2023 Team Preview: Carlsbad Cavemen

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 Carlsbad Preview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach</strong>: Cale Sanders&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mascot</strong>: Cavemen&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Twitter</strong>: @OnwardCavemen</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Colors</strong>: Blue and Silver &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2022 Record</strong>: 5-6 (6A First Round) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overview</strong>: Eastern New Mexico Hall of Famer Cale Sanders takes the head coaching reins at Carlsbad after Oliver Soukup left after one season to return to ENMU under Kelley Lee. Sanders served as the Cavemen's offensive coordinator in 2022. Carlsbad relied on a run-dominated offensive attack in Soukup's one season with the Cavemen, but Sanders has implemented a more balanced offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1119650' first='Kason' last='Perez']</strong> is Carlsbad's new quarterback, replacing the graduated Dane Naylor (one of 28 seniors on last season's team). Perez started one game at QB last season and essentially served as Naylor's backup. He has good size, deceptive speed and is comfortable throwing from the pocket. He'll be used differently than Naylor than season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='590551' first='Ulysses' last='Mendoza']</strong> is a three-year starter and assumes the No. 1 running back job from 1,500-yard rusher Eli Asay. Mendoza had 172 carries last season and could reach that number again this fall. He'll be a workhorse on a weekly basis for the Cavemen. Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1259007' first='Ian' last='Sandoval']</strong> is the No. 2 RB. Junior <strong>Aiden Rodriguez</strong> is a scatback. The WR corps will be young. It's led by sophomore <strong>Evan Leos</strong>, junior <strong>Bobby Castaneda</strong> and sophomore <strong>Eloy Lopez</strong>. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The offensive line has one returning starter – OT <strong>Paxton Huber</strong>. The rest of the offensive line will consist of newcomers. <strong>Jeremiah Sonora</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672486' first='Jeremy' last='Vargas']</strong> and &nbsp;<strong>Cash Ryan</strong> are three who should earn starting roles. The coaching staff has been busy during the early days of preseason camp finding the right spot for everybody.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior nose tackle <strong>Joseph Gregory</strong> will anchor the Carlsbad defense. He's big and strong and should be able to do damage in the middle of the line. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1594093' first='Diego' last='Ramirez']</strong> is a standout outside linebacker. <strong>Hunter Dowdy</strong> joins him on the second level. Junior <strong>Keith ‘Bubba' Anderson</strong> leads the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 Schedule</strong>: Carlsbad opens the 2023 campaign with the Eddy County War vs. local rival Artesia. They host another 5A school, Goddard, in Week 2 before making the long trip to Albuquerque to face Volcano Vista in the back half of a home-and-home series. A road trip to Clovis and a home encounter with Roswell round out the non-district schedule. District play begins Sept. 28 at Alamogordo.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 18 ARTESIA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 25 GODDARD</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 2 at Volcano Vista (Sat.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 8 at Clovis</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 15 ROSWELL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 22 Bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 28 at Alamogordo*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 6 ORGAN MOUNTAIN*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 13 CENTENNIAL*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 19 at Las Cruces* (Thur.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 27 at Hobbs*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>* District Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coach's Comments</strong>: “After graduating 28 seniors, we're very young. My senior class this year is very small, and except for about three guys, everybody else is new to Friday Night Lights. But they are very good in terms of leadership and playing together and the brotherhood we look for. We're lacking in a lot of areas, but hard work, leadership and playing together are not among them. Our seniors have had three different head coaches in the last three years. We need some consistency in Carlsbad. Hopefully, I'm the guy to make that change. I'm dedicated to this program. This is a great place. Carlsbad has always had players. We have an amazing sophomore class and amazing freshman class. The future looks bright for Carlsbad. . .Kason is a smart kid. He just needs experience. He's going to have to do it and experience different situations. . .We're going to lean on Mendoza pretty hard. He's going to be the rock of our offense. He's a quiet kid but the other players follow him because they know what he's about. He does everything right. He lives in the weight room.” – Carlsbad head coach Cale Sanders. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->