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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 21, 2011 21:19:11 GMT -7
Bulldog Football is back. The defending 4A champs Artesia will travel to Lovington Friday Night to face the defending 3A Champs. Artesia has the most football state titles in NM with 27, Lovington has the 2nd most with 17. As good as these two teams are in their respective classes the games haven't been as close with the exception of a few years. Last years 63-49 win over Lovington was a classic shootout, not often seen. Here are the scores from the last 10 years. 2000 42-62001 28-342002 33-62003 34-132004 35-122005 14-92006 56-92007 44-02008 57-72009 49-272010 63-49
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 21, 2011 21:21:41 GMT -7
As I've done the past couple years I always put these 2 post on the game thread at the first of the year.
From dfw80 on Aug 29, 2007
Why Highschool Football is special They sit on the oil fields and high plains of southeast New Mexico and west Texas and because of the flat landscape they can be seen from miles away. Rising out of the sand and cotton they loom in the distance appearing as a mirage to those on the highway who have not seen civilization for 40 miles or more. Like medieval castles they range in size and pomp reflecting not only the wealth but also the pride of their kingdom. For 9 months out of the year they sit like a dormant volcano. Dark and desolate but never far from the mind or local coffee shop conversations. Yet every fall these castles come to life again as young warriors battle for supremacy under the now infamous “Friday Night Lights”. This week is one of the greatest weeks of the year because high school football begins another season. There is no denying how special this week is in a small town. I have moved from Artesia to a city of 5 million people in the heart of a state that has hijacked the ownership of high school football. However I don’t think people in a large city truly understand the beauty of high school football. Sure it is mentioned in passing here. The paper dedicates significant potions of the sports section to coverage of prep football and even talk radio discusses the high profile games of the week on occasion. However, Fridays are not the same here. I learned this after living here for only a few months. I was broke and bored (a bad combination) so I went to a class 5 A district football game because my roommate worked at one of the schools and could get me in for free. The match up was between two “rivals” and had serious playoff implications. The evening was dreary as a light rain fell. This rain was a drizzle not a down pour yet as I walked up to the stadium I felt like a salmon swimming up stream against all of the people fleeing to their cars for shelter. A woman dressed in school colors and using a seat cushion to protect her perfect suburbanite hair stopped me and said, “If you are here to see the band perform you can go home because the half time show has been canceled due to the rain.” “Oh, thanks but I’m here to see the game.” I said with a smile. “Really?” She said. The look on her face reminded me of the look on the face of a puppy that just heard an unfamiliar noise. She even tilted her head to the side like dogs do when confused and then she scurried off towards her car. I now live where high school football is acknowledged but it is not a necessity. It is not a life-giving river here like was in my childhood. Fifth graders don’t wear their high school football t-shirts to class on Friday. The spirit squad only sells small ribbons for homecoming and your date to the homecoming dance is what matters, not who will win the game. There are no flags or parades on Main street…heck there aren’t really Main streets for that matter. To understand the magnificence of high school football you have to leave the traffic jams, neon lights, and expressways. Head west until you can smell cows, see cotton, and find broadcasts of high school football on the radio. Once you do, it will start to sink in. High school football is about more than just football. It is about pride. Did you know that most people back east watch their kids play high school football on portable bleachers that are taken away during the week so that the football field can be used for lacrosse, polo, soccer, etc.? They don’t see the football field like we do. To us it is a sacred piece of ground where epic battles have been waged. The field is covered with the blood of sacrifice and passion. The air above will forever be saturated with the hopes and dreams of generations past, present, and future. We take pride in our high school football because the teams are not made up of high-priced athletes who have been brought in to entertain. Those warriors on that field are “our boys” and they are battling “their boys”. In a small town the people in the bleachers have known the players since most of them were born. They come into our shops, live on our block, and we went to school with their parents or siblings. We went to the same school they go to and sat in the same buildings learning from many of the same teachers they learned from. They were the kids who cheered for us and asked us for our autographs when we played on the team. We know them and we love them as people not just as athletes. The high school football players in a small town carry a piece of everyone in the town with them onto the field every Friday night. There is no other way for us to prove that our town is superior to yours. Such arguments often arise between neighboring communities and those debates often last for generations but no one can argue the final score come Saturday morning. This scene will play itself out in countless small towns across the region this weekend. Sixteen and seventeen-year-old boys will become heroes to five year-old children and eighty-year-old men alike. As the sun sets behind the press box and the shadows being to creep across the field there will be a familiar tingle in the air. The cheerleaders will raise the schools breakthrough, bands will play, and thousands of young athletes will take the field carrying the hopes, dreams, prayers, support, and pride of their town on their shoulders. Few things in life can prepare a boy to become a man like high school football. This weekend our Artesia Bulldogs will begin their odyssey known as the 2007 football season. In just mere days the new stands in Lovington will be put to the ultimate test of capacity. The new blue turf on the field will be a big topic and an interesting twist to the old rivalry. However, do not doubt that when the Bulldogs take the field, not in a jog like in other teams but in a sprint because the victorious warriors never take to the battlefield cautiously or nervously rather they swarm the field with controlled and precise mayhem, the blue turf will have no choice but to succumb to the Orange pouring not only out of the stands but also out of the hearts of everyone who is in attendance physically or spiritually, flowing from the heart of anyone who has ever been and will forever be an Artesia Bulldog.
