PREVIOUS WINTER SPORTS WRAPS
• Fall sports go out with a bang as hoops season kicks off with City of Champions Classic
• Hoops teams pick up pre-holiday wins; swimmers racking up state qualifications; wrestling starts season strong; bowlers back on track for big year
• Runnin' 'Dogs finish third in Hobbs Holiday Tournament; Lady Bulldogs kick off new year with 4A win

BULLDOG BASKETBALL

Eddy County War, Round 2

PICTURED: Clay Kincaid puts an exclamation point on the Bulldogs' win over Carlsbad at Bulldog Pit with a dunk in the final moments.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

One low-scoring quarter, a few missed layups, a turnover too many... little details added up for the Bulldogs Dec. 19 to spell the difference in a six-point defeat at the hands of county rival Carlsbad on the road. The boys in orange were determined not to make the same mistakes the second time around. And the difference this time was clear.

After a dead heat with the Class 5A Cavemen through the first half, 22-22, the Runnin' 'Dogs exited the locker room with the afterburners on for the third quarter. With solid shooting in their home gym and an aggressive defensive effort that limited Carlsbad to just two points in the period, the Artesia boys were able to build a 13-point lead that ultimately made the difference in their eventual 51-36 win.

Artesia kicked off the third with 13 unanswered points, opening with a shot off the glass by Trent Egeland and two from the line by Charlie Campbell before Clay Kincaid delivered two buckets in the paint and Braylon Vega a long trey and two free throws. The Cavemen wouldn't score until the 1:32 mark on a pair from the stripe by Shane Sullivan, and Campbell would post two more free throws 16 seconds later to make it 37-24 going into the fourth.

There, Sullivan and senior point guard Zee Huerta tried to put the Cavemen on their backs, but when Carlsbad hit, Artesia made sure to hit back. Egeland again ushered in the scoring for the 'Dogs with a free-throw-line jumper, and following a bucket by Tanner Cornum at the seven-minute mark, Vega and Cael Houghtaling set off the crowd with a hook shot off the glass and an alley-oop offensive putback, respectively. Two baskets by Sullivan were both answered by Campbell -- via two from the line on a technical foul and a fast-break layup in transition -- and a pair of late buckets by Huerta and one more from Sullivan were countered by Kincaid with a two-handed slam and Houghtaling with a left-handed layup to end the game, 51-36.

Carlsbad had taken an early lead in the contest, 12-9, with help from a pair of treys in the opening quarter by Dryden Preece, but despite two more three-pointers by the Cavemen in the second, the Bulldogs made up ground on four points apiece by Vega and Kincaid and a bucket each from Campbell and Houghtaling. Sullivan led all scorers with 15, followed by Vega with 14, Campbell with 11 and Kincaid with 10.

PICTURED: Charlie Campbell ties things up with a basket to close out the first half.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

PICTURED: Cael Houghtaling puts up a jumper for two.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

STAT BOX

Artesia 51
Carlsbad 36

Artesia (8-3): Braylon Vega 5, 2-3 14; Charlie Campbell 2, 7-8 11; Clay Kincaid 5, 0-0 10; Cael Houghtaling 4, 0-1 8; Trent Egeland 3, 0-0 6; Corbyn Dominguez 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 20, 9-12 51

Carlsbad (8-4): Shane Sullivan 6, 2-2 15; Dryden Preece 3, 0-0 8; Zee Huerta 3, 0-2 6; Maliq Mills 2, 0-0 5; Tanner Cornum 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 15, 2-4 36

Field Goals: Artesia 20; Carlsbad 15
Three-Pointers: Artesia 2 (Vega); Carlsbad 4 (Preece 2, Mills 1, Sullivan 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 9-12 (75%); Carlsbad 2-4 (50%)
Turnovers: Artesia 10; Carlsbad 12
Fouls: Artesia 5; Carlsbad 13
Fouled Out: None

North-South Shootout

PICTURED: Trent Egeland prepares to shoot a free throw during the third quarter against host Belen at the North-South Shootout.

The Runnin' 'Dogs headed north for the first time on the season Jan. 8 as Belen took its turn hosting the annual North-South Shootout. The event afforded Class 4A No. 1 Artesia a trio of bouts with ranked same-class opponents, and it turned out to be well worth the drive: The Bulldogs went 3-0 with wins over Valencia, Belen and Taos to improve to 11-3 on the season.

The boys in orange opened the Shootout with a rematch against a seventh-ranked Valencia team they topped 45-30 Dec. 12 at Bulldog Pit, but as is often the case, the Jaguars weren't so easily dispatched the second time around. The game was an overall low-scoring one, with both teams only breaking double digits in a single quarter and relying on defense the rest of the way. Keeping Valencia in the mix throughout were seven three-pointers, but the 'Dogs were better on the whole from the field as they battled their way to a 39-35 victory.

Two three's -- one each from Carin Bustillos and Jared Porter -- turned out to be enough to keep the Jaguars within a shot in the first quarter, as Artesia managed just four buckets of their own: three from Charlie Campbell and one by Clay Kincaid. That 8-6 tally would reverse in the second, as Valencia added a pair of Markus Medina free throws to two more treys by Porter, and the Bulldogs could only counter with a Cael Houghtaling three, a Kincaid shot off the glass, and one of two from the line by Corbyn Dominguez.

Tied 14-all going into the second half, the Jags would rally to take the lead in the third, posting 13 points -- including two more three-pointers -- to Artesia's nine to go up 27-23. But the 'Dogs saved their best shooting for last, getting a pair from beyond the arc by Campbell, four points from Kincaid, and a bucket each by Trent Egeland and Houghtaling in the fourth to eke out the four-point win, 39-35. Campbell finished with 17 to tie Porter for high point

Next up was host Belen -- the No. 10 team in 4A -- and the Runnin' 'Dogs put a much stronger foot forward versus the Eagles in their home gym. Artesia used its quick-footed and -handed defense to limit Belen to just 19 points through the first three quarters of play en route to a 60-33 win, scoring themselves in fast and furious bursts that left the Eagles on their heels. The Bulldogs got the ball rolling in the first, with Egeland going a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line with a basket besides and Campbell, Kincaid, Houghtaling and Jack Byers adding a bucket apiece. Belen, meanwhile, which posted the game's first basket on a turnover, wouldn't score again until the four-minute mark as Artesia took a 15-7 lead into the second.

