Artesia and Clovis Football in Top 200 in the Nation, Tigers verses Artesia the Game to Remember

When it comes to High School sports Max Preps is the authority on stats and record keeping. Two New Mexico schools made the cut of the list of the 250 winningest programs. 

Artesia High School is ranked as the 131st winningest program in the country with 723 wins. The Bulldogs overall record is listed at 723-355-33. Artesia put together a 12-1 record last year, winning their 32nd state championship. Artesia also has more state championship game appearances than any other school in New Mexico with 38.

Clovis High School is #187 on the MaxPreps list with 697 total victories. The Wildcats have an overall record of 697-353-34 in their program. Clovis has 13 state championships overall with their last one coming in 2001. Eric Roanhaus, the state’s all-time leader with wins in New Mexico, is responsible for 335 of their 697 victories. Roanhaus coached the Wildcats from 1978-2016, coaching 485 games at Clovis (also a state record).

Valdosta High School (GA) is the nation’s all-time wins leader, according to MaxPreps, with 952 victories. The Wildcats have held onto the top spot in the rankings since 1987.

One of the most memorable games in Alamogordo history is a game against Artesia, which historically for decades was Alamogordo's biggest rival. The story of the biggest rivalry game in history between the two was recalled by the late Arthur Keller in an interview we conducted several years ago. From our AlamogordoTownNews.org news archives...

That game was the homecoming game against Artesia in November of 72, his senior year. Art Keller did well in his studies and was excellent as an athlete. As a junior Art had mentioned to his father his desire to possibly graduate early. Art Keller’s dad was firm about one thing, “No!” Mr. Keller said, “Son you cannot graduate early. Your destiny is to be on a football team that beats Artesia.”

For you see, Artesia and Alamogordo were and are fierce rivals and have a history. Alamogordo players, in protest a few years prior, had left Alamogordo and gone to Artesia to make political statement. Further, Artesia showed no mercy to the Alamogordo Tigers over the years.

A November 9th, 1972 news story in the Alamogordo News better explains the sentiments about Artesia at the time…

“Greenhorn Notes” by Stan Green Alamogordo News

“As the Alamogordo Tigers head into their biggest football game of the year...Homecoming...they are about to face the Artesia Bulldogs.

“I’m putting a closed sign on my flower shop” declared Ray Pierce Tuesday night when the Tiger Boosters met at the Desert Aire to review films of the previous week's game.

Ray said, the best thing the Tigers could do to honor all the past teams was to “whip Artesia Friday night.”

Ray can recall being carried off the football field when he played Artesia several years prior.

Artesia had beat Alamogordo 19 times in prior meetings...Since 1946 the scoresheet shows Artesia winning 19 times, losing 2 and tying 1.

Alamogordo had a long dry spell, 17 years to be exact since they were able to hand a loss to Artesia. The Tigers won the 1955 game 21 to 6. The only other win was in 1949, 18 to 6. The Tigers had a 6-6 tie in 1948 and the two teams did not play in 53 nor 51.”

Things changed in 1972. Between a solid coaching, Coach Braun's leadership, staff prepping the boys, and a team of determined athletes the headline was much different and Art Keller’s father's vision came true…

Alamogordo News, 11/12/1972; “Tigers Hand an 18-0 Loss onto The Artesia Bulldogs”

“The greatest turnout of Tiger football fans Friday night for one of the greatest Homecomings in Alamogordo Tiger history….They handed the Artesia Bulldogs the first zip score ever by an Alamogordo football team as they stirred up the big orange and swallowed them in one big gulp 18 to 0.

The long dry spell since 1955, under Coach Newt McDonald who beat Artesia 21 to 6, was finally broken that Friday night in 1972, under the coaching of Garland “Mr. Football” Braun, who could take a lot of credit for getting the job done as Varsity Football Coach.

Not only did the Tigers humiliate Artesia for a 3rd homecoming loss, while on the road in 1972...each loss was one without the Bulldogs scoring a point. It was undoubtedly an extra bitter pill for long winning coach of the time, I G Henderson, to swallow when the Tigers got their second touchdown…

The Alamogordo Senior Class placed an ad in the Artesia paper that came true, it read; “Fat Dogs Do Make Tiger Tidbits.” A humiliating defeat indeed, for Artesia.

According to Art Keller and several other classmates from that year; “When coach Braun was first assigned to Alamogordo, some of the seniors on the team resented that Coach Bob Sepulveda was not the varsity coach. Sepulveda had proven he can create winning teams both in Track and Field and in Sophomore Football, as Coach Bob had an 11- win, 0 loss prior season with the underclassmen and was a multiDuring an interview with Art Keller, who was a Cross Country, Track and Field Medalist and a Defensive Back for the Varsity Tiger Football Team, he expressed to us the story of the greatest football game of his career. He called it; “the game to remember.”