From jeffro2251 on Aug 29, 2008
Tonight, dreams come true. This morning members of the football team will be waking up, probably after a long restless night tossing and turning thinking about the day ahead of them. A day they have been waiting for all their lives. This morning those players will drive to school looking out of shoe polished vehicle windows seeing everyone along the way in orange. This morning they will notice all those orange flags around town waving in the breeze and know they have a whole community on their side. This morning those players will read to kids at the elementary schools they probably once attended. The players will see kids that can’t wait to get a Bulldog autograph on their shoes, backpack, or t-shirt just as they once did. As the players leave those elementary schools on their way back towards the high school they will see the playgrounds that at one point held their touch football games during recess and boy do they bring back memories. Today those players will sit in class, algebra and chemistry in front of them, but blocking assignments and coverage responsibilities not too far from thought. This afternoon the feeling of walking into the field house and seeing that orange jersey hanging perfectly in every locker sends chills to each as they notice their name is finally on one. Tonight those players will dress in a locker room filled with a silent confidence. The sound of taping ankles and adjusting shoulder pads mixed with the anticipation of beating hearts in rhythm with the band as they march past the outside of the field house vibrate through the air. The thud…thud of the drums resonate throughout the field house, signifying game time is near, as well as 16 years or so of waiting coming to an end. Tonight those players will grab that orange helmet from their lockers, the same helmet they’ve wanted to wear since that touch football game on the playground. They will understand the responsibility that comes with wearing that orange helmet and put it on with pride. Tonight those players will walk to the door of the field house and pat a sign an important phrase displayed across the front of it. Tonight those players will enter into the Friday night air that is heavy with both the smell of fireworks and the excitement of a new season, towards the ramp, to a view that will burn a spot in each one of their memories; the sea of orange quickly comes into view. Tonight, meeting the players at the front of the ramp will be small children waiting to touch each helmet and pair of shoulder pads, at that point the players will subconsciously realize they’ve come a long way. Tonight, those players will make their way down the ramp towards the field shearing the moment with childhood friends on either side of them. They will make the decent towards the field not just as friends anymore though, but as brothers a bond there now that can never be broken. Tonight the players will gather together under that orange A, behind the cheerleader’s banner, recite a sacred verse and burst the colorful paper. On the other side of the paper a moment that has been dreamed about since forever. Tonight the players will run through the band that is playing a song that has meaning to each. Like slow motion to each of the players, they will split a path with fans on either side, the player’s senses rising to take it all in. Tonight each player will feel as if they have wings as they sore into the “dog pile”, but that’s no high schooler diving in, it’s that seven year old inside that couldn’t wait for this moment. Tonight those players will play with heart and class the Bulldog way. Tonight those players will do everything in their power to make us as a town very proud. Tonight after the game those players will come before you the fans and sing the alma mater, knowing each word by heart, while touching yours. Tonight those players will raise those orange helmets to the sky, each in the stands raising a hand just the same, “Artesia High forever”. Tonight those players will spell it out, each letter louder than the next. Tonight those players will return to the field house with a loud “Its’ Great to be a Bulldog.” Tonight on your way out of Bulldog Bowl look at all the little boys in attendance I bet you’ll see a dream already embedded in each set of eyes as those Friday Night Lights sparkle in each. The look on their tiny faces will say it all “I can’t wait to be a Bulldog someday!”
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Post by BGP on Aug 22, 2011 19:29:00 GMT -7
No football contest Randall?
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 23, 2011 8:39:27 GMT -7
No football contest Randall? I hadn't really even thought about it bgp, I know I don't have the time to calculate all the results and stuff like I used too. Godogs took care of that last year and did a great job with it. I don't know if Godogs would have the time to do it again this year?
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Post by GoDogs on Aug 23, 2011 11:42:56 GMT -7
I'll be happy to do the calculations if everyone will be patient again. Just let me know. I would rather someone else choose the games though. I don't keep up with the other teams quite as much as I used to so it's hard for me to tell which games will be most competitive or interesting, etc.