The Eagles were able to inch back within four in the early goings, but from there, the Big Orange took over. Artesia went on a 16-0 tear that consisted of eight points by Campbell, a pair of short-range jumpers from Vega, and an offensive putback apiece by Houghtaling and Kincaid. Belen's Nicholas Montano finally stopped the bleeding with a bucket in the final seconds, but Campbell put a bark on the half with a trey at the buzzer to turn Artesia's 15-11 edge at the start of the quarter into a 21-point runaway at the break, 34-13.

It would be more of the same in the third, as the Bulldogs again held the Eagles to just six while tacking on 13 of their own, including six from Egeland, who wrapped up a perfect outing from the stripe in the quarter. And on top 47-19 heading into the fourth, the 'Dogs were able to work their bench into the fray, with Sawyer Whitehead draining a three and Diego Morales scoring the final basket of the game in the 60-33 win. Campbell finished with 18 to lead all scorers, followed by Egeland with 12.

Last but certainly not least came the 4A fourth-ranked Taos Tigers, and despite a slow start likely fueled by fatigue, the 'Dogs would go on to prove their mettle as the top team in the class with an impressive 61-45 win.

Artesia would score just eight points in the opening quarter of play, but they'd do it all at once, holding the Tigers scoreless while doubling up with back-to-back breakaway layups from Campbell and consecutive offensive putbacks by Egeland. Taos was able to use a Roman Quintana trey at the 3:20 mark and an old-fashioned three-point play from Brandon Mirabal to trim their deficit back to one, 8-7, going into the second. There, as had been the case in all three contests for Artesia, their opponents were able to hit from beyond the arc at key moments to keep themselves in the mix. Quintana gave the Tigers a brief lead -- their only one of the day -- with a three-pointer to open, and trifectas by Mario Rodriguez and Roberto Trujillo twice knotted the game at 13 and 16. The 'Dogs outscored Taos 8-2 in the final moments of the half, however, with Kincaid and Egeland notching a pair of baskets in the paint and Vega closing out the second with consecutive layups to put Artesia up by six, 24-18, at the half.

The third quarter would see the Bulldogs hold the Tigers to single-digit scoring for the second time on the game, which allowed the boys in orange to finally put some significant distance between themselves and Taos. Spreading their scoring around while the Tigers again relied on three players, Artesia got four points from Campbell and Houghtaling and a bucket each from Egeland, Kincaid, Jack Byers and Tootie McNeil to head into the final quarter up 41-27. And despite an 18-point period from Taos in the fourth, the 'Dogs countered with 20 to maintain their double-digit margin, with Campbell rattling off 11 points -- including a pair of treys -- as the boys in orange closed out the 61-45 win. Campbell finished his weekend as high points with 20, bringing his three-day total to 55.

STAT BOX

Artesia 39
Valencia 35

Artesia (9-3): Charlie Campbell 7, 1-2 17; Clay Kincaid 4, 1-2 9; Cael Houghtaling 3, 1-2 8; Trent Egeland 2, 0-2 4; Corbyn Dominguez 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 16, 4-10 39

Valencia (8-6): Jared Porter 6, 1-1 17; Carin Bustillos 3, 1-2 9; Markus Medina 1, 2-2 5; Liam Brogdon 1, 0-0 2; Jai Russ 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 12, 4-5 35

Field Goals: Artesia 16; Valencia 12
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Campbell 2, Houghtaling 1); Valencia 7 (Porter 4, Bustillos 2, Medina 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 4-10 (40%); Valencia 4-5 (80%)
Turnovers: Artesia 16; Valencia 21
Fouls: Artesia 12; Valencia 11
Fouled Out: None

Artesia 60
Belen 33

Artesia (10-3): Charlie Campbell 7, 2-4 18; Trent Egeland 3, 6-6 12; Braylon Vega 3, 3-4 9; Cael Houghtaling 3, 0-0 6; Jack Byers 2, 0-0 4; Clay Kincaid 2, 0-0 4; Sawyer Whitehead 1, 0-0 3; Tootie McNeil 1, 0-0 2; Diego Morales 1, 0-0 2; Derrick Warren 0, 0-2 0
Totals: 23, 11-16 60

Belen (9-6): Gonzalo Cano 2, 6-6 12; Daniel Aguilar 3, 2-2 10; Nicholas Montano 2, 0-0 4; Sammy Sanchez 1, 1-3 3; Pablo Aguilar 1, 0-0 2; Isaac Trujillo 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 10, 9-11 33

Field Goals: Artesia 23; Belen 10
Three-Pointers: Artesia 3 (Campbell 2, Whitehead 1); Belen 4 (Aguilar 2, Cano 2)
Free Throws: Artesia 11-16 (69%); Belen 9-11 (82%)
Turnovers: Artesia 9; Belen 11
Fouls: Artesia 16; Belen 12
Fouled Out: None

Artesia 61
Taos 45

Artesia (11-3): Charlie Campbell 8, 2-3 20; Trent Egeland 5, 0-0 10; Clay Kincaid 4, 1-2 9; Braylon Vega 3, 2-3 8; Cael Houghtaling 3, 0-0 6; Jack Byers 2, 0-0 4; Tootie McNeil 2, 0-0 4
Totals: 27, 5-8 61

Taos (11-3): Roman Quintana 4, 0-0 10; Mario Rodriguez 3, 0-2 9; Malakhai Ely 3, 2-4 8; Roberto Trujillo 2, 0-0 6; Nick Jones 2, 0-0 4; Brandon Mirabal 1, 1-1 3; Evan Salazar 1, 1-2 3; Gene Padilla 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 17, 4-9 45

Field Goals: Artesia 27; Taos 17
Three-Pointers: Artesia 2 (Campbell); Taos 7 (Rodriguez 3, Quintana 2, Trujillo 2)
Free Throws: Artesia 5-8 (63%); Taos 4-9 (44%)
Turnovers: Artesia 13; Taos 9
Fouls: Artesia 13; Taos 11
Fouled Out: None

LADY BULLDOG BASKETBALL

PICTURED: Jordan Rone drains a three-pointer in the final seconds of the first quarter against Carlsbad at Bulldog Pit.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

With eight minutes of basketball left to play, the Lady Bulldogs found themselves in one of those situations athletes live for: a packed gym and a one-point lead in a rivalry game. With one win over Class 5A Carlsbad already under their belts, the Artesia girls were looking for their second season sweep in three years as the fourth quarter commenced. They'd had their chances to remove all doubt to that point, but neither team was having anything resembling luck from the field.

