Carlsbad, Artesia Clash in 2025 Inaugural Cavemen vs. Bulldogs in Eddy County War

kmarksteiner0
Aug 20
4 min read

By Don Eskins

Once again, it’s time for another edition of the Eddy County War, as the Carlsbad Cavemen host the Artesia Bulldogs on Friday night, August 22.

Always a barnburner, the Cavemen and Bulldogs will kick off the fireworks and a new season of prep football at 7 p.m.

Selected as the state’s number one team in Class 5A by MaxPreps (and seventh overall), the Bulldogs will storm the Ralph Bowyer Cavemen Football Stadium as heavy favorites.

In comparison, the Cavemen haven’t been shown nearly as much love by the New Mexico pollster. MaxPreps has ranked CHS 12th in Class 6A and 17th overall.

Despite being tagged as underdogs for this year’s clash, Cavemen head coach Cale Sanders said when his charges take the field on Friday night, they won’t be lacking confidence. The Faceoff

With renewed confidence as they prepare to kick off their season inaugural, execution on the field will play a big role in whether or not the Cavemen can corral the Bulldogs.

“Although Artesia is a great team and certainly deserving of all the recognition they’ve gotten this year, they pretty much do the same thing every year,” said Sanders. “They throw the ball around and run inside zone plays. The problem, though, is trying to stop them. It’s something very few teams in New Mexico have been able to do.

“But we’re a much different team than we’ve been for the past two seasons. This year, we’ve got a lot of experienced players on both sides of the ball,” he said. “So, we’re looking forward to lining up against them. If we execute, limit our mistakes, and can keep the score close, our kids will be just fine.”

Field Generals

Defensively, the Cavemen look solid for 2025. Expected to play key roles in their effort to stop or slow down the potent Bulldog offense are Colton McKibben, a 6’3” 220 lb. junior linebacker, Sean Cruz, a 6’1” 255 lb. sophomore nose tackle, and Rio Sanchez, a 5’8”145 lb. senior cornerback.

“Colton will be the centerpiece of our defense this year. Besides playing tough football, he’ll be in charge of making the right calls and getting our people lined up correctly. As for Sean, he’ll be an anchor for us on the line. Only a sophomore, I’m already excited about getting to watch him play,” said the Cavemen coach. “Rio Sanchez, a quiet kid who just goes about his business on the field, will be a mainstay in the secondary for us. A three-year starter, it’s hard to imagine Rio not being on the field for us.”

Although it’s still unclear as to which quarterback—Eloy Lopez or Marley Munoz—will start under center for the Artesia kickoff, Sanders said he’s more than happy with the Cavemen’s offensive possibilities for 2025.

“Offensively, we’re pretty solid across the board, especially at our skilled positions. Three of our returning receivers—Robert Castaneda, Eloy Lopez, and Robert Hernandez—had over 30 catches last year, and Eaven Leos had 22,” he said. “We like to spread the ball around too, and we have receivers who can bring the ball in when we do.”

The Cavemen will be looking to Castenada, a senior at 5’10” and 165 lbs., Brock Wright, a junior 6’1” 192 lb. running back, and Cowboy Vargas, a 5’10” 260 lb. senior right guard, for big plays.

“Robert, who had 48 catches last year, has been our leading receiver for the past two seasons. Brock, our featured running back last year, also played well in 2024. We’re looking for both of them to have another good year,” said Sanders. “As for Cowboy, a starter for us the past three years, he’ll be our Alpha male on the offensive line. We’re definitely going to need him to step up this year.”

A Chip Called the 12th Man

While the Bulldogs will enter Friday night’s game as the clear favorite, the Cavemen will have an edge, a chip that former Texas A&M coach Jackie Sherrill often called the 12th man. That chip, a packed stadium full of fans in total support of his Aggies.

“Playing at home in the Ralph Bowyer Cavemen Football Stadium will be a big boost for our kids,” said Sanders, “especially if the stands are full of Carlsbad fans, wearing blue, in total support of the Cavemen, and making a lot of noise.”

MaxPreps Pre-Season FB Polls

Class 6A NM Rankings

1. Cleveland 1. Cleveland

2. Las Cruces 2. Las Cruces

3. La Cueva 3. La Cueva

4. Centennial 4. Centennial

5. Volcano Vista 5. Artesia

6. Hobbs 6. Roswell

7. Rio Rancho 7. Volcano

8. Los Lunas 8. Hobbs

9. Farmington 9. Rio Rancho

10. Piedra Vista 10. Los Lunas