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 23, 2011 12:02:22 GMT -7
As long as your up for it godogs, if you need a backup a week here or there let me know.
I'll pick some games tonight and get it going.
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Post by GoDogs on Aug 23, 2011 12:05:04 GMT -7
Sounds good to me.
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Post by kennypowers on Aug 23, 2011 20:09:55 GMT -7
Kenny Powers is BACK!!!! how about that off season? always a little sweeter when you pop the champagne bottles at the end of the year
now down to business the only reason lovington scored more than 14 points in the last couple years is becuz of jeanna jameson, best qb i've seen since I was catching passes at the university of texas el paso as a tight end from rocky perez. its going be a long night for the cats. Se ya nxt week
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 24, 2011 9:18:37 GMT -7
Jeanna Jameson? lol
I think you mean Jacob Jameson
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Post by Jades on Aug 24, 2011 14:24:21 GMT -7
Maybe Kenny is on to something. Let's move the Jenna Jameson thing to Saturday and we can all get all get on board with that!!
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Post by bulldogbooster45 on Aug 25, 2011 16:22:18 GMT -7
Very excited to see how it all ends up!!
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Post by crispysdad on Aug 25, 2011 18:47:17 GMT -7
Just wondering if anybody knows how good Lovington is supposed to be this year, compared to how good they were last year? Did they lose a lot to graduation? Do they have a lot of seniors returning? What are the people "in the know" expecting from Lovington this year?
Reason I am asking is because I will use tomorrow nights game to gauge how good the Bulldogs are. I know that Lovington and Artesia will both be running the same system on offense and defense that they ran last year. So all things being equal, if we beat them by a similar score as last year, then we might possibly expect the same results from the Dogs as last season.....another state title!
If Lovington is at least as good as they were last year, then tomorrow nights outcome can tell us a LOT about the success of the Bulldogs THIS year. If Lovington is expected to run the table this year and we blow them out then Katy bar the door! If on the other hand, they have lost a lot, and we struggle then we may be in trouble the rest of the season. I think y'all know where I am coming from on this.
So what's the scoop on Lovington?
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 25, 2011 19:17:50 GMT -7
No insider by far but Lovington lost several key playmakers like us, Jameson as mentioned above and Robert Hargrove among others.
No way Lovington will be as good as last year, the admin of the Lovington Football site told me you have a team like that in Lovington once every 6 or 7 years. That don't mean they won't be a good 3A team, they are pre season #1 but last years team was special, they scored 60 points in the state title game, 60 points!! lol
I don't know if you could gauge either team by the 1st game, cause you'd expect some of these new faces to get better as the year goes on.
I was thinking Hobbs would be a better measuring stick against us but with the loss of RB Mackey now I don't know.
Like I said on another thread I think we will win by a couple touchdowns, looking at the last 10 years the game has mostly been a blowout. So a big blowout against a pre season #1 in 3A would be a good omen to me.
We'll see what happens. Good luck Bulldogs
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Post by Wildcat in Midland on Aug 26, 2011 11:42:45 GMT -7
FYI - Lovington has 17 state titles
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 26, 2011 12:26:06 GMT -7
Ok, forgot to add last years title on there I guess. Corrected it.
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Post by Agent Orange on Aug 26, 2011 22:25:13 GMT -7
35-14 the bulldogs win.
Trevor Whitmire has 5 interceptions on the night
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Post by Big Dog on Aug 26, 2011 22:43:22 GMT -7
Amazing night Trevor ... great job. Heard on the radio that his 4 punts averaged 41 yds also.
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Post by jayster1 on Aug 27, 2011 7:15:58 GMT -7
He got mad when he fumbled the kickoff and more than made up for it! I thought he "only" had 4 for the night. I must have lost count. Josh Gonzales also had one. The QB for Lovington just kept throwing the ball up for grabs! There wasn't much on those throws and Trevor just went and got them. Great job T. Maybe I'll let you drive my car after all. lol
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Post by jayster1 on Aug 27, 2011 7:20:49 GMT -7
Also, PraiseHimForever got a great picture of Miguel (#80) making the catch and keeping his foot inbounds in the SW endzone. i have the picture on my phone and I would post it if I knew how. Can someone else post it quicker than me? It was going viral last night. Can I take it directly to youtube from my iPhone? It's really a good shot and corroborates the TD!
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Post by bdogfan on Aug 27, 2011 8:16:23 GMT -7
I was watching the game via ksvp and the announcer said, if I heard him correctly that one of the bulldogs who made a td catch was 114 pounds. Is that right was it Miguel?
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