The Cavegirls had been able to take an early 11-8 lead out of the opening quarter with help from a trio of three-pointers by Serenity Medrano, Serena Carrasco and Isabella Marquez. But Carlsbad posted just two buckets in the second. The Lady 'Dogs got a pair of first-half treys from Jordan Rone and Ashton Craft but only two baskets of their own to back them up, all from the paint: two by Jenna Whitmire and one apiece from Avery Frederick and Gracen Kuykendall. Up 16-15 at the break, the girls in orange would again miss a shot to pull away from Carlsbad, as both teams posted just four points in the third.

Sometimes "it all comes down to this" can be a powerful motivating factor, and senior guard Whitmire certainly took that to heart in the final Eddy County War game of her high school career. After going 1-2 from the free-throw line to open the fourth, Whitmire put one off the glass at 5:50. Carlsbad responded by turning the tables on a Medrano and-one and two from the stripe by Carrasco to make it 24-23, but Whitmire followed an offensive putback with a save of a near turnover and subsequent layup to put Artesia back up 27-24 with 2:30 to go in the game.

A bucket by Cavegirl junior Thalia Payanes that again cut Carlsbad's deficit to one preceded a scoring drought by both squads that stretched into the final 70 seconds. With 1:05 to go, however, Kuykendall hit Frederick en route to the paint from the press breaker, and the junior converted to make it a three-point game, 29-26. As the contest proceeded to fall under 30 seconds, the Cavegirls were twice awarded trips to the line but failed to capitalize. The Lady Bulldogs, on the other hand, proved ice cold in the clutch. Rone stepped to the stripe with 22 seconds on the clock and hit both to make it a two-shot affair, and with eight seconds remaining, Whitmire would do the same to close out the victory and the sweep, 33-26.

The competitive senior -- who'd made her return to the court the Saturday prior against Taos after missing the bulk of December due to injury -- finished with 15 points to lead all scorers on the night, while Medrano had eight for Carlsbad.

Artesia 33
Carlsbad 26

Artesia (7-5): Jenna Whitmire 6, 3-4 15; Avery Frederick 3, 0-2 6; Jordan Rone 1, 2-2 5; Ashton Craft 1, 0-0 3; Brooklyn Fuentes 0, 2-4 2; Gracen Kuykendall 1, 0-0 2
Totals: 12, 7-12 33

Carlsbad (7-6): Serenity Medrano 3, 1-3 8; Serena Carrasco 2, 2-2 7; Thalia Payanes 2, 0-3 5; Isabella Marquez 1, 0-0 3; Hayden Brose 1, 0-2 2; Juliette Licon 0, 1-2 1
Totals: 9, 4-12 26

Field Goals: Artesia 12; Carlsbad 9
Three-Pointers: Artesia 2 (Craft 1, Rone 1); Carlsbad 4 (Carrasco 1, Marquez 1, Medrano 1, Payanes 1)
Free Throws: Artesia 7-12 (58%); Carlsbad 4-12 (33%)
Turnovers: Artesia 14; Carlsbad 17
Fouls: Artesia 12; Carlsbad 15
Fouled Out: None

AHS SWIMMING

At a meet that draws teams from throughout the state for a sneak preview of the State Swim Meet, the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs solidified themselves as among the athletes to beat. Competing against hundreds of New Mexico's top swimmers, the Artesia teams came away with five new state qualifications and bettered their previous qualifying times in three more events en route to a fifth-place overall finish for the Lady 'Dogs and a ninth-place showing for the boys in orange.

Bulldog senior Aidan Ciro continued to flesh out his impressive list of qualified events at the 27th Annual Albuquerque Academy Invitational Jan. 10, taking it to nine with a third-place time of 2:06.61 in the 200-yard individual medley and a fourth-place 1:04.73 in the 100 breaststroke. Ciro and 200 freestyle relay teammates Joziah Murdoch, Chaz Rogers and Alec Ciro also re-qualified in that event with a sixth-place 1:39.89.

The Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, had an excellent all-around day in the pool with three new state qualifications. Junior Johanna Padilla became the third Artesia girl -- joining sophomore Morgan Fisher and senior Sarah Plotner -- to qualify in the 200-yard IM with a sixth-place time of 2:30.54. Plotner punched her ticket in the 100 freestyle as well with a sixth-place 59.06, and the 400 freestyle relay team of Anikah Wisen, London Acosta, Fisher and Padilla hit the qualifying mark with an eighth-place 4:12.26. The 200 medley team of Padilla, Fisher, Plotner and Carly DeHoyos, meanwhile, re-qualified with a fifth-place 2:03.12 that bettered their previous mark of 2:04.85, while Fisher also improved upon her former qualifying times in two events: from 1:14.57 to 1:13.05 with a third-place finish in the girls' 100 breaststroke and from 2:29.23 to 2:28.85 with another top-three finish in the 200 IM.

Albuquerque Academy Invitational Results
• Girls' 200-Yard Medley Relay
- Artesia "A" (Johanna Padilla, Morgan Fisher, Sarah Plotner, Carly DeHoyos), 5th, 2:03.12 *
• Boys' 200 Medley Relay
- Artesia "A" (Alec Ciro, Aidan Ciro, Joziah Murdoch, Chaz Rogers), 10th, 1:53.40
• Girls' 200 Individual Medley
- Morgan Fisher, 3rd, 2:28.85 *
- Johanna Padilla, 6th, 2:30.54 *
• Boys' 200 IM
- Aidan Ciro, 3rd, 2:06.61 *
• Girls' 50 Freestyle
- Sarah Plotner, T-15th, 27.15
- Carly DeHoyos, 33rd, 29.10
- London Acosta, 44th, 29.99
- Zoe Gomez, 119th, 38.08
- Kenna Yeager, 120th, 38.23
- Ella Thomas, 123rd, 38.92
- Aylin Yescas, 128th, 39.97
• Boys' 50 Free
- Joziah Murdoch, 13th, 24.75
- Javier Rodriguez, 29th, 26.15
- Alec Ciro, 31st, 26.37
- Chaz Rogers, 33rd, 26.87
- Bryce Walton, 53rd, 28.80
- Kaleb Barquero, 64th, 29.51
- Deacon Simons, 77th, 30.92
• Boys' 100 Butterfly
- Joziah Murdoch, 8th, 1:00.47
- Javier Rodriguez, 15th, 1:03.91
- Chaz Rogers, 22nd, 1:09.18
• Girls' 100 Free
- Sarah Plotner, 6th, 59.06 *
- Anikah Wisen, 25th, 1:04.33
- London Acosta, 27th, 1:04.64
- Zoe Gomez, 71st, 1:29.40
• Boys' 100 Free
- Alec Ciro, 21st, 59.42
- MJ Anderson, 48th, 1:07.48
• Girls' 200 Free Relay
- Artesia "A" (Sarah Plotner, London Acosta, Anikah Wisen, Carly DeHoyos), 6th, 1:53.96
- Artesia "B" (Aylin Yescas, Kenna Yeager, Ella Thomas, Zoe Gomez), 29th, 2:36.62
• Boys' 200 Free Relay
- Artesia "A" (Joziah Murdoch, Chaz Rogers, Alec Ciro, Aidan Ciro), 6th, 1:39.89 *
- Artesia "B" (Bryce Walton, MJ Anderson, Deacon Simons, Javier Rodriguez), 20th, 1:54.71
• Girls' 100 Backstroke
- Johanna Padilla, 5th, 1:05.79
- Ella Thomas, 45th, 1:41.71
- Kenna Yeager, 48th, 1:49.53
• Boys' 100 Backstroke
- Bryce Walton, 20th, 1:14.84
- Kaleb Barquero, 23rd, 1:17.48
• Girls' 100 Breaststroke
- Morgan Fisher, 3rd, 1:13.05 *
- Carly DeHoyos, 16th, 1:20.70
- Anikah Wisen, 23rd, 1:25.99
• Boys' 100 Breaststroke
- Aidan Ciro, 4th, 1:04.73 *
• Girls' 400 Free Relay
- Artesia "A" (Anikah Wisen, London Acosta, Morgan Fisher, Johanna Padilla), 8th, 4:12.26 *
- Artesia "B" (Aylin Yescas, Kenna Yeager, Zoe Gomez, Ella Thomas), 15th, 6:09.69
• Boys' 400 Free Relay
- Artesia "A" (Bryce Walton, MJ Anderson, Deacon Simons, Javier Rodriguez), 10th, 4:18.53

