From the Stands by Don Eskins: 1000 Victories Exclusive Milestone for Cavegirls

On Friday, April 17, at Cavegirl Park, the Cavegirl softball team defeated the Roswell Coyotes 15-2 in the first of two games.

While the victory was an important one for the CHS girls in that it pushed their conference record up to a perfect 3-0 in their pursuit of yet another District 4/5A title, the win was much, much, much, more than just another Cavegirl triumph!

The victory also marked another milestone for a program that had long before become iconic, not only in New Mexico but also nationwide.

The 15-2 win over Roswell earned the Cavegirls their 1,000 win!

Come to find out, after a little research with AI, not only was the victory monumental in stature, but it was also extremely rare.

While AI recognized that, due to coaching turnover, realignments, etc., this kind of record isn’t often kept by many high schools, it is nonetheless one of the most cherished among the ranks of prep softball teams nationwide.

“While many teams hold 15-20 state titles (CHS has won 18, the fifth most nationally), achieving 1,000 wins requires sustained elite performance over a period of 40-50-plus years, making it a very exclusive accomplishment,” said AI.

“Based on available historical data,” continued the computer guru, “it is extremely rare for a high school softball team to reach 1,000 wins, with likely fewer than five schools achieving this milestone nationwide.”

Cavegirl softball, among only a handful of schools across the country to have achieved this iconic milestone, it doesn’t get much better than this!

Almost unbelievable, but true, it’s already become part of the CHS program’s folklore.

The Journey to Reach 1000 wins

History will say that the Cavegirls won their 1,000th victory, a 15-2 win over Roswell High, under the direction of head coach Brian Santo. It will also say that inside the circle, to pick up the win, was junior Katrina Ortega, whose battery mate was Kendra Ortega, her sister.

History will also say the Cavegirls were led offensively by senior Makayla Chester and sophomore Addyson Vallejos, both of whom went 3-for-4 at the plate.

But, as captivating a story as collecting their 1,000th win is, the journey to get there has been just as fascinating.

From May Morris, the team’s first coach who logged 19 wins and the first to record a state title, to John Tigert, the Cavegirls’ most recognized coach, who logged 11 state titles and 594 wins during his three stints at the helm of the program, to present day coach Brian Santo, who has already tucked two state titles and 108 victories safely under his belt, the Cavegirl softball program has been blessed with great leadership on the field.

Then there’s also that endless line of Cavegirl athletes who have time and time again stepped up to the plate to build Carlsbad into one of the most respected programs across the continent.

The folklore associated with the Cavegirls has provided our community with an endless number of stories.

Stories like Carol Tabor, who, after winning a state doubles tennis title in 1983, changed into her Cavegirl softball uniform in her car as her family raced across Albuquerque so she could play in the then Class 4A state final.

It was a contest in which head coach John Tigert, in an effort to stall the start of the game, reportedly took an extended 30–40-minute pre-game warmup as the visiting team.

It worked; Tabor arrived just as the clash was about to get underway. She went on to lead the Cavegirls to a 1-0 victory over the Gadsden Panthers from inside the circle.

And then, how about Cavegirl Annie Dodson, who raced down the third base line in the top of the seventh inning, to steal home and a state championship victory over the West Mesa Mustangs, 2-1, in 1993.

More recently, how can we forget about the exploits of Cavegirl hurler Fatih Aragon? Aragon, from inside the circle, helped lead Carlsbad to back-to-back state titles in 2022-23 and, along the way, was named a New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year.

There are many, many, many, more stories!

For the program that has spanned 50-plus years (1973-2026), won 18 state championships, and recorded 1,000 wins, many Cavegirls and coaches have contributed to achieving such a remarkable feat.

From Carlsbad Local Sports, congratulations go out to the Cavegirl softball team’s players and coaches, past and present, all members of a very exclusive 1,000-wins club.