Cavemen Collide with the Clovis Wildcats

By Don Eskins

The Carlsbad Cavemen, following a heartbreaking 21-20 loss to the third-ranked Centennial Hawks in their District 3/6A opener, will entertain the Clovis Wildcats on Friday night, September 26.

The clash between the two schools has been designated as this year’s Homecoming event for Carlsbad High. Kickoff for the game has been scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Cavemen, ranked 11th in Class 6A football by MaxPreps, will take the field at 2-3 on the year and 0-1 in conference play. The game will serve as this year’s district opener for the 1-3, 18th-ranked Wildcats.

Clovis’s lone victory this season came against the 12th-ranked Farmington Scorpions. In that game, the Wildcats edged the Scorps, 32-27.

Since then, Clovis has fallen on hard times, losing to the Rio Rancho Rams 56-0, the Cleveland Storm 57-0, and the Cibola Cougars 21-8. Carlsbad has also lost to Cibola this year, 23-7.

Cavemen fans should also take note that two of the Wildcat’s losses have come against two of New Mexico’s top-ranked teams. As of Friday, September 26, the 5-0 Cleveland Storm are ranked No. 1, and the 2-3 Rio Rancho Rams are seventh.

Despite being 1-3, Cavemen head coach Cale Sanders says the Wildcats will be tough.

“Clovis is a much-improved football team this year. Although they lost to Cibola, they were ahead of Cougars, 8-7, at the half,” said Sanders. “So, they are a capable ball club, and we’re going to have to be ready to play.”

Homecoming Court 2025

Highlighting this year’s Carlsbad High School homecoming activities will be the presentation of the Homecoming Court at Friday night’s game. This year’s court consists of the following students:

Candidates for Homecoming Queen: Makayla Franco, Camille Martin, Chloe Melvin, Jewel Munro, and Alysani Navarrette.

Candidates for Homecoming King: Drake Escamilla, Aiden Garcia, Isaiah Medina, Cristian Munoz, and Samuel Vega.

Centennial 21, Carlsbad 20

It had just about everything a prep sports fan might hope—or not hope—to see at a high school football game: two good teams squaring off in their district inaugural, a lightning delay, a Hall of Fame ceremony at half-time, and one of the most exciting finishes ever seen in the Ralph Bowyer Cavemen Football Stadium.

Yup, Friday night’s game, September 19, between the third-ranked Centennial Hawks and 11th-ranked Carlsbad Cavemen had it all!

Down 21-7 with just 16 seconds remaining in the ballgame, Carlsbad struck for two quick scores to close the gap to 21-20 with no time showing on the clock.

The Cavemen’s scores came on a 32-yard touchdown pass from CHS signal caller Marley Munoz to wide receiver Rober Castaneda, followed by a Lennon Ananins kick, and a 30-yard scoop and score effort from Castaneda, off an onside kick as time ran off the clock.

After closing the gap to 21-20, the Cavemen chose to go for two and the win, only to come up just shy of the goal line on a very controversial call.

Castaneda’s two scores, within 16 seconds, were part of one of the most unbelievable performances ever witnessed on the Ralph Bowyer Cavemen Football Field. When Carlsbad lined up for Lennon Ananins’ onside kick, only one second was showing on the clock.

Stepping up big defensively for the Cavemen were Lennon Ananins, Colton McKibben, Ty Young, Rio Sanchez, Augustine Venegas, Zayland Pesante, and A Saenz.

Cavemen vs Hawks Results:

Hawks 7---0---7---7----21

C-men 0---7---0--13---20

Team Totals C-men Hawks

Total Yards 231 365

Passing Yds 192 148

Rushing Yds 39 217

First Downs 9 15

Turnovers 1 1

Fumbles Lost 0 0

Int. Thrown 1 1

Penalties 8 14

Yards 75 152

Scoring:

2nd Qt: TD, R. Castaneda 83-yd. pass from M. Munoz (L. Ananins Extra Pt. kick)

4th Qt: 1. TD, R. Castenada 32-yd. pass from M. Munoz (L. Ananins Extra Pt. kick), 2. TD, R. Castaneda 30-yd. kickoff return (2 pt. Conversion failed)

Offense:

Passing: M. Munoz 10-25-192yds, 2TD’s, 1 int.

Rushing: M. Munoz 8-15 yds.; B. Wright 10-24 yds.

Receiving: RJ Hernandez 5-62 yds.; R. Castaneda 3-121 yds., 2TDs; J. Harper 1-8 yds.; B. Wright 1-1yd.

Defense:

L. Ananins 6T-6A-2TFL; C. McKibben T-6A-1TFL; T. Young 5T-4A; R. Sanchez 5T-3A-TFL-Int; T. Barta

2T-6A; R. Akweimbi 2T-5A; A. Venegas 2T-3A-Sck-TFL; C. Roberson T-4A; D. Escamilla T; Z. Pesante T-3A-Sck-TFL; I. Gaitan T-3A; I. Solorzano T-A; I. Almodovar A; S. Cruc A; J. Rubio 6A; A. Saenz Int.

Stats by CHS Football Coach Charles Milllar