By Don Eskins
The Carlsbad Cavemen, fresh off a 47-20 victory over the Goddard Rockets, will host the Lovington Wildcats on Friday night, September 6. The kickoff has been set for 7 p.m. at the Ralph Bowyer Cavemen Football Stadium.
The Cavemen, 1-1 on the season, will face another stern test on the Land of Enchantment’s prep football circuit when the two teams square off. Lovington, 2-0, will march onto the field as the fourth-ranked team in New Mexico, barring all classifications, and the top-ranked team in Class 5A, one spot ahead of the Artesia Bulldogs, who lost to Hobbs on Friday night, August 30, 44-40.
“Lovington has a very solid football team. They’re not the top-rated team in Class 5A for nothing. I’m not sure they’re quite as good as Artesia, but they’re a lot better team than Goddard,” said Caveman head coach Cale Sanders. “They have some great players, though, and for us to beat them, we’re going to have to execute on both sides of the ball all night.”
Last week, August 30, the Cats routed the Class 4A, second-ranked Portales Rams 30-7. But the biggest explosion made by Lovington this season came during their August 23 opener.
On that night, the Wildcats accomplished a feat that even the mighty Artesia Bulldogs couldn’t do: they spanked the Class 6A, sixth-ranked Hobbs Eagles 31-22.
The 2024 leaders for the Wildcats have been: Quarterback Matt Prudencio, 37-54/459 yds/4TD/0 int; Rushing: Running back Ondalis Cardenas, 27-168 yds/6.2 yards per carry/3 TD; Receiving: Jayden Gutierrez, 11-161/2 TD, and Elijah Rivero, 8-113/0 TD; Tackles: Kyler Reaves, OLB-10, and Patrick Sanchez, OB-8; and Interceptions: Jayden Gutierrez, FS-3.
“Lovington will be taking the field as the top Class 5A team in the state for the first time this season, so they’ll be pumped,” said Sanders. “But, even at that, I like our kids’ chances against the Wildcats.”
The 2024 leaders for the Cavemen have been: Quarterback Kason Perez, 31-49/273 yards/136.5 YPG/5 TD/1 int; Rushing: Eloy Lopez, 4-40/10 yards per carry; Receiving: Ty Young, 6-68/1 TD, and Robert Castaneda, 5-64/1 TD; Total Tackles: Colton McKibben, 21, Diego Ramirez, 16, Bubba Anderson and Connor Roberson, 10; Interceptions: Diego Ramirez and Conner Roberson, one; Sacks: Jaiden Duran, three.
Heading into Friday night’s game, the Cavemen are ranked 12th among Class 6A teams and 18th statewide.
Cavemen 47, Goddard 20 Recap
The Cavemen, eager to collect their first win of 2024, jumped on the Rockets early and often in Roswell on Thursday, August 29. CHS led 38-0 at the half en route to a 47-20 win.
In picking up the victory, CHS garnered 221 yards of total offense, 11 first downs, and had just one turnover.
“Anytime you win, it feels good. But our kids needed this one, so it was special,” said Coach Sanders. “Although we didn’t play our best, it was encouraging, and it’s most definitely helped the morale of our troops.”
Cavemen Scoreboard
Cavemen 16 22 0 9 47
Rockets 0 0 7 13 20
First Quarter: 1: Eaven Leos, 86-yard kickoff return. Lennon Ananins expt kick; 2. Kason Perez 4-yard TD pass to Brock Wright. Ananins kick; 3. Safety - team.
Second Quarter: 1. Robert Castaneda 73-yard punt return. Brock Wright 2 pt. conversion; 2. Kason Perez 25-yard pass to Eaven Leos. Ananins expt kick; 3. Kason Perez 5-yard pass to Richard Hernandez. Ananins expt kick.
Fourth Quarter: 1. Kason Perez 40-yard pass to Robert Castaneda; 2. Field Goal- 34 yards by Ananins.
Game Stat Leaders:
Passing: Kason Perez 17-27-175 yds-4 TD’s-1 int.
Receptions: 1. Ty Young 4-41, 2. Robert Castaneda 3-56-TD; 3. Brock Wright 3-29-TD; 4. Richard Hernandez 3-25-TD; 5. Eaven Leos 3-24-TD.
Rushing: 1. Eaven Lopez 4-40; 2. Kason Perez 3-16.
Defense: Total Tackles- 1. Colton McKibben 10, 2. Diego Ramirez 9, 3. Bubba Anderson 8, 4. Zayland Pesante-Augustine Venegas-Jaiden Duran 6 each; Sacks- 1. Jaiden Duran 3, 2. Bubba Anderson 1; TFL’s- 1. Jaiden Duran and Zayland Pesante 3 each; Interceptions- 1. Diego Ramirez 1.
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