* denotes state qualification

Boys' Team Results
1. Albuquerque Academy
2. Farmington
3. Hobbs
4. Cottonwood Classical
5. Santa Fe High
6. Clovis
T-7. Belen
T-7. Santa Fe Prep
9. ARTESIA
T-10. St. Pius
T-10. Centennial
12. Piedra Vista
13. Los Alamos
14. Carlsbad
15. Socorro
16. Bosque School
17. Alamogordo
18. Los Lunas
T-19. Valencia
T-19. Las Cruces High
21. St. Michael's
22. Rio Rancho

Girls' Team Results
1. Albuquerque Academy
2. Clovis
3. Los Alamos
4. Cottonwood Classical
5. ARTESIA
6. St. Pius
7. Farmington
T-8. Piedra Vista
T-8. Santa Fe Prep
10. Santa Fe High
11. Carlsbad
12. Oak Grove Classical
13. Hobbs
14. Centennial
T-15. Sandia Prep
T-15. Mayfield
17. Valencia
18. St. Michael's
19. Las Cruces High
20. Bosque School
21. Alamogordo

AHS WRESTLING

Roswell Dual

Back for their first action of 2026, the Artesia wrestlers headed north to Roswell for a Jan. 6 dual against the Coyotes and Lady Coyotes, and while both squads would come up short of their Class 5A opponents, they came away with some impressive results.

A pair of forfeits in the 113- and 120-pound weight classes gave the Coyotes 12 uncontested points in a 44-34 win over the Bulldogs, but Artesia came away with some solid pins in the outing. Ethan Valencia bested Roswell's Jonathan Ellis in the 215-pound weight class in 1:23, with other wins coming from Edel Villa over Michael Herrera in the 175-pound match (1:45), Braxton Norman over Caden Robinson (157, 1:10), Jaedon Smith over Christian Orosco (150, 2:52), Jonathan Corza over Graysen Nichols (126, 1:21), and Trenton Southerland over Adam Tarin (106, MD 24-15).

On the girls' side, Artesia came up short of Roswell 46-24, picking up 24 points via forfeit. The Lady Bulldogs got 18 forfeit points with one win by Katie Dowell over Brooklyn Sanchez in the 155-pound weight class (1:58).

Boys' Results vs. Roswell High
• 106 Pounds
- Trenton Southerland, 8th
def. Adam Tarin, MD 24-15
• 113 Pounds
forfeit
• 120 Pounds
forfeit
• 126 Pounds
- Jonathan Corza, fr.
def. Graysen Nichols, 1:21
• 132 Pounds
- Colt Moziejko, jr.
fell to Nathaniel Lujan, 1:38
• 138 Pounds
- Atley Starnes, fr.
fell to Luis Rodriguez, 1:42
• 144 Pounds
- Tristan Shannon, 8th
fell to Yandel Mendez, 1:18
• 150 Pounds
- Jaedon Smith, so.
def. Christian Orosco, 2:52
• 157 Pounds
- Braxton Norman, fr.
def. Caden Robinson, 1:10
• 165 Pounds
- Daniel Madrid, sr.
fell to Daniel Guevara, DEC 8-4
• 175 Pounds
- Edel Villa, sr.
def. Michael Herrera, 1:45
• 190 Pounds
- Evan Heald, jr.
fell to Jesus Arellano, 1:23
• 215 Pounds
- Ethan Valencia, so.
def. Jonathan Ellis, :43
• 285 Pounds
- Sergio Ortega, jr.
fell to Ethan Lopez, :50
• Exhibition: 165 Pounds
- Coby Roark, so.
def. Nathaniel Bernal, 1:10

Girls' Results vs. Roswell High
• 105 Pounds
- Caylee Shockey, so.
fell to Aiyana Velazquez, 1:39
• 110 Pounds
- Anna Lee Sorrells, so.
fell to Alyssa Chavez, MD 8-0
• 115 Pounds
- Alayna Petersen, so.
def. by forfeit
• 120 Pounds
- Anevay Chavez, 8th
fell to Amanda Skipper, 1:16
• 125 Pounds
- Kylie Rodriguez, fr.
fell to Yarelin Leyva, :27
• 130 Pounds
forfeit
• 135 Pounds
forfeit
• 140 Pounds
forfeit
• 145 Pounds
- Leila Irvin, fr.
def. by forfeith
• 155 Pounds
- Katie Dowell, fr.
def. Brooklyn Sanchez, 1:58
• 170 Pounds
- Anastacia Bishop, so.
def. by forfeit
• 190 Pounds
forfeit
• Exhibition: 145 Pounds
- Leila Irvin, fr.
def. Zulema Velazquez, :48
• Exhibition: 190 Pounds
- Melody Sowell, fr.
fell to Sasha Sanchez, :59

Carlsbad Dual

PICTURED: The AHS wrestling teams break the huddle during the Carlsbad Dual Jan. 8 at the old boys' gym.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)

The wrestling mat remix of the Eddy County War arrived in the City of Champions Jan. 8, as the Artesia teams hosted the Class 5A Cavemen. And while the wrestlers in blue ultimately came out on top, with the Cavemen defeating the Bulldogs 60-24 and the Cavegirls topping the Lady Bulldogs 54-12, the AHS athletes still turned in some solid performances.

