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Scrimmages prepare Eddy County high school football teams for season openers next week

mike smith, carlsbad current-argus
·4 min read

After nearly three months of practices, Eddy County football teams continued to prepare for opening night with controlled scrimmages against outside opposition over the past week.

Carlsbad Cavemen emphasize team effort

“OK is the best way to say it,” said Cale Sanders, brand-new head football coach at Carlsbad High School. “It wasn’t horrible or great.”

The Cavemen traveled to Lovington on Aug. 9 for Sanders’ second scrimmage for Carlsbad. “The kids battled," Sanders said, "they competed.”

Last season, he experienced the first scrimmage as an assistant coach under former head coach Oliver Soukup.

More: Former Cavemen football coach looks foward to 2023 season at Eastern New Mexico

Sanders was named head coach earlier this year after Soukup left to take an assistant coaching job at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.

The team also had running back Eli Asay to rely on last season. As a senior, he proved to be a triple threat for Carlsbad’s offense.

He averaged 141 yards rushing per game, scored 16 touchdowns and averaged 19 yards on receptions.

Carlsbad High School's Gavin York participates in a 7-on-7 football camp at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell on July 14, 2023.
Carlsbad High School's Gavin York participates in a 7-on-7 football camp at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell on July 14, 2023.

Carlsbad’s 2023 season is going to have to be a total team effort.

“We don’t have the one all-star guy we can lean on,” Sanders said. “We’re young."

More: 4 Carlsbad High School football players join former coach at Eastern New Mexico University

The Cavemen start the 2023 season against in-county rival Artesia High School at 6 p.m. on Aug. 18 in Carlsbad.

Artesia Bulldogs travel to the mountains for scrimmages

Artesia High School head football coach Jeremy Maupin was pleased with the Bulldogs’ scrimmages against Las Cruces High School and Clovis High School on Aug. 9 in Ruidoso.

“It was really good for us. We started on offense (against Las Cruces) and scored a couple of touchdowns,” he said. “Diego Duran caught a big pass.”

What is the plan? A Tularosa offensive player checks the game plan during a scrimmage against the Artesia High School sophomores on Aug. 10, 2023 at the Bulldog Bowl in Artesia.
What is the plan? A Tularosa offensive player checks the game plan during a scrimmage against the Artesia High School sophomores on Aug. 10, 2023 at the Bulldog Bowl in Artesia.

Last season as a junior, Duran carried the football three times for 17 yards and he caught five passes for 80 yards.

Maupin said Artesia’s defense stopped the Clovis offense as the Bulldogs ran 10 plays against Las Cruces and 10 plays against the Wildcats.

Maupin said coaches plan to look at video replays in the coming days in preparation for the opener against the Cavemen.

“We need to clean up some things," he said. "We had too many penalties."

More: Artesia High football readies for 2023 state title defense using summer workouts

Maupin credited Artesia and said the team put up a good team effort against the Bulldawgs and Wildcats.

“(Artesia) had quick hitting touchdowns and the defense did a good job tackling,” he said.

Last season the Bulldogs were 11-2 overall and 3-0 in District 5-4A and defeated Albuquerque Valley, Deming and Farmington Piedra Vista in the 5A playoffs.

The Bulldogs defeated the Panthers 27-14 in Farmington in the 5A championship title game in 2022.

The Loving High School Falcons football team practices on the new surface at the George Frederick Field. The Falcons start the season Aug. 17, 2023 against the Carlsbad High School junior varsity.
The Loving High School Falcons football team practices on the new surface at the George Frederick Field. The Falcons start the season Aug. 17, 2023 against the Carlsbad High School junior varsity.

Loving Falcons travel to Hobbs to scrimmage Eagles

Head coach Tyler Finch and the Falcons welcomed the live action against the Eagles on the afternoon of Aug. 10.

The Falcons open the 2023 season against the Carlsbad junior varsity at 6 p.m. on Aug. 17 in Loving.

Finch said Loving’s coaching staff plans to break down video footage over the next week from the scrimmage at Hobbs.

“(Loving will) get our scouting reports ready and get in that film room,” he said.

More: On The Road: See how many miles the three Eddy County football teams travel in 2023

Finch said the Falcons have past video footage of the Cavemen junior varsity and will look at that as well during pregame preparations.

He said Loving’s defense was “sound” against the Eagles as some adjustments will be needed before the season opener.

Last season the Falcons gave up 243 points after finishing the season with a 7-4 overall record and 1-3 in District 2-4A.

Offensively Loving scored 325 points in 2022, which included a playoff berth against the Santa Rosa Lions.

More: New Loving football turf installed, should be ready for home opener

Santa Rosa ousted the Falcons 56-13 in the opening round of the 2A playoffs.

Finch said Loving’s offense established a ground game against Hobbs. Last year the Falcons scored 20 touchdowns on the ground with 1,470 yards rushing.

Through the air Loving had 1,644 yards passing. Senior quarterback Kaleb Rodriguez compiled a majority of the Falcons’ passing yards with 1,601.

As a junior he completed 112 passes in 227 attempts with 19 touchdowns.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Eddy County high school football teams scrimmage opponents