Articles written by Dave Wagner
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Youthful optimism key for softball squad
PORTALES — If nothing else, second-year Eastern New Mexico University softball coach Kira Zeiter is an optimist. Picked for 15th place in the new 17-team Lone Star Conference’s preseason poll...
Rams cruise past NMMI
PORTALES — When New Mexico Military junior Daniel Xibille suddenly found himself in foul trouble, it didn’t take long for the Colts’ fortunes to change. Xibille carried NMMI early, scoring 18 of...
Fort Sumner grabs sweep at Clovis Christian
CLOVIS - Clovis Christian's girls are more competitive this season than at any time in recent years. Still, though, it's a lot to ask for them to stay with the better teams in the area with two...
Lovington outlasts Portales in Shootout finale
PORTALES — Portales High boys basketball coach Rickie McBroom knows his team is close to where it would hope to be; just not close enough at this time. The Rams went down for the third consecutive...
Elkettes prove too much for Portales girls
PORTALES — Pojoaque girls coach Seledon Martinez knew his team would face some stiff competition in the Portales Shootout. It’s nothing that won’t help the Elkettes down the line, though, and if they can win a game or two, all the better....
Rams find tough challenges at Shootout
PORTALES — So far, it’s been a tough week for the Portales HIgh boys basketball team. The Rams, playing four games at the RAC in five days, dropped the first three of them by a combined nine points, including Friday’s 60-55 loss to Lubbock...
Melrose gets top seed, Floyd-Dora winner
MELROSE — What’s in a number? Not a whole lot, when it comes to seeding for this week’s EPAC basketball tournament, says Melrose girls coach Caleb King. “It’s the first time we’ve been the (No.) 1 seed since I’ve been at Melrose,...
Portales boys top Santa Rosa
PORTALES — With limited numbers, Santa Rosa’s boys played a deliberate style on Saturday. That was just fine with Portales High, which isn’t uncomfortable with a slower pace itself. The Rams’ 3-2 zone bottled up Santa Rosa most of the way,...
Lady Blue overcome foul trouble to top Clarendon
FARWELL — With key players in early foul trouble, someone had to step up for Farwell’s girls on Friday afternoon. Senior guard Karson Barnes provided the spark, hitting a pair of third-quarter...
Turnovers haunt Steers in loss
FARWELL — There are turnovers … and then there are turnovers, as in the open-court kind. The Farwell Steers made too many of the latter on Friday and absorbed a 55-48 loss to Clarendon. For the ga...
Bowl win caps ENMU year
PORTALES — The first postseason football win in school history and a trip to NCAA Division II South Central Region competition for the women’s basketball program highlighted 2019 for Eastern New Mexico University sports. The school also enters th...
Win over Rio Rancho makes it four straight for 'Cats
CLOVIS — If nothing else, the Clovis High Wildcats have played a fairly challenging early-season schedule. That resulted in some losses out of the gate, but the Cats have now strung together four consecutive wins after pulling away late from Rio Ra...
Elida slowly building to contention
TEXICO — Four years ago, the Elida boys basketball program was in mothballs. Since rebooting it in 2016, though, the Tigers have made steady progress. They entered this weekend’s Citizens Bank...
Rams find tough task with Littlefield
PORTALES — Portales boys coach Rickie McBroom figured he had bigger things to worry about on Friday night than a basketball game. McBroom, who underwent surgery for prostate cancer in October, said he received word before Friday’s contest...
Rams dominated at season's end
PORTALES — They may have not have been expecting to pitch a shutout, but the Portales High Rams were certainly confident heading into last weekend’s Class 4A state championship football game at...
Rams hit hardwood running
PORTALES — Suffice it to say, it’s a quick turnaround for the football-playing members of Portales High’s boys basketball squad. After pounding top-seeded Bloomfield 23-0 in Saturday’s Class...
Still young, but one year wiser
PORTALES — Portales High’s girls return all but two players from last year’s team. Despite that, the Lady Rams remain young as they head into a season-opening tournament this weekend hosted by...
Roosevelt County teams prep to start on hardwood
ELIDA — Times have changed in boys sports at Elida. A lot. After years of struggling to even field teams, the Tigers posted a winning record in basketball in 2018-19 and reached this year’s 6-man state championship game in football. They hope to...
Triple threat at QB keeps Rams flying high
PORTALES — For most teams, at any level, losing the starting quarterback to injury is, at the least, cause for concern. Portales High, though, has seen its signal-caller go down twice, and in both...
Bloomfield bound
PORTALES — When Portales High takes on top-seeded, unbeaten Bloomfield in Saturday’s 1 p.m. Class 4A state football championship game at Bloomfield, Rams coach Jaime Ramirez said the teams will...
Area teams ready for hoops seasons
MELROSE — Who needs a district basketball championship? At least last year, Melrose’s boys didn’t need no stinkin’ district championship. Despite finishing third in District 6-1A, the Buffaloes got hot at the right time and captured their...
Texico seeks title
TEXICO — One big roadblock remains in the Texico Wolverines’ bid to secure the school’s first state football crown since 2008. Texico visits two-time state champion Eunice for a 1 p.m. kickoff...
Rivarly renews
PORTALES — Longtime rivals Portales and Lovington played only three weeks ago. They meet again on Saturday, with much more on the line this time. The Rams (10-1), seeded second in the Class 4A...
Buffs back on top
MELROSE — Suffice it to say, Tristan Sena had a full night in his final football game at Melrose High School. To say he was a stat-stuffer may be a bit of an understatement. Sena scored six...
Rams expect battle from No. 10 Colts
PORTALES — Portales Rams senior lineman Philip Blidi is looking forward to a college football career. For now, though, he still has some unfinished business. The 6-foot-4, 258-pound tackle/defensive end is hoping to help his team advance in...
