senior Vasquez led all scorers with 26.

STAT BOX

Roswell High 58
Artesia 53

Artesia (2-2): Kailee Padilla 8, 4-5 22; Ashton Craft 3, 1-2 9; Gracen Kuykendall 4, 0-2 8; Jordan Rone 3, 0-0 7; Avery Frederick 3, 0-0 6; Jade Hammond 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 21, 6-11 53

Roswell (3-1): Adamaris Vasquez 9, 5-7 26; Seriyah Minner 4, 1-2 12; Abigail Morales 3, 0-0 6; Mireya Patino 3, 0-0 6; Jovianie Martinez 2, 0-2 4; Jasmine Weathersby 0, 3-4 3; Aaliyah Alfaro 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 21, 10-17 58

Field Goals: Artesia 21; Roswell 21
Three-Pointers: Artesia 5 (Craft 2, Padilla 2, Rone 1); Roswell 6 (Minner 3, Vasquez 3)
Free Throws: Artesia 6-11 (55%); Roswell 10-17 (59%)
Turnovers: Artesia 11; Roswell 7
Fouls: Artesia 15; Roswell 14
Fouled Out: None

Versus Clovis

PICTURED: Jordan Rone goes up through the middle for a shot against Clovis at Bulldog Pit.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

When the second half began Dec. 9 against Clovis at Bulldog Pit, the Lady Bulldogs were staring down a 17-point deficit. Hindered by misses, turnovers, and a fast and furious start by the Lady Wildcats in the opening quarters, the girls in orange had managed just five field goals and 15 total points. And with three minutes to go in the third, the 'Cats had bumped their lead to an even 20, 42-22.

But the girls in orange aren't the type to throw in the towel. As the final seconds of the third quarter waned, the Lady 'Dogs began to chip away, little by little. Consecutive buckets from Craft, Padilla and Kuykendall provided the first burst of momentum. Another 5-0 run that consisted of a turnaround jumper by Frederick with just over a minute on the clock, one of two from the free-throw line by Padilla at the 43-second mark, and a 2-2 showing from the stripe by Kuykendall with 22 seconds left comprised a second. Clovis countered with a three-pointer from Andrea Chavez, but with seven seconds left, Padilla went back to the line, where she delivered two more. And while it may have seemed like a drop in the bucket at the time, the Lady Bulldogs headed into the fourth and final quarter having shrunk the gap from 20 to 12.

They weren't done yet. A shot off the glass by Frederick, a breakaway layup off the steal by Padilla, and a Kuykendall offensive putback in the opening minutes later, the Artesia girls had pulled back within six of the Class 5A Wildcats with 5:20 still to go in the game.

Unfortunately, the Lady 'Dogs weren't able to inch closer from there. Clovis isn't ranked in 5A for nothing, and the Lady 'Cats used a trey from their top scorer, Camryn Morales, and a pair of buckets by McKenna Weaver and Mariana Villezcas to widen the margin just enough to fend Artesia off through the final horn despite two more successful drives to the hoop from Padilla. But the nine-point loss, 54-45, was a far cry from the double-digit deficit that had seemed insurmountable just minutes before as the shorthanded Lady Bulldogs proved to themselves what they're capable of overcoming.

The outcome also proved that, with just a bit less misfortune in the first half, the complexion of the game could've been very different. Artesia struggled with turnovers in the first quarter, which helped limit them to just a pair of field goals, both courtesy of Padilla. Still, the Lady Wildcats' lead was just four, 12-8, going into the second. There, however, the 'Cats' shooting hands began to warm up, and Clovis was able to hang 20 points on the Lady 'Dogs, whose woes from the field continued in a seven-point period that left them down 32-15 at the break.

Padilla led all scorers in the bout with 24, while Morales finished with 20 for Clovis.