The 'Dogs came away with two wins in the lower weight classifications, with freshman Jonathan Corza defeating Zair Cornejo by fall at 2:30 in the 126-pound division and junior Colt Moziejko besting Guess Box at 1:50 in the 132-pound match. Senior Daniel Madrid got a big win for Artesia in the 165-pound class, topping Xander Huff at 3:01. For the Lady Bulldogs, freshmen Leila Irvin and Katie Dowell delivered victories in the 145- and 155-pound matches, respectively, with Irvin defeating Kendall Graziano by fall at 4:35 and Dowell besting Adriana Carrasco at 2:26.

Boys' Results vs. Carlsbad
• 106 Pounds
- Trenton Southerland, 8th
def. by forfeit
• 113 Pounds
forfeit
• 120 Pounds
- forfeit
• 126 Pounds
- Jonathan Corza, fr.
def. Zair Comejo, 2:30
• 132 Pounds
- Colt Moziejko, jr.
def. Guess Box, 1:50
• 138 Pounds
forfeit
• 144 Pounds
- Tristan Shannon, 8th
fell to Mathyis Meier, 3:01
• 150 Pounds
- Jaedon Smith, so.
fell to Francisco Calderon, 3:14
• 157 Pounds
- Braxton Norman, fr.
fell to Jeremiah Norris, :36
• 165 Pounds
- Daniel Madrid, sr.
def. Xander Huff, 3:01
• 175 Pounds
- Edel Villa, sr.
fell to Eddie Lopez, 5:19
• 190 Pounds
- Miles Love, jr.
fell to Xavier Huff, :51
• 215 Pounds
- Ethan Valencia, so.
fell to Juan Rubio, 3:54
• 285 Pounds
- Sergio Ortega, jr.
fell to Jaxon Powell, 1:20
• Exhibition: 132 Pounds
- Atley Starnes, fr.
fell to Andrew Fuentes, TF 16-1
• Exhibition: 144 Pounds
- Tristan Shannon, 8th
fell to Carter Pulice, TF 17-2
• Exhibition 150 Pounds
- Anthony Puentes, 8th
fell to Elijah Campbell, :00
• Exhibition: 165 Pounds
- Bryan Molina, fr.
def. Xander Huff, 5:24
• Exhibition: 175 Pounds
- Isaac Huskey, fr.
def. Manuel Dominguez, DQ

Girls' Results vs. Carlsbad
• 100 Pounds
forfeit
• 105 Pounds
forfeit
• 110 Pounds
- Anna Lee Sorrells, so.
fell to Scarlett Harmer, 2:33
• 115 Pounds
- Alayna Petersen, so.
fell to Raelyn Graziano, 1:13
• 120 Pounds
- Anevay Chavez, 8th
fell to Emily Fuentes, :36
• 125 Pounds
- Kylie Rodriguez, fr.
fell to Ellianna Campos, :09
• 145 Pounds
- Leila Irvin, fr.
def. Kendall Graziano, 4:35
• 155 Pounds
- Katie Dowell, fr.
def. Adrianna Carrasco, 2:26
• 170 Pounds
- Anastacia Bishop, so.
fell to Sophie Westfall, 1:17
• 190 Pounds
forfeit
• 235 Pounds
forfeit
• Exhibition: 105 Pounds
- Saphia Gutierrez, fr.
fell to Violet Harmer, 2:28
• Exhibition: 155 Pounds
- Navelia Aguilar, fr.
fell to Adriana Carrasco, 1:38

Sierra Blanca Invitational

There would be no rest for the weary during the first competition week of 2026, as the Bulldog and Lady Bulldog wrestlers spent their Saturday at the Sierra Blanca Invitational in Ruidoso. Amidst the tall, cool pines, the Artesia boys finished eighth overall out of a field of 14 teams and the girls in a three-way tie for 11th with Gadsden and Santa Teresa.

The 'Dogs got a runner-up finish from senior Edel Villa in the 175-pound weight class. Villa defeated Clovis' Dylan Valles in the quarterfinals by fall at 1:44 and Santa Teresa's Dan Jaquez in the semis (1:33) before coming up just short of Hobbs' Samuel Pages in the championship match by 9-6 tie-breaker. Freshman Daniel Cortez also came in second in the 215-Pound A division with wins over Roswell High's Garrett Kennard (:45) and Logan Gaumond (1:39). Coming in fourth was senior Daniel Madrid in the 165-pound class. Madrid bested Gadsden's Abdiel Ramirez in Round One by fall at 2:54 before falling to Joseph Green of Hobbs in the quarterfinals, 1:11. He then won a trio of consolation rounds before finding himself in a rematch with Green in the third-place bout, where he fell this time by decision, 4-1.

Lady Bulldog freshman Leila Irvin was a runner-up in the 145-pound weight class, defeating Clovis' Chloe Murphy in Round One by fall at :15 and Centennial's Emily Mendez in the semifinals (1:34) before falling to Annika Villanueva of Hobbs in a monster championship match at 5:06.