That game was the homecoming game against Artesia in November of 72, his senior year. Art Keller did well in his studies and was excellent as an athlete. As a junior Art had mentioned to his father his desire to possibly graduate early. Art Keller’s dad was firm about one thing, “No!” Mr. Keller said, “Son you cannot graduate early. Your destiny is to be on a football team that beats Artesia.” For you see, Artesia and Alamogordo were and are fierce rivals and have a history. Alamogordo players, in protest a few years prior, had left Alamogordo and gone to Artesia to make political statement. Further, Artesia showed no mercy to the Alamogordo Tigers over the years.

A November 9th, 1972 news story in the Alamogordo News better explains the sentiments about Artesia at the time…

“Greenhorn Notes” by Stan Green Alamogordo News

“As the Alamogordo Tigers head into their biggest football game of the year...Homecoming...they are about to face the Artesia Bulldogs.

“I’m putting a closed sign on my flower shop” declared Ray Pierce Tuesday night when the Tiger Boosters met at the Desert Aire to review films of the previous week's game. 

Ray said, the best thing the Tigers could do to honor all the past teams was to “whip Artesia Friday night.”

Ray can recall being carried off the football field when he played Artesia several years prior.

Artesia had beat Alamogordo 19 times in prior meetings...Since 1946 the scoresheet shows Artesia winning 19 times, losing 2 and tying 1.

Alamogordo had a long dry spell, 17 years to be exact since they were able to hand a loss to Artesia. The Tigers won the 1955 game 21 to 6. The only other win was in 1949, 18 to 6. The Tigers had a 6-6 tie in 1948 and the two teams did not play in 53 nor 51.”

Things changed this year. Between a solid coaching staff prepping the boys and a team of determined athletes the headline was much different and Art Keller’s father's vision came true…

Alamogordo News, 11/12/1972; “Tigers Hand an 18-0 Loss onto The Artesia Bulldogs”

“The greatest turnout of Tiger football fans Friday night for one of the greatest Homecomings in Alamogordo Tiger history….They handed the Artesia Bulldogs the first zip score ever by an Alamogordo football team as they stirred up the big orange and swallowed them in one big gulp 18 to 0.

The long dry spell since 1955 under Coach Newt McDonald beat Artesia 21 to 6, was finally broken Friday night under the coaching of Garland “Mr. Football” Braun, who can take a lot of credit for getting the job done as Varsity Football Coach. Not only did the Tigers humiliate Artesia for their 3rd homecoming loss while on the road this year...each one without the Bulldogs scoring a point, it was undoubtedly an extra bitter pill for long winning coach I G Henderson to swallow when the Tigers got their second touchdown…

The Alamogordo Senior Class placed an ad in the Artesia paper that came true, it read; “Fat Dogs Do Make Tiger Tidbits.” A humiliating defeat indeed, for Artesia.

According to Art Keller and several other classmates from that year; “When coach Braun was first assigned to Alamogordo, some of the seniors on the team resented that Coach Bob Sepulveda was not the varsity coach. Sepulveda had proven he can create winning teams both in Track and Field and in Sophomore Football, as Coach Bob had an 11- win, 0 loss prior season and was a multi-year district champion in track and field.”

While some questioned, “who is this Texan coming in here to coach Varsity Football?” Coach Sepulveda who served as varsity Coach the prior year was incredibly supportive of the decision, allowing him focus on Track and Field which he and his wife would prove to be exemplary at coaching and winning 5 state titles for the boys and launching the girls track program.

Eventually the students and the community came around as well. Alamogordans at the time would have to remember all the way back to 1960 under Coach Ralph Tate; when the Tiger season ended with a resounding 297 points versus the opposition's 103 points, to remember a better football season.

While some questioned, “who is this Texan coming in here to coach Varsity Football?” Coach Sepulveda was incredibly supportive of the decision, so he could focus on Track and Field.

Eventually the students and the community came around as well. Alamogordans at the time would have to remember all the way back to 1960 under Coach Ralph Tate; when the Tiger season ended with a resounding 297 points versus the opposition's 103 points, to remember a better season....

Oh and what came of Coach Sepulveda and his track and field team? They ended the season in rather good shape as well…

Alamogordo News, May 17, 1973...

“Alamogordo Tiger Thinclads surprised most of the track experts when they pulled into the 2nd Place position during the State Track Meet to capture a big trophy at Albuquerque.”

Defending State Champion Hobbs took an early lead and placed 1st to win the state. Alamogordo Tigers placed second in the state meet with 48 points followed by Carlsbad in 3rd place and Clovis closing out with a 4th place win.

For this new season about to start Coach Cisco has high hopes and expectations for a great season. While Alamogordo is no longer in the same district as Artesia and the decades have changed the history still remains. Will Alamogordo meet Artesia at state this year for a rematch to those games of historic significance?

The schedule for this season shows the games about to begin. Let's all join the Tigers and support them to victory in 2024! 

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