STAT BOX

Clovis 54
Artesia 45

Artesia (2-3): Kailee Padilla 8, 8-11 24; Avery Frederick 4, 0-0 8; Gracen Kuykendall 2, 4-4 8; Ashton Craft 2, 0-2 4; Desiray Savoie 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 16, 13-19 45

Clovis (4-1): Camryn Morales 8, 2-4 20; Brynn Petner 4, 1-2 9; Kerrington Goff 4, 0-0 8; Mariana Villezcas 3, 2-2 8; Andrea Chavez 1, 2-8 5; McKenna Weaver 1, 2-4 4
Totals: 21, 9-20 54

Field Goals: Artesia 16; Clovis 21
Three-Pointers: Artesia 0; Clovis 3 (Morales 2, Chavez 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 13-19 (68%); Clovis 9-20 (45%)
Turnovers: Artesia 13; Clovis 7
Fouls: Artesia 14; Clovis 18
Fouled Out: Artesia 1 (Rone, :07-4Q); Clovis 0

Joe Armijo Basketball Classic

PICTURED: The Lady Bulldogs huddle up around head coach Candace Pollard during the City of Champions Classic at Bulldog Pit.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The Lady Bulldogs didn't sign on for Albuquerque Academy's Joe Armijo Basketball Classic to pad their record. They headed north looking to test themselves against some of the top teams the state has to offer, and they certainly got their wish with their first-round opponent: two-time defending Class 5A State Champion Sandia.

It goes without saying, then, that the Lady Matadors were a tough opening row to hoe. Sandia was a nonstop whirling dervish of both hot-shooting offense and quick-handed defense, and it showed on the scoreboard. The Matadors opened with 17 points in the first quarter and followed that up with a 23-point second to take a commanding 40-16 lead at the half. Artesia managed just four points in the first on a pair of buckets by Kuykendall but battled back with their most successful period of the game offensively in the second. Kuykendall delivered two more shots in the paint in that quarter, as did Frederick, and Padilla had a layup and a pair from the stripe.

There was ultimately little the Lady 'Dogs could do to stem the tide, however. Sandia tacked 21 more to its total in the third -- another four-point quarter for Artesia -- to set the mercy-rule clock in motion, 61-20. The Lady Bulldogs were able to outscore the Lady Matadors 9-6 in that abbreviated eight minutes on a pair of baskets by Craft and one each from Padilla and Emma Morrisett to set the 67-29 final. Sandia had four players in double-digit scoring on the morning, with Kaiyah Benally and Alasia Tenoria tying for high-point with 15. Kuykendall and Padilla finished with eight each for Artesia.

The Lady Bulldogs' second consecutive 5A opponent of the tournament -- and fifth of the season -- would come in the form of Organ Mountain, and Artesia would rebound with an all-around solid outing. The girls in orange held the Lady Knights to single-digit scoring in the first three quarters of play and had a much-improved day from the field. The Lady 'Dogs kicked off the contest with an offensive putback from Kuykendall and a Craft trey, which was followed by a 5-0 run from Padilla to make it 10-5. A short-range jumper in the paint by Kuykendall and a Frederick shot on the block in the final seconds had Artesia up 14-7 going into the second. There, the Lady Bulldogs held the Knights to just a single field goal -- an early trey from Gabriella Herrera -- while continuing to build their lead with help from a pair of Padilla layups and a bucket each by Craft and Frederick.

Up 25-13 heading into the second half, the Lady 'Dogs saw their lead cut to six in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter, but Padilla went on another tear, delivering eight to re-widen the gap, 35-22. The senior put up six more points in the fourth as the Artesia girls cruised to a 47-32 win. Padilla finished with 23 points on the contest.

The win boosted the Lady Bulldogs back into another consolation final, this time against Class 4A fourth-ranked Hope Christian. And although the girls in orange battled, trailing the Lady Huskies by just nine at the break, Hope was able to pull away in the end with help from eight three-pointers on the day.

The Lady 'Dogs were quickly introduced to Hope Christian's 6-foot wing Abrianna Bishop in the contest. In fact, the junior took them on single-handedly in the first quarter and came out on top by five. With Kuykendall delivering a trio of baskets in the paint for Artesia in the opening period and Craft and Padilla a bucket apiece, Bishop's two treys, four jumpers, and pair from the free-throw line had the Huskies up 16-11 going into the second. There, Artesia hit just four from the field -- two baskets each from Padilla and Kuykendall -- as Hope Christian drained two more three's to help bump them into double digits. But the girls in orange headed in at the half down by a manageable nine, 28-19.

