PICTURED: Frankie Galindo swats off Lovington defender Ondalis Cardenas en route to the game's first touchdown from 41 yards out.
(TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
Your Artesia Bulldogs are heading home tonight with a statement-making win under their belts.
In a District 2-AAAAA showdown between two of Class 5A's top-three teams Friday in 'Cat Country, the third-ranked 'Dogs handed the No. 1 Lovington Wildcats their first loss, 57-21. With the win, Artesia improves to 4-2 on the season, 3-0 in D2 play, while Lovington drops to 5-1, 2-1.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick start, with senior running back Frankie Galindo dodging defenders -- and stiff-arming the last would-be tackler -- en route to a 41-yard touchdown run on Artesia's first play from scrimmage. The Corbyn Dominguez PAT made it 7-0 just 23 seconds into the game.
The Wildcats capped their first offensive series with a six-yard run by Ondalis Cardenas to tie things up, but Artesia quarterback Izac Cazares found a leaping Jack Byers from 32 yards out to put the 'Dogs back in front, 14-7, with 3:45 to go in the first quarter.
PICTURED: Jack Byers looks in a 32-yard touchdown pass from Izac Cazares.
(TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
And the 'Dogs kept the pedal down from there.
An interception by Lovington to start the second quarter was negated when the ball was stripped and recovered by Bryce Parra at the Wildcat one-yard line, and Galindo would run it in from there. A successful conversion pass from Diego Lopez to Jaden Waldrip made it 22-7 Bulldogs.
Artesia took more wind out of the 'Cats' sails on the ensuing kickoff, when a big hit by Parra jarred the ball loose and Julian Baeza was there to scoop it up, returning it to the Lovington 27. Galindo would deliver his third touchdown of the half moments later on a 13-yard run.
PICTURED: Frankie Galindo drags Lovington's Kyler Reaves over the goal line for a one-yard score.
(TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
The 'Dogs made it 36-7 with 47 seconds remaining in the second quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Cazares, but the Wildcats were able to squeeze in their second touchdown of the half just prior to the horn on a 44-yard pass from Mathew Prudencio to Jayden Gutierrez at the five-second mark.
Up 36-13 going into the third quarter, the Bulldogs picked up where they'd left off, with the Orange Crush defense shutting down Lovington's first drive to give the offense the ball at the Wildcat 40. Cazares would proceed to hit Ethan Conn from the 21 to make it 43-13.
Charlie Campbell then returned the ball to the Big Orange offense with an interception near midfield, and the 'Dogs put the 35-point mercy-rule clock in motion with 3:48 to go in the third, 50-13, on a screen pass from Cazares to Galindo and 41-yard score.
PICTURED: Izac Cazares barrels in from the three.
(TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
A tipped pass by Prudencio was picked off by Ayden Huffman, but the 'Cats would intercept it right back to briefly stop the running clock with a six-yard TD pass from Prudencio to Camon Ochoa. A huge INT by Edel Villa would help them start it back up, however, as the junior corner returned the ball from the Artesia two to the Lovington 10. Parra ran it in from there, with help from a big block by Lopez, to round out the final, 57-21.
The Bulldogs will now prepare for an early game day this week, as they travel to Santa Teresa for a 7 p.m. kickoff Thursday, Oct. 3. The 1-5, 0-3 Desert Warriors fell to Roswell High Friday night, 47-0.
PICTURED: Ethan Conn dives over the goal line for a 21-yard score.
(TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
• Artesia- Frankie Galindo 41-run (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 11:37
• Lovington- Ondalis Cardenas 6-run (Caleb Aranda kick good), 6:20
• Artesia- Jack Byers 32-pass from Izac Cazares (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 3:45
SECOND QUARTER
• Artesia- Frankie Galindo 1-run (Diego Lopez to Jaden Waldrip pass good), 9:45
• Artesia- Frankie Galindo 13-run (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 8:15
• Artesia- Izac Cazares 3-run (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), :47
• Lovington- Jayden Gutierrez 44-pass from Mathew Prudencio (pass fails), :05
THIRD QUARTER
• Artesia- Ethan Conn 21-pass from Izac Cazares (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 7:31
• Artesia- Frankie Galindo 41-pass from Izac Cazares (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 3:48
FOURTH QUARTER
• Lovington- Camon Ochoa 6-pass from Mathew Prudencio (Ondalis Cardenas run good), 11:10
• Artesia- Bryce Parra 10-run (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 8:35