PICTURED: Jett Fuentes turns into the end zone after snagging a 21-yard touchdown pass fro Derrick Warren Friday in Deming.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
On more than one occasion over the years, the Bulldog football team has learned the hard way that Deming gives nothing away at Memorial Stadium. So while the Wildcats came into Friday's District 2-AAAAA opener sporting a winless record, the boys in orange knew their sights needed to be firmly set on the task at hand.
A quick two-touchdown leg up to start the game gave them the momentum they needed off the bus, and a stellar performance from the Orange Crush defense helped hold it steady throughout as the 'Dogs delivered a decisive road victory in their 2025 D2 opener, 41-14.
The Artesia D had the 'Cats' number all night, holding Deming to just a single touchdown in the first half, their second coming in the final minutes of the game. In between, the Crush forced a trio of turnovers -- one resulting in a touchdown -- two turnovers on downs in the Bulldog red zone, and a pair of three-and-outs. They also logged eight tackles for a loss in the contest, deducting a combined 28 yards from the Wildcats' final tally of 266.
The Big Orange offense, meanwhile, racked up 358 yards of offense amidst a balanced attack, carrying the ball 20 times on the ballgame for 199 yards and posting 159 yards of passing. And while they'd lose the ball twice themselves in the opening half, neither turnover resulted in points for the 'Cats, as the Bulldogs scored to cap all but two of their remaining drives.
The 'Dogs were fast out of the gate Friday, starting at their own 49-yard line after Daelon Pacheco fielded a grounder of a kickoff. They'd convert once on fourth and short by way of a 17-yard run by Jack Byers out of the rhino package before senior quarterback Derrick Warren found slot Jett Fuentes wide open behind the Deming defense for a 21-yard score with 8:27 to go in the first.
Two plays later, the Crush's dynamic duo, the Soto brothers, would force a turnover when Marco Soto tipped a pass attempt by Deming QB Max Allison that was caught by Miguel Soto. The interception set Artesia up at the Wildcat 29, and following a pair of runs for 20 yards by Bryce Parra, Warren took matters into his own hands up the middle for a nine-yard TD that made it 13-0 after a PAT miss.
PICTURED: Derrick Warren eludes the Deming defense for a nine-yard touchdown run.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
Deming was able to get on the board on their next possession via an 11-yard pass from Allison to Anthony Munoz. And after the 'Cats were able to turn a long gain for the Bulldogs into a fumble on Artesia's first play from scrimmage after punching the ball out, the home crowd was on its feet. But the 'Dogs would force a quick punt, leaving just enough time on the first-quarter clock for a rally-killer after Edel Villa returned the kick to the Deming 10 and Warren hit a leaping Byers with a seven-yard touchdown pass at the seven-second mark.
That made it 20-7 Artesia going into the second, which essentially consisted of two long drives that didn't end well for either team. Of note, the 'Dogs were whistled for the game's first penalty midway through Deming's go-round, a facemasking call that bumped the 'Cats from the Artesia 37 to the 14. The defense wasn't budging from there, however, forcing a turnover on downs on three rushing plays and an incomplete pass. That set the Bulldogs up at their own seven, but two big plays saw them swiftly trade ends of the field: a 45-yard run by Parra and a 44-yard pass from Warren to Sawyer Whitehead. What looked like another sure touchdown became a turnover, though, after the Wildcats were able to rattle the ball loose on an intended short passing attempt from the one to leave the score at 20-7 at the break.
The Crush kicked off the second half by forcing another Deming TOD at the Artesia 19-yard line, and Parra would go over 100 yards on the night on the next play: a 56-yard run that saw him explode through the line and proceed untouched to the Wildcat 25. The 'Dogs got a few lost yards back on a 28-yard pass from Warren to Cael Houghtaling, and Cristian Pando would do the rest from the one to make it 27-7 with 6:53 to go in the third.
PICTURED: Jack Byers leaps to nab a 10-yard touchdown pass from Derrick Warren as the first quarter comes to a close.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
Amidst a three and out on their next possession, Deming's workhorse running back, Isaac Martinez, would exit the game with an injury and unfortunately not return. And things only got worse for the 'Cats from there.
