PICTURED: Bryce Parra sprints over the goal line for a touchdown Thursday in Santa Teresa.
(Photo Courtesy TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
The Bulldog football team kept on rolling through this year's extended district schedule Thursday in Santa Teresa, topping the Desert Warriors of Santa Teresa 57-0 in a mercy-rule victory that ended at the half.
Artesia set the tone early, with the Orange Crush defense shutting down the Warriors' initial drive and the offense scoring on their first play from scrimmage. Quarterback Izac Cazares pitched to Ethan Conn, who took it the remaining 49 yards for the score, and the 'Dogs went up 8-0 on a conversion pass from Derrick Warren to Ayden Huffman.
PICTURED: Ethan Conn cruises toward the end zone for the 49-yard score.
(Photo Courtesy TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
The 'Dogs made it 14-0 four minutes later on a 15-yard pass from Cazares to a wide-open Caleb Murray in the back of the end zone, then went up 22-0 on a Cazares pass to Bryce Parra, who ran around a few Santa T. defenders and over another amidst his 22-yard trip to the end zone.
Despite just three minutes remaining in the first quarter at that point, Artesia would find time for two more TDs. As the defense continued to shut the Desert Warriors down, they added points to the board on a 15-yard pick six by Tootie McNeil. And after Julian Baeza recovered the fumbled kick return, Cazares found Conn on fourth and 20 from 28 yards out to put the 35-point clock in motion with 2:01 to go in the first, 36-0.
PICTURED: Ethan Conn goes up to snag an Izac Cazares pass on fourth and 20 for a 28-yard TD.
(Photo Courtesy TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
The second quarter was a quick one, but the Big Orange offense was able to rack up the points necessary to secure the halftime win. Frankie Galindo got things started with a 39-yard touchdown sprint 22 seconds in, and -- following an interception by Daelon Pacheco -- the Bulldogs would score twice more on a four-yard run by Ray Ray Cano and a one-yard charge by Warren to round out the 57-0 final.
The Class 5A top-ranked Bulldogs will now enter their 2024 open week with an overall record of 5-2 and a District 2-AAAAA mark of 4-0. They'll resume the second season at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, against third-ranked Roswell High (4-1, 2-1 with a game against Gadsden set for tomorrow) at Bulldog Bowl.
PICTURED: Ray Ray Cano prepares to dodge a final defender on his way to a touchdown.
(Photo Courtesy TJ Palma - Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
• Artesia- Ethan Conn 49-run (Derrick Warren to Ayden Huffman pass good), 10:11
• Artesia- Caleb Murray 15-pass from Izac Cazares (kick fails), 5:56
• Artesia- Bryce Parra 22-pass from Izac Cazares (Diego Lopez run good), 3:04
• Artesia- Tootie McNeil 15-interception return (Gael Ruiz kick good), 2:38
• Artesia- Ethan Conn 28-pass from Izac Cazares (Gael Ruiz kick good), 2:01
SECOND QUARTER
• Artesia- Frankie Galindo 39-run (Gael Ruiz kick good), 11:38
• Artesia- Ray Ray Cano 4-run (Gael Ruiz kick good), 6:12
• Artesia- Derrick Warren 1-run (Gael Ruiz kick good), 1:46