Dugan -Perry Sign Collegiate Letters of Intent By Don Eskins It's on to the next level for two Carlsbad High School athletes, well almost anyway. On Wednesday, November 10, former Cavegirl soccer player Alexa Dugan signed a letter of intent to compete collegiately for the West Texas A&M Buffaloes in Canyon, Texas. Also signing was Carlsbad High's Nolan Perry. Perry, who still has some unfinished business on the Cavemen baseball field this spring, signed to play ball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock. Dugan and the Lady BuffaloesDugan's career with the Cavegirls has been a very decorated one. As a forward on the team last season she helped to lead CHS to a state championship. For her efforts on the field she was named as theNew Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year. This season Dugan and her Cavegirls finished at 20-3 and won a District 4A title for the third straight year,before falling to the Cobre Cougars 1-0 in the state final,to finish out the year as the New Mexico Class 5A runner-up.Individually she scored 37 goals and recorded 17 assists for 91 total points, fourth in the state this season.With her high school career now behind her she's been looking ahead for a school at the next levelto showcase her soccer talents.Being offered a scholarship to playcollegiately at West Texas A&Mwas an opportunity she felt she couldn't turn down."I wanted to go to a Division II school so I'd have an opportunity to play more," she said. "I also wanted to be able to play close to home. West Texas A&M offeredme the opportunity to do both."However,there was also another reason why she liked the West Texas A&M soccer program, under the direction of head coach Chad Webb."A while back I got to workout with the Buffaloes and afterwards Coach Webb showed me around the campus," she said. "I really enjoyed my visit at West Texas A&M,and after having already met so many of the girls there, the idea of playing soccer for the Buffaloesseemed like
a perfect fit for me. So when Coach Webb offered me a scholarship to play there I was ready to go."According to Cavegirl head coach Misty Long the Lady Buffaloes will be getting a good one from Carlsbad High."Alexa's always worked hard and I'm sure she'll continue to do so for the Buffaloes," said long. "But along with her work ethic they'll be getting a kid who most always finds a way to finish.When you really need to score a goal,she can find the back of a net. That’s a quality often hard to find among your players."And what does Dugan plan on majoring in as a student-athlete at West Texas A&M?"It seems like I change my mind every day," she said. "But at the moment it's nursing."Perry and the Red RaidersFor Nolan Perry baseball at the next level will have to wait a bit longer. Just a junior, he still has one more season of high school eligibility left and for the Cavemen baseball program that's good news.However,for Perry, signing a letter of intent to play collegiate baseball for the Division I Texas Tech Red Raiderswas a dream come true."Getting an opportunity to play for the Red Raiders really means a lot to me," he said. "It's been a dream of mine for the past several years. It seems like I've always wanted to be a Red Raider."When Perry checks in at Texas Tech this fall he'll be suiting upwith one of the nation's premiercollegiate programs. The Red Raiders, coached by Tim Tadlock, have won three of the last four Big 12 Conference championships and have participated in four of the past seven NCAA World SeriesBaseball Tournaments. Just where he'll fit in at Texas Tech Perry, who has excelled as a pitcher, mid-fielder and at the plate, wasn't sure. However, for his father Tim, that wasn't the case."Nolan will go in asa pitcher. He's been throwing in the 90's so that's where they'll be looking at him first," said his dad. "But we're hoping he'll have an opportunity to do more."As a hurler for the Cavemenlast season Perry, at6'2" tall and 185 lbs., accumulated a record of 6-1 with an earned run average of just 1.13. At the plate,he hit .425 with four home runs.
Now, having already signed his letter of intent to play at Texas Tech, Perry says it's time to get on with other things at Carlsbad High."It's good to have been able to get all of this done this semester," he said. "Now I can just concentrate on playing Cavemen baseball and graduating."At this time,Perry has not decided what he will major in at Texas Tech