Sierra Blanca Invite Boys' Results
• 106 Pounds
- Trenton Southerland, 8th
Round One: def. Ayden Carnero (Artesia), TB 2-1
Quarterfinals: fell to Gabriel Moreno (Centennial), TF 17-1
Consolation Round One: def. Carnero (Artesia), DEC 6-3
Consolation Round Two: fell to Adan Galarza (Chaparral), :45
- Ayden Carnero, fr.
Round One: fell to Trenton Southerland (Artesia), TB 2-1
Consolation Round One: fell to Southerland (Artesia), DEC 6-3
• 113 Pounds
- Jayce Herron, fr.
Round One: fell to Fynn Krafka (Alamogordo), 1:30
Consolation Round One: fell to Santiago Solis (Centennial), TF 19-3
• 126 Pounds
- Jonathan Corza, fr.
Round One: def. Isaiah Lopez (Mayfield), :27
Quarterfinals: fell to Marcos Garcia (Deming), TF 17-0
Consolation Round One: def. Emmanuel Arambula (Roswell High), 1:52
Consolation Round Two: fell to Andrew Gerber (Gadsden), 3:31
• 132 Pounds
- Colt Moziejko, jr.
Round One: def. Aden Ingram (Roswell High), :25
Quarterfinals: def. Alejandro Garcia (Centennial), :33
Semifinals: fell to Guess Box (Carlsbad), 4:15
Consolation Semifinals: fell to Joseph Abril (Clovis), DEC 4-3
• 144 Pounds
- Tristan Shannon, 8th
Round One: fell to Carter Pulice (Carlsbad), 1:17
Consolation Round One: fell to Pulice (Carlsbad), 3:21
• 150 Pounds
- Jaedon Smith, so.
Round One: fell to Dallas Shendo (Ruidoso), 1:33
Consolation Round One: def. Leander Garcia (Deming), Medical Forfeit
Consolation Round Two: fell to Jamie Ortega (Hobbs), 3:53
• 157 Pounds
- Braxton Norman, fr.
Quarterfinals: fell to Atticus Morrow (Centennial), :47
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: fell to Daniel Guevara (Roswell High), :58
• 165 Pounds
- Daniel Madrid, sr.
Round One: def. Abdiel Ramirez (Gadsden), 2:54
Quarterfinals: fell to Joseph Green (Hobbs), 1:11
Consolation Round One: def. Robbie Sweetser (Deming), 3:16
Consolation Round Two: def. Deion Loya (Artesia), MD 12-4
Consolation Round Three: def. Ashton Cortinas (Chaparral), Medical Forfeit
Third-Place Match: fell to Green (Hobbs), DEC 4-1
Finish: Fourth
- Coby Roark, so.
Round One: def. Hector Gonzalez (Gadsden), forfeit
Quarterfinals: fell to Johnathon Valenzuela (Centennial), 1:55
Consolation Round One: def. Abdiel Ramirez (Gadsden), :54
Consolation Round Two: def. Jahdarion Williams (Alamogordo), :52
Consolation Round Three: fell to Joseph Green (Hobbs), 3:23
- Deion Loya, so.
Round One: def. Aiden Ramirez (Roswell High), 2:50
Quarterfinals: fell to Erick Lujan (Clovis), 3:22
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: fell to Daniel Madrid (Artesia), MD 12-4
• 175 Pounds
- Edel Villa, sr.
Quarterfinals: def. Dylan Valles (Clovis), 1:44
Semifinals: def. Dan Jaquez (Santa Teresa), 1:33
Championship: fell to Samuel Pages (Hobbs), TB 9-6
Finish: Second
• 190 Pounds
- Miles Love, jr.
Round One: def. Isaiah Almaraz (Santa Teresa), 1:05
Quarterfinals: fell to Ewan Jaco (Hobbs), 2:20
Consolation Round One: def. Almaraz (Santa Teresa), :26
Consolation Round Two: fell to Anthony Hernandez (Ruidoso), 1:49
- Evan Heald, jr.
Round One: def. Matt Sanchez (Santa Teresa), 2:22
Quarterfinals: fell to Jack Rosenbluth (Centennial), 1:13
Consolation Round One: fell to Sanchez (Santa Teresa), 1:30
• 215 Pounds
- Ethan Valencia, so.
Round One: fell to Brian Santillan (Goddard), 1:42
Consolation Round One: def. Christian Luna (Santa Teresa), 4:14
Consolation Round Two: def. Amando Lopez (Chaparral), 2:15
Consolation Round Three: fell to Jon Jaramillo (Hobbs), 2:21
- Daniel Cortez, fr.
Round One: fell to Kayden Anaya (Clovis), 5:11
Round Two: def. Garrett Kennard (Roswell High), :45
Round Three: def. Logan Gaumond (Roswell High), 1:39
Finish: Second
• 285 Pounds
- Briggs Beavers, sr.
Round One: def. Isaiah Ponce (Roswell High), :14
Quarterfinals: fell to Omar Menchaca (Hobbs), 2:54
Consolation Round One: fell to Jaxon Powell (Carlsbad), 2:20
- Sergio Ortega, jr.
Round One: fell to Livan Padron (Deming), DEC 6-1
Consolation Round One: def. Chance Sena (Clovis), :33
Consolation Round Two: def. Devin Henderson (Clovis), 1:14
Consolation Round Three: fell to Jaxon Powell (Carlsbad), 2:34

Sierra Blanca Invite Girls' Results
• 110 Pounds
- Anna Lee Sorrells, so.
Round One: fell to Allyson Teel (Hobbs), TF 15-0
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: fell to Hannah Aguilera (Chaparral), DEC 8-7
• 115 Pounds
- Saphia Gutierrez, fr.
Round One: fell to Brailee Sanders (Deming), :26
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: fell to Evalett Salinas (Clovis), :39
- Alayna Petersen, so.
Round One: fell to Brooklyn Moore (Hobbs), TF 17-2
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: fell to Ayla Hernandez (Centennial), :46
• 120 Pounds
- Anevay Chavez, 8th
Round One: fell to Andrea Rodriguez (Chaparral), 1:02
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: def. Sylvia Aguirre (Santa Teresa), 2:11
Consolation Round Three: fell to Emmaline DeAguero (Hobbs), :37
• 125 Pounds
- Kylie Rodriguez, fr.
Quarterfinals: fell to Nissie Frazier (Centennial), :20
Consolation Round One: bye
Consolation Round Two: fell to Sariah Espinosa (Goddard), :39
• 145 Pounds
- Leila Irvin, fr.
Round One: def. Chloe Murphy (Clovis), :15
Semifinals: def. Emily Mendez (Centennial), 1:34
Championship: fell to Annika Villanueva (Hobbs), 5:06
Finish: Second
• 155 Pounds
- Katie Dowell, fr.
Round One: def. Navelia Aguilar (Artesia), :30
Quarterfinals: fell to Nya Carbajal (Clovis), 1:32
Consolation Round Two: def. Adriana Carrasco (Carlsbad), 2:59
Consolation Round Three: fell to Gemma Payne (Goddard), MD 9-1
- Navelia Aguilar, fr.
Round One: fell to Katie Dowell (Artesia), :30
Consolation Round One: fell to Zulema Velazquez (Roswell High), :26
• 170 Pounds
- Anastacia Bishop, so.
Round One: def. Angelin Silva (Goddard), 2:41
Semifinals: fell to Sunnay Ward (Clovis), 1:37
Consolation Round One: fell to Nalani Chavez (Centennial), 1:17
- Melody Sowell, fr.
Round One: fell to Sophie Westfall (Carlsbad), :16
Consolation Round One: fell to Nalani Chavez (Centennial), :43

AHS BOWLING

Week 6 - Starlight Lanes

PICTURED: Artesia 1 poses for a photo after winning the Advanced division in Week 7 at Starlight Lanes in Bernalillo.

