15 years later, St. Pius returns to title game

Artesia gunning for 30th state crown

When the St. Pius football team began its offseason following the 2001 season, the generally held belief among the Sartans, who had just appeared in the state final for the second time in three years, was that championship games would be the norm.

Fifteen years later, the Sartans’ veteran coach, San Juan Mendoza, admits he never thought it would be 2016 before St. Pius returned.

“But we’re really happy to be there this week,” he said. “Let me tell you, it’s electrifying around (campus).”

For the first time since 2001, the Sartans have a chance at a football championship. Class 5A’s secondseeded team from the West Side (11-1) plays host to No. 1 seed Artesia (10-2) at 1 p.m. today at Nusenda Community Stadium.

The Bulldogs today not only are trying to win the 5A division for the third straight year, but Artesia is chasing its 30th state football title.

Going back to 1970, all the other current 5A schools have won a combined 15 championships. Artesia has won 23 by itself in that span.

“We’ve got guys who know what it takes to get to this point,” said Rex Henderson, the Bulldogs’ first-year head coach but a longtime assistant to his uncle Cooper. “That’s a benefit for us. I think our guys will feed off of that.”

Artesia has won eight championships since St. Pius beat the Bulldogs in the 1999 final.

That year began a terrific run for the Sartans, who reached at least the semifinals in 2001 (when they lost in the title game to Artesia), 2003 and 2004.

After a few recent mediocre years, St. Pius has enjoyed a resurgence, having recorded back-to-back one-loss regular seasons.

“From the beginning, we expected this,” St. Pius senior safety Sam Chavez said. “We knew if we worked hard, this would happen.”

The player under the spotlight is St. Pius quarterback Drew Ortiz, who has combined for almost 4,000 passing and rushing yards this season, plus 55 touchdowns (35 throwing, 20 running).

“He’s kind of the player that makes that whole team go,” Henderson said.

The passing-game weapons include receivers Ryan McGaha, Dylan DiLorenzo and Mel DeHerrera, who have combined to catch 27 touchdowns. Ortiz is St. Pius’ leading rusher.

Artesia junior Taylor Null’s passing numbers are even better than Ortiz’s. He has tossed for 2,900 yards and 37 touchdowns versus six interceptions.

“He’s got the size you want, and he can throw all over the field,” Henderson said. “He’s also a really intelligent kid. He brings a lot to the table, and there are a lot of things we can do because of his intelligence.”

Chaney Hardt (50 catches, eight TDs) is his favorite target. Isaiah Weideman (717 yards, 9 TDs) is one of three running backs the Bulldogs like to use, along with Robert Fernandez and Ryan Gallegos. Many of Artesia’s key skill-position athletes are juniors.

“They’re known for throwing the ball all over the place, but they run the ball tremendously well,” Mendoza said.

Artesia and St. Pius both rolled in the semifinals. The Bulldogs defeated Los Lunas 35-7; the Sartans beat Roswell 42-7. Artesia beat St. Pius in last year’s quarterfinals at Bulldog Bowl, 27-21.

“They’re really disciplined and wellcoached, and they do what they’re coached to do,” Chavez said of Artesia.

Artesia is expected to bring a couple thousand of its fans north to Community Stadium, hoping to make it feel like Bulldog Bowl.

“This whole year, we’ve been preparing for state,” said Ortiz. “And that’s where we’re finally at.”