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For many seniors, golf offers a great way to exercise, socialize and compete. After all, what could be better than spending an afternoon on a beautiful course with people you love and care about? Obviously, the answer to that question is to play well, at least well enough that you don’t embarrass yourself. Which brings to mind a round of golf I carded several months ago here in Springfield, Mo. So bad was it that I almost tossed my clubs in a dumpster on my way home. But, bei

The annual Cavern City adult tennis tournament was held over the Fourth of July weekend at the Lake Carlsbad Tennis Complex, drawing 56 players from Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Carlsbad entrants fared well, winning four of the nine divisions offered, with three runners-up finishes and four consolation championships. Recent high school graduate Lucas Bluth brought home top honors in the 27-person Men’s Open Singles, then teamed with his brother, Clayton Bluth, to win the

By Don Eskins Former Cavemen hurler Nolan Perry, selected in the 12th round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, has been promoted to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. But for Perry, the good news doesn’t end there. On July 1, as a result of his continued growth and stellar play, Toronto’s No. 3 MLB prospect and MLB’s 100th was selected to participate in the 2026 Futures All-Star Game set to take place in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 12. The

Update: Having experienced an up and down start in 2026, largely due to injuries and illness, former Caveman Trevor Rogers, now a Baltimore Oriole, currently owns a 5-7 record, an ERA of 4.99 and a WHIP of 1.31. However, during the month of June, Rogers has experienced a resurgence on the mound, showing glimpses of the success he enjoyed during 2025, a season that saw him post a 9-3 record with an ERA of just 1.81 and a WHIP of 0.90. Now in the Orioles starting rotation, Ro

By Don Eskins The Many Faces of Cavegirl Atria WellsBy Don Eskins When the Cavern City's old timers pick up a good cup of coffee, gather around a table, and begin talking about Carlsbad High's greatest Cavegirls, Atria Wells has to be on their list of possible candidates. However, when it comes to Wells, one must decide which Atria they're talking about. As she excelled in three sports, will they be discussing her as a track-and-field, powerlifting, or wrestling star? And the

Bits & Pieces by Don Eskins While driving through the Ozark Mountains a while back, I heard a young man make an interesting comment about his golf game on a sports radio station that I was listening to. The young man, one of Misso uri’s top prep players, had just won a big tournament in the area. When asked by the broadcasters what he liked most about the golf course he had just won on, the young man replied, “Mostly, I liked the par five holes. Although par fives, they were

By Don Eskins Four Cavemen, headed by sophomore hurler Wade Cozart, have been named to the New Mexico High School Coaches Association’s 2026 Class 5A All-State Baseball Team. Cozart was named to the All-State First Team as a pitcher. Selected for Second Team All-State honors were Jayden Carter as a catcher, EZ Lopez as an infielder, and Brock Wright as an outfielder. Cozart posted an overall record of 9-1 during 2026 with an ERA of 1.186. He gave up 12 earned runs on 51 hits

By Don Eskins Cavegirls Katrina Ortega and Mari Reyes have been recognized by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association for their outstanding play during the 2026 prep softball season. The NMHSCA recently named Ortega to its Class 5A All-State Second Team as a pitcher. Reyes received All-State Honorable Mention as an infielder. Both Ortega and Reyes played key roles for the Cavegirls this past season. Inside the circle, Ortega posted a record of 7-8 with an ERA of just 2

By Don Eskins With the Cavemen’s 11-2 loss to the Cleveland Storm in the semifinal round of the state baseball tournament on Friday, May 15, the 2025-26 sports calendar at CHS officially came to an end. And what a year it was! So, Carlsbad, let’s hit some of the high spots! CHS Fall Sports Slate 2025 The Cavemen football team, after a two-year leave of absence, was invited back to the NMAA’s State Football Playoffs. And for the first time in 15 years, they delivered! Unde

By Don Eskins The 2026 gridiron season promises to bring with it yet another exciting year of prep football for Carlsbad High sports fans. Coming off a 6-6 season, a 35-13 upset victory over the sixth-seeded Rio Rancho Rams during first-round play of the state tournament, and a Class 6A No. 8 ranking in 2025, CHS’s hopes for a deep run into this year’s state playoffs couldn’t be higher. But, while CHS will see some new faces alongside this season’s returnees (with possibly a

By Don Eskins Seven Cavemen have been selected for All-District 4/5A honors for their efforts on the baseball diamond during 2026. Heading the list of CHS hardballers named to this year’s team was sophomore hurler Wade Cozart. Cozart, named as an All District First Team pitcher and Second Team infielder, was also named as the District 4/5A Player of the Year. Also receiving All-District honors were First Team: Jayden Carter, catcher, Connor Roberson, designated hitter, and EZ

By Don Eskins Eight Carlsbad High School Cavegirls have been named to the 2026 All-District 4/5A Softball Team. Leading the Cavern City’s barrage of talented players named to this year’s team was junior Katrina Ortega. Ortega, named to the All-District First Team as a pitcher, was also selected as the District 4/5A Player of the Year. As CHS’s number one hurler, Ortega was 5-2 during conference play. While inside the circle, she registered a minuscule ERA of just 1.02, allowi