The Artesia bowling teams made their first road trip of the 2025-26 season Dec. 13, introducing themselves to the state with a sweep of the top two spots in the Advanced division, a Rookie division win, and a runner-up finish in the Novice division at Starlight Lanes in Bernalillo.

Artesia 1 and Artesia 2 once again proved their biggest competition is themselves in the Advanced tournament, finishing first and second, respectively, 3,294-3,139 in total pins and 1,330-1,294 in Baker game pins. Leading the way in Artesia 1's winning effort was Ayden Gomez with a two-game total of 443, followed by Brenden Depew (418), Payton DeMerritt (391), Jace Miles (375) and Brent McIntire (337). For Artesia 2, the day's top score was earned by Ayden Dean (424), followed by Chase Collins (410), Jurijah Gonzales (361), Talyn Pacheco (359) and Ashlyn McIntire (290).

Artesia 6, meanwhile, took first in the Rookie division, edging out Silver City with a pin fall of 1,893 to the Colts' 1,885. Ethan Longoria bowled a combined 251 in the tournament, followed by Phoebe Green (240), Kenzlee Cabezuela (223), Exaviar Corza (205) and Kylie Mendoza (156). In the Novice division, Artesia 5 came up just 10 pins shy of first-place Volcano Vista. Edwin Villarreal finished with a two-game total of 395 for the squad, with Diego Molina turning in a 318, Colton Sandmann a 229, Mia Duran a 228, and JC Apodaca a 167. Artesia 3 and Artesia 4 battled in a stacked Intermediate division at the event, coming in ninth and seventh, respectively.

PICTURED: Artesia 2 took second place in the Advanced division.

PICTURED: Artesia 6 topped the podium in the Rookie division.

PICTURED: Artesia 5 finished as the runners-up of the Novice division.

Advanced Division Results
• Artesia 1, 1st / Total Pins: 3,294 / Baker Game Pins: 1,330
- Ayden Gomez, 211-232=443 (221 avg)
- Brenden Depew, 182-236=418 (209)
- Payton DeMerritt, 185-206=391 (195)
- Jace Miles, 202-173=375 (187)
- Brent McIntire, 176-161=337 (168)
• Artesia 2, 2nd / Total Pins: 3,139 / Baker Game Pins: 1,294
- Ayden Dean, 191-233=424 (212)
- Chase Collins, 202-208=410 (205)
- Jurijah Gonzales, 181-180=361 (180)
- Talyn Pacheco, 143-216=359 (179)
- Ashlyn McIntire, 137-153=290 (145)

Intermediate Division Results
• Artesia 4, 9th / Total Pins: 2,385 / Baker Game Pins: 928
- Justin Rodriguez, 162-203=365 (182)
- Kathrine Lewis, 141-148=289 (144)
- Ezekiel Sanchez, 146-140=286 (143)
- Peyton Troost, 116-166=282 (141)
- Destiny Powell, 106-129=235 (117)
• Artesia 3, 7th / Total Pins: 2,352 / Baker Game Pins: 1,034
- Adam Longoria, 134-162=296 (148)
- Alejandro Bahena, 137-133=270 (135)
- Garyn Usherwood, 89-175=264 (132)
- Jack Erbacher, 114-145=259 (129)
- Drake Thurman, 90-139=229 (114)

Novice Division Results
• Artesia 5, 2nd / Total Pins: 2,209 / Baker Game Pins: 872
- Edwin Villarreal, 191-204=395 (197)
- Diego Molina, 151-167=318 (159)
- Colton Sandmann, 112-117=229 (114)
- Mia Duran, 119-109=228 (114)
- JC Apodaca, 83-84=167 (83)

Rookie Division Results
• Artesia 6, 1st / Total Pins: 1,893 / Baker Game Pins: 818
- Ethan Longoria, 105-146=251 (125)
- Phoebe Green, 108-132=240 (120)
- Kenzlee Cabezuela, 122-101=223 (111)
- Exaviar Corza, 85-120=205 (102)
- Kylie Mendoza, 80-76=156 (78)

Week 7 - Ten Pins & More

PICTURED: Artesia 1 earned its third consecutive Advanced division win Jan. 3 at Ten Pins & More in Rio Rancho.

The Bulldog bowlers' third week of competition took them to Ten Pins & More in Rio Rancho, where Artesia 1 continued its win streak in the Advanced division and Artesia 2 was once again right on their heels over the finish line.

Artesia's top team took the tournament going away, with Ayden Gomez once again leading the charge with games of 237 and 225 for a combined score of 462. Also breaking 400 was Chase Collins (437), followed by Jace Miles (371), Brenden Depew (363) and Payton DeMerritt (356). Artesia 2 shared second place at the tourney with Bernalillo, led on the day by Ayden Dean (428) and Damian Lopez (378). In the Rookie division, Artesia 6 also won their third consecutive event, 363 pins ahead of runner-up La Cueva. The rookies were led by Ethan Longoria with a two-game 281, followed by Mia Duran (273), Kenzlee Cabezuela (266), Daniel Alcocer (235) and JC Apodaca (174).

In the Intermediate division in Rio Rancho, Artesia 4 came up just 26 pins short of first-place Valley, while Artesia 3 finished fourth behind La Cueva. The teams were led by Jack Erbacher (334) and Ashlyn McIntire (324), and Ezekiel Sanchez (366) and Diego Molina (330), respectively. Artesia 5 took the bronze in the Novice division, led by Peyton Troost (314) and Drake Thurman (288).

PICTURED: Artesia 2 tied for second in the Advanced division.

PICTURED: Artesia 4 came in second in the Intermediate division.

PICTURED: Artesia 6 placed first in the Rookie division.