The fourth quarter began with Alejandro Ontiveros wrangling Allison at midfield, and as Marco Soto moved in to assist, he was able to pop the ball free, to be recovered by Chris Aguilar at the Deming 40. Two plays later, Pando was back in the end zone on a seven-yard run. And eight seconds later, Soto would take his place after scooping up a fumbled exchange on Deming's first play from scrimmage and returning the ball 14 yards for the score, Soto's second FR touchdown of the season.
PICTURED: Marco Soto (52) runs through the end zone after scoring on a fumble recovery as brother Miguel Soto cheers him on.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
Deming was able to log one last touchdown as the clock ticked away, converting twice on third down -- once via a pass-interference flag -- before scoring on fourth and goal on a four-yard pass from Allison to Juan Ramirez. The Bulldog backups entered the fray for Artesia's final series, with QB Lucas Atkins, WR Layton Whitmire and RB Ray Ray Cano moving the ball from midfield to the Deming 34, from which a 51-yard field-goal attempt by Corbyn Dominguez came up inches short, leaving the final at 41-14.
Parra finished with the bulk of Artesia's 199 rushing yards on the night, carrying the ball eight times for 120. Warren was 5-32 with a touchdown and Pando 4-25 with two scores. Warren went nine of 13 passing for 146 yards and two touchdowns, one apiece to Fuentes (2-48) and Byers (3-15). Whitehead led in receiving yards with three catches for 55. Martinez had 96 rushing yards on 18 carries for Deming, Allison went 10-20 passing for 115 yards with two TDs and an interception, and Ramirez was 5-65 receiving.
The Bulldogs will now be looking to make it 2-0 on the road in district play as they travel to Anthony Friday, Sept. 19, to take on the Gadsden Panthers. Gadsden is currently unbeaten at 4-0 (1-0 in D2) following wins over Chaparral (50-20), Valencia (35-12), Clint, Texas (36-21), and Mayfield (42-21). Tickets to the contest can be purchased online via GoFan.
PICTURED: Cristian Pando scampers ahead of the Deming defense.
(Photo by Artesia Bulldog Paw Prints)
STAT BOX
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
Artesia- Jett Fuentes 21-pass from Derrick Warren (Corbyn Dominguez kick good), 8:27
Artesia- Warren 9-run (kick failed), 6:29
Deming- Anthony Munoz 11-pass from Max Allison (Allison kick good), 2:20
Artesia- Jack Byers 7-pass from Warren (Dominguez kick good), :07
SECOND QUARTER
No Scoring
THIRD QUARTER
Artesia- Cristian Pando 1-run (Dominguez kick good), 6:53
FOURTH QUARTER
Artesia- Pando 7-run (Dominguez kick good), 10:37
Artesia- Marco Soto 14-fumble return (Dominguez kick good), 10:29
Deming- Juan Ramirez 4-pass from Allison (Allison kick good), 4:05
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Artesia- Bryce Parra 8-120; Warren 5-32; Pando 4-25; Byers 1-17; Ray Ray Cano 2-5
Deming- Isaac Martinez 18-96; Allison 12-42; Richard Holguin 10-15; Ramirez 2-7; Adrian Granados 1-(-3); Landon McBurney 1-(-6)
PASSING
Artesia- Warren 9-13-146-2-0; Lucas Atkins 1-3-13-0-0
Deming- Allison 10-20-115-2-1
RECEIVING
Artesia- Sawyer Whitehead 3-55; Fuentes 2-48; Cael Houghtaling 1-28; Byers 3-15; Layton Whitmire 1-13
Deming- Ramirez 5-65; Bryan Lobato 2-29; Munoz 3-21
TEAM STATISTICS
FIRST DOWNS
Artesia 8; Deming 16
RUSHING YARDS
Artesia 20-199; Deming 44-151
PASSING YARDS
Artesia 159; Deming 115
TOTAL YARDS
Artesia 358; Deming 266
PENALTIES
Artesia 6-70; Deming 1-5
TURNOVERS
Artesia 2; Deming 3