The Goddard Rockets football team will host the Artesia Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at the Wool Bowl.
The teams will meet in Week 10 for a second consecutive season, with Artesia winning last year’s matchup 24-14 at the Bulldog Bowl.
Goddard (4-4, 3-2 District 2-5A) enters the game after a 35-0 shutout of the Mayfield Trojans (2-6, 2-3) on Oct. 16 at home. Artesia (4-4, 4-1), meanwhile, is coming off a 62-36 home loss to the Roswell Coyotes (7-1, 5-0).
The Rockets have experienced an up-and-down season. After opening with two losses, Goddard won two consecutive games before dropping its next two. The Rockets then responded with back-to-back shutouts against the Deming Wildcats (1-7, 0-5) and Mayfield.
Running back Isaiah Montoya is a spark in Goddard’s offense, rushing for 635 yards on 109 carries and five touchdowns this season. Quarterback Nate Vazquez is also a factor, completing 15 of 19 passes for 159 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Mayfield.
Artesia also rebounded after a slow start. After opening the season 0-3, the Bulldogs won their first four district games before losing to Roswell.
Despite the setback, Artesia brings a potent passing attack into the Wool Bowl. Quarterback Lucas Atkins completed 63.9% of his passes for 1,756 yards and 22 touchdowns with two interceptions in the first eight games. His primary connection, wide receiver Kai Greathouse, recorded 32 catches for 468 yards and six touchdowns.
For the Rockets, Friday presents an opportunity to put together a complete performance, extend its winning streak to three games and strengthen its position in district play. For Artesia, the mission is clear: shake off the Roswell loss and get back to winning.
Marshall Mecham can be reached at (915) 232-1793 or on X @mecham_marshall. Mecham serves with the New Mexico Local News Fellowship, which places emerging journalists in newsrooms across the state. Learn more at www.newmexicolocalnewsfellowships.org.