Advanced Division Results
• Artesia 1, 1st / Total Pins: 3,385 / Baker Game Pins: 1,396
- Ayden Gomez, 237-225=462 (231 avg)
- Chase Collins, 179-258=437 (218)
- Jace Miles, 213-158=371 (185)
- Brenden Depew, 174-189=363 (181)
- Payton DeMerritt, 178-178=356 (178)
• Artesia 2, T-2nd / Total Pins: 2,967 / Baker Game Pins: 1,242
- Ayden Dean, 214-214=428 (214)
- Damian Lopez, 191-187=378 (189)
- Jurijah Gonzales, 151-167=318 (159)
- Brent McIntire, 177-135=312 (156)
- Talyn Pacheco, 147-142=289 (144)

Intermediate Division Results
• Artesia 4, 2nd / Total Pins: 2,649 / Baker Game Pins: 1,094
- Jack Erbacher, 179-155=334 (167)
- Ashlyn McIntire, 156-168=324 (162)
- Edwin Villarreal, 176-139=315 (157)
- Adam Longoria, 163-146=309 (154)
- Maggie Morris, 126-147=273 (136)
• Artesia 3, 4th / Total Pins: 2,481 / Baker Game Pins: 962
- Ezekiel Sanchez, 186-180=366 (183)
- Diego Molina, 160-170=330 (165)
- Justin Rodriguez, 93-226=319 (159)
- Kathrine Lewis, 125-139=264 (132)
- Garyn Usherwood, 147-93=240 (120)

Novice Division Results
• Artesia 5, 3rd / Total Pins: 2,228 / Baker Game Pins: 857
- Peyton Troost, 172-142=314 (157)
- Drake Thurman, 128-160=288 (144)
- Alejandro Bahena, 121-160=281 (140)
- Colton Sandmann, 141-107=248 (124)
- Phoebe Green, 141-99=240 (120)
• Artesia 7, 9th / Total Pins: 1,809 / Baker Game Pins: 738
- Destiny Powell, 118-170=288 (144)
- Exaviar Corza, 118-97=215 (107)
- Jade Marquez, 118-97=215 (107)
- Dexter Crosby, 94-84=178 (89)
- Kylie Mendoza, 79-96=175 (87)

Rookie Division Results
• Artesia 6, 1st / Total Pins: 2,003 / Baker Game Pins: 774
- Ethan Longoria, 136-145=281 (140)
- Mia Duran, 136-137=273 (136)
- Kenzlee Cabezuela, 103-163=266 (133)
- Daniel Alcocer, 139-96=235 (117)
- JC Apodaca, 105-69=174 (87)

Week 8 - Silva Lanes

PICTURED: Artesia 1 poses with its first-place plaque after topping the Advanced division for the fourth week in a row Jan. 10 at Silva Lanes in Albuquerque.

The Artesia Advanced-division teams continued their domination Jan. 10 at Silva Lanes in Albuquerque, taking gold and silver for the fourth week in a row. Meanwhile, in a coup for their first week competing in the Novice division after three straight Rookie-division wins, Artesia 6 also brought home a first-place finish for Artesia, while Artesia 3 came in third in the Intermediate competition.

Artesia 1 and Artesia 2 provided their usual one-two punch for the Bulldogs in the tournament's Advanced event. Artesia 1 finished with a total pin fall of 3,198 on the day and a Baker game average of 188. Payton DeMerritt rolled two strong games of 202 and 229 to finish with a combined 431, while Ayden Gomez bowled a combined 396, Jace Miles a 364, Chase Collins a 347, and Brenden Depew a 343. Artesia 2, meanwhile, finished with 3,060 total pins and a 182 Baker average, with results including a combined 398 by Brent McIntire, a 392 by Ayden Dean, a 360 from Damian Lopez, a 320 by Jurijah Gonzales, and a 315 from Talyn Pacheco.

In the Novice division, a revamped Artesia 6 made its debut in style, coming in 70 pins better than runner-up East Mountain. Garyn Usherwood turned in the top combined score with a 291, followed by Colton Sandmann (280), Exaviar Corza (263), Ethan Longoria (251) and Drake Thurman (247). Finally, in Intermediate action, Artesia 3 improved in Week Eight to bronze-medal position, coming in behind Valley and East Mountain. Ashlyn McIntire bowled two big games of 208 and 201 for a combined 409 for that team.

PICTURED: Artesia 2 poses for a photo with its second-place plaque.

PICTURED: Artesia 6 made its Novice division debut, bringing home first place.

Advanced Division Results
• Artesia 1, 1st / Total Pins: 3,198 / Baker Game Pins: 1,317
- Payton DeMerritt, 202-229=431 (215 avg)
- Ayden Gomez, 225-171=396 (198)
- Jace Miles, 200-164=364 (182)
- Chase Collins, 195-152=347 (173)
- Brenden Depew, 148-195=343 (171)
• Artesia 2, 2nd / Total Pins: 3,060 / Baker Game Pins: 1,275
- Brent McIntire, 192-206=398 (199)
- Ayden Dean, 188-204=392 (196)
- Damian Lopez, 190-170=360 (180)
- Jurijah Gonzales, 159-161=320 (160)
- Talyn Pacheco, 165-150=315 (157)

Intermediate Division Results
• Artesia 3, 3rd / Total Pins: 2,789 / Baker Game Pins: 1,048
- Ashlyn McIntire, 208-201=409 (204)
- Adam Longoria, 191-171=362 (181)
- Diego Molina, 185-167=352 (176)
- Ezekiel Sanchez, 164-150=314 (157)
- Destiny Powell, 194-110=304 (152)
• Artesia 4, 9th / Total Pins: 2,482 / Baker Game Pins: 1,019
- Edwin Villarreal, 182-150=332 (166)
- Kathrine Lewis, 164-159=323 (161)
- Jack Erbacher, 161-143=304 (152)
- Justin Rodriguez, 125-135=260 (130)
- Peyton Troost, 105-139=244 (122)

Novice Division Results
• Artesia 6, 1st / Total Pins: 2,351 / Baker Game Pins: 1,019
- Garyn Usherwood, 134-157=291 (145)
- Colton Sandmann, 128-152=280 (140)
- Exaviar Corza, 98-165=263 (131)
- Ethan Longoria, 133-118=251 (125)
- Drake Thurman, 121-126=247 (123)
• Artesia 5, 5th / Total Pins: 2,188 / Baker Game Pins: 868
- Alejandro Bahena, 184-167=351 (175)
- Mia Duran, 142-136=278 (139)
- Kenzlee Cabezuela, 131-129=260 (130)
- Daniel Alcocer, 89-146=235 (117)
- Phoebe Green, 96-100=196 (98)

Rookie Division Results
• Artesia 7, 7th / Total Pins: 1,585 / Baker Game Pins: 791
- Jade Marquez, 144-113=257 (128)
- JC Apodaca, 95-96=191 (95)
- Dexter Crosby, 76-99=175 (87)
- Kylie Mendoza, 83-88=171 (85)

AHS CHEER

The Artesia High School varsity cheer squad kicked off its 2026 competition season Jan. 10 with a big win at the Ram Spirit Classic in Portales. The varsity cheerleaders came in first overall in the Class 4A-5A division with their Game Day routine, while the junior varsity finished third in Game Day. Pictured below, the senior cheerleaders pose with their first-place plaque.