Lovington hasn't had much luck against Artesia recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Wildcats will head out on the road to face off against the Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Lovington took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They enjoyed a cozy 44-26 victory over Goddard. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Rockets: they've now won three in a row.
It was another big night for Jayden Gutierrez, who rushed for 65 yards and two touchdowns on only six carries, and also threw for 109 yards and one TD. Another big playmaker for Lovington was Elijah Rivero, who returned a punt for a touchdown.
Lovington didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Kyler Reaves, Ayden Nunez, and Rivero picked up one apiece. Reaves got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Special teams also played a big role in the game for Lovington, adding 12 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Rivero, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Artesia faced Gadsden in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Bulldogs took their matchup with ease, bagging a 35-7 victory over the Panthers. That 28 point margin sets a new team best for the Bulldogs this season.
Artesia's win came from a few key players Lovington will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Bryce Parra, who rushed for 123 yards and one score on only five carries. His longest rush was for an incredible 82 yards. Another player making a difference was Derrick Warren, who threw for 164 yards and three TDs while completing 78.6% of his passes.
Artesia's win bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Lovington, their victory bumped their record up to 2-3.
Lovington was dealt a bruising 45-7 defeat at the hands of Artesia when the teams last played back in November of 2024. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Wildcats were down 31-7.