Unfortunately, while the Lady Huskies' offense heated up in the second half -- with Hope putting together 17 points in both the third and fourth quarters -- the Lady Bulldogs were still unable to jump start their shooting. Led by nine points from Adalynn Day, Hope Christian was therefore able to expand their lead to 15, 45-30, heading into the fourth. Three more early longballs in the final eight minutes -- two from Jocelyn Willis and one by Bishop -- quickly punched that advantage over the 20-point mark, leaving the Lady 'Dogs with too little time to respond in the eventual 62-42 loss.

Bishop led all scorers on the afternoon with 26 points, followed by Kuykendall with 17 for Artesia as the Lady Bulldogs moved to 3-5 on the season with the sixth-place finish.

STAT BOXES

Sandia 67
Artesia 29

Artesia (2-4): Gracen Kuykendall 4, 0-4 8; Kailee Padilla 2, 4-6 8; Ashton Craft 3, 0-1 6; Avery Frederick 2, 0-0 4; Emma Morrisett 1, 0-0 2; Jordan Rone 0, 1-2 1; Jade Hammond 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 12, 5-15 29

Sandia (5-1): Kaiyah Benally 4, 6-6 15; Alasia Tenorio 6, 3-3 15; Chloe Brown 6, 0-0 14; Mikayla Hogan 4, 1-2 10; Taeya Baker 2, 0-0 6; Jabrece Minnifield 2, 0-0 5; Nakya Locke 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 25, 10-11 67

Field Goals: Artesia 12; Sandia 25
Three-Pointers: Artesia 0; Sandia 7 (Baker 2, Brown 2, Benally 1, Hogan 1, Minnifield 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 5-15 (33%); Sandia 10-11 (91%)
Turnovers: Artesia 26; Sandia 10
Fouls: Artesia 13; Sandia 13
Fouled Out: None

Artesia 47
Organ Mountain 32

Artesia (3-4): Kailee Padilla 9, 5-12 23; Ashton Craft 3, 2-2 9; Avery Frederick 3, 0-0 6; Gracen Kuykendall 3, 0-2 6; Brooklyn Fuentes 0, 2-2 2; Emma Morrisett 0, 1-4 1
Totals: 18, 10-22 47

Organ Mountain (2-3): Liliana Lindley 3, 4-8 10; Alyssa Silva 3, 2-4 9; Gabriella Herrera 1, 1-2 4; Alyssa Carnathan 1, 0-0 3; Kenidee Clay 0, 2-2 2; April Herrod 1, 0-2 2; Makenley Monroe 0, 1-2 1; Jazalyn Pate 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 9, 11-22 32

Field Goals: Artesia 18; Organ Mountain 9
Three-Pointers: Artesia 1 (Craft); Organ Mountain 3 (Carnathan 1, Herrera 1, Silva 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 10-22 (45%); Organ Mountain 11-22 (50%)
Turnovers: Artesia 11; Organ Mountain 15
Fouls: Artesia 19; Organ Mountain 21
Fouled Out: Artesia 2 (Frederick, 6:07-4Q; Peyton Barela, 1:12-4Q); Organ Mountain 0

Hope Christian 62
Artesia 42

Artesia (3-5): Gracen Kuykendall 8, 1-2 17; Kailee Padilla 4, 3-4 11; Ashton Craft 2, 0-0 4; Brooklyn Fuentes 1, 1-2 4; Avery Frederick 1, 0-0 2; Jordan Rone 1, 0-0 2; Desiray Savoie 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 18, 5-8 42

Hope Christian (5-1): Abrianna Bishop 10, 2-2 26; Adalynn Day 7, 0-0 16; Jocelyn Willis 3, 0-0 8; Annabelle Deshler 1, 2-2 4; Louisa Landavazo 2, 0-0 4; Britain Comacho 1, 0-0 2; Malayna Velasquez 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 25, 4-4 62

Field Goals: Artesia 18; Hope Christian 25
Three-Pointers: Artesia 1 (Fuentes); Hope Christian 8 (Bishop 4, Day 2, Willis 2)
Free Throws: Artesia 5-8 (63%); Hope Christian 4-4 (100%)
Turnovers: Artesia 20; Hope Christian 10
Fouls: Artesia 8; Hope Christian 13
Fouled Out: None