THE FOURTH GOLDEN ERA: 1993–1996
41 Wins, 11 Losses — An Undefeated Championship and a Legendary Wildcat
This particular era holds special memories for me because I had the privilege of serving as head coach.
The 1993 Wildcats finished 9-3, laying the groundwork for what would become an extraordinary run.
In 1994, Lovington reached the state championship game before falling to Artesia. The Wildcats finished 11-4, but that disappointment would help fuel the determination of the following year’s team.
Then came 1995.
There are special teams, championship teams, and occasionally teams that become legendary. The 1995 Wildcats belong in that last category.
Led by Brian Urlacher and an outstanding collection of talented, determined football players, Lovington completed a perfect 14-0 season and captured the state championship.
Urlacher would eventually become one of the greatest players in NFL history and earn a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But those of us who coached him remember something beyond his extraordinary athletic ability. We remember the teammates, the preparation, the practices, the sacrifices, and the commitment that made that team special.
Football is the ultimate team sport. No individual, regardless of talent, wins a championship alone.
The 1996 Wildcats finished 7-4, closing a four-year period in which Lovington won 41 games against only 11 losses.
For me, those seasons reinforced a lesson I had learned years earlier: championships are not won by talent alone. They are earned through preparation, discipline, sacrifice, and a group of young men willing to put the team ahead of themselves.
THE FIFTH GOLDEN ERA: 2000–2005
57 Wins, 21 Losses — Three State Championships and Five Championship Appearances
Of the seven eras we’re examining, this one covered the longest period: six seasons.
And what a ride it was!
The 2000 Wildcats finished 11-3 and captured the state championship with a convincing 42-7 victory over Cobre.
The following season, Lovington accomplished something extraordinary, completing another undefeated championship season.
The 2001 Wildcats went 13-0, becoming the third undefeated team in school history.
One of the most memorable games came against our old rival Artesia. Trailing 28-7 at halftime, the Wildcats staged a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat the Bulldogs. That victory demonstrated the character of a team that simply refused to lose.
Lovington capped the season with a dominating 59-3 victory over Robertson in the state championship game.
The 2002 Wildcats finished 7-3 but missed the playoffs. In 2003, the Cats returned to the championship game, finishing 9-5 after losing to St. Michael’s 41-26.
Then came one of the strangest championship stories I’ve experienced in coaching.
The 2004 Wildcats finished 8-5, but the road to the championship was anything but ordinary.
NMMI had defeated Lovington earlier in the season and appeared headed toward a state championship. However, disciplinary problems involving several players resulted in NMMI withdrawing from the playoffs.
The NMAA offered Lovington the opportunity to be declared state champions without playing another game.
We declined.
We wanted to earn the championship on the football field.
St. Michael’s, which had lost to NMMI in the semifinals, became our opponent. The Wildcats responded with a convincing 40-14 victory, earning another state championship in a way that left no doubt about the outcome.
The 2005 season provided one final opportunity to capture another title.
Lovington faced Robertson in the championship game. Trailing 28-27 with less than two minutes remaining, we elected to attempt a two-point conversion rather than settle for a tie and go to overtime.
The attempt failed.
Sometimes the difference between winning a championship and finishing second comes down to one play, one decision, or a matter of inches.
That one still stings. But I would still go for it.
Over those six seasons, the Wildcats won 57 games, captured three state championships, and appeared in five championship games.
As a coach, I treasure those years not simply because of the victories but because of the relationships and memories that remain long after the final whistle.
THE SIXTH GOLDEN ERA: 2008–2011
40 Wins, 12 Losses — Three Consecutive State Championships
Coach Jaime Quinones led the Wildcats through another remarkable four-year period that produced three consecutive state championships.
The 2008 Wildcats finished 9-4, advancing to the championship game before falling to Portales.
But that disappointment would be followed by three straight championship celebrations.
In 2009, Lovington traveled to Socorro and defeated the Warriors 28-21 in a championship game remembered as much for the mud as the football.
It wasn’t pretty, but championship victories don’t have to be pretty. They simply have to be earned.
The 2010 Wildcats featured an explosive offense led by Jacob Jameson. Lovington defeated Albuquerque Academy 60-43 in a championship game that must have left defensive coordinators shaking their heads.
That 2010 team may hold the school record for points scored in a season, a statistic worth investigating considering the many outstanding offenses Lovington has produced.
In 2011, the Wildcats traveled to Santa Fe and defeated St. Michael’s 14-10 to capture their third consecutive championship.
Three championships in three years, accomplished in three very different ways: a muddy struggle, an offensive shootout, and a defensive battle.
That is one of the marks of a championship program. Great teams find different ways to win. And great men (Coach Q) lead the way.
THE SEVENTH GOLDEN ERA: 2019–2023
36 Wins, 19 Losses — Two State Championships
The most recent era on our list belongs to Anthony Gonzales and the Wildcats.
The 2019 team finished 7-5, reaching the state championship game before losing to Portales.
Then came 2020, a season unlike anything high school football had experienced in generations.
COVID-19 disrupted schedules, practices, and the normal rhythm of high school athletics. Lovington finished 4-1 in a season that required players and coaches to adjust to circumstances far beyond their control.
The Wildcats returned to championship form in 2021, finishing 10-3 and capturing another state title.
The 2022 team struggled through a 5-7 season but still qualified for the playoffs.
Then, in 2023, Lovington returned to the top of New Mexico high school football.
The Wildcats defeated Portales 57-21 in the state championship game, capturing what was celebrated as the school’s 20th state football championship.
For a new generation of Wildcat players and fans, the victory provided another chapter in a tradition that began decades before they were born.
And perhaps that is the most remarkable thing about Lovington football. The names on the jerseys change. The coaches change. The generations change.
But the expectation remains.
SEVEN ERAS. ONE TRADITION.
Seven remarkable stretches of Wildcat football. Thirty-three seasons of competition. Hundreds of young men who wore the Blue and White. Different coaches, different offensive philosophies, different defenses, and different generations.
Some of these teams overwhelmed their opponents with explosive offenses. Others relied on defenses that refused to surrender an inch. Some won championships in sunshine, others in snow or mud. Some celebrated perfect seasons. Others experienced heartbreaking defeats that still bring back memories decades later.
Which era was the greatest?
I’ll leave that argument to the Wildcat faithful. It’s the kind of debate that can fill an entire afternoon at a coffee shop, and I’m sure there are plenty of opinions!
But here’s something I believe after spending much of my life around Lovington football.
The greatest accomplishment of these teams wasn’t simply winning championships. It was building something that would last.
The Wildcats of 1957 could never have imagined Brian Urlacher. The players of 1968 couldn’t have envisioned the undefeated team of 2001. And the young men who celebrated in 2023 may not fully appreciate the generations of Wildcats who helped establish the tradition they inherited.
But they are all connected.
Every generation has added another chapter. Every championship has strengthened the tradition. And every young man who has proudly worn that script CATS on his helmet has become part of something larger than himself.
Great teams win games. Great programs win championships. But truly great traditions connect generations.
And in Lovington, New Mexico, that tradition has been roaring for a long, long time.
And the Tale Goes On.