When you talk about the history of Lovington Wildcat football, it is impossible to tell the story without talking about the men who stood on the sidelines. Since 1940, fourteen head football coaches have carried the responsibility of leading the Wildcats onto the field—each bringing a different personality, philosophy, and chapter to a story that continues to be written today. Some inherited teams that were already rolling. Others took over programs that needed to be rebuilt. Some coached during seasons when the wins came easily, while others endured the long Friday nights when the scoreboard wasn’t kind. But every one of them left a fingerprint on Lovington football.
The numbers tell part of the story. Through December 2025, Lovington’s head football coaches had combined for 529 victories, 380 losses, and 22 ties, a winning percentage of .581 over 909 games. That’s a lot of Friday nights under the lights. That’s a lot of bus rides, two-a-days, sweat, injuries, victories, heartbreaks, and memories. But numbers can never tell the whole story. A win-loss record doesn’t measure the lives changed in a locker room, the young men who learned to compete, the lessons learned after a tough loss, or the relationships that lasted long after the final whistle.
While I’ll be naming the head coaches, it goes without saying that assistant coaches play a huge role in the season. We will highlight some of those coaches in the future.
Toby Grier began his Lovington tenure with an impressive 15-2-1 record. Grier coached two seasons, 1940 and 1941.
C.C. Poling won 35 games, losing 27 with 7 ties from 1942–1948, over 7 seasons.
Virgil Boteler was head coach for 7 seasons as well, 1949–1955. He compiled a 28-30-4 record.
Wilson Knapp begins the “modern era” of Wildcat football. Coach Knapp was a graduate of Carlsbad High School. His Lovington record was 35-31-3, and he won 3 state championships. After leaving Lovington, Coach Knapp joined the coaching staff at the University of Texas at El Paso, where he served as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. In 20 years of coaching, Wilson had five first-team All-Americans and 39 players who were drafted into pro football.
Charlie Painter took over the Wildcat program in 1963. Coach Painter would compile a 14-23-2 record in 4 seasons.
Harold Teal had a very successful tenure at Lovington High School, winning 2 state championships (’68, ’69) and amassing a 23-10-1 record. After leaving Lovington, Coach Teal relocated and coached in Brownfield.
Dale Buck, 1970–1973. Coach Buck was the head coach during my time in high school. Coach Buck’s record was 30-15-1, winning a state championship in 1970. After the 1973 season, Coach Buck took the head football position in Guymon, OK.
Barry Tinsley had the unenviable task of taking over a highly successful football program and trying to remain a top contender. Coach Tinsley came from Grants, NM, and fell on hard times, going 2-19 in 2 seasons.
Hugh Clardy was named head coach in 1976 and would coach for 5 seasons. Coach Clardy was the first Lovington graduate to take the reins of his alma mater. The Wildcats went 18-30-1.
Jerry Brown, a 1961 graduate of LHS, was head football coach from 1981 to 1990. His teams achieved a record of 80-31-1. During his tenure as head coach, the Wildcats won two outright state championships (1986 and 1990) and tied Artesia for a co-championship in 1987, a game that ended 0-0. His teams’ 80 wins rank second among all Lovington head football coaches.
While a student at LHS, Jerry was an outstanding multi-sport athlete, lettering in football, basketball, and track. He played on two state championship football teams (1958 and 1960) under then-head coach Wilson Knapp. Brown was selected to the All-State teams in both basketball and football. In addition, he was chosen to represent the South in New Mexico’s annual North-South All-Star game in both sports. He was the first player in Lovington history to be so honored in two different sports. (thanks goes to Mike Magers)
John T. (Speedy) Faith, 127-56. State champions ’95, ’00, ’01, and ’04. Head Coach from 1991–2005.
Jaime Quinones was a Wildcat assistant for 18 years before becoming the head coach. Coach Q’s teams won 3 consecutive state championships from 2009–2011, while recording a 60-56 record. Coach Q served as head coach for 10 seasons; combined with the 18 assistant seasons, he coached the Wildcats for an astounding 28 years. That’s a lot of players who have been influenced by Jaime. Coach Q’s motto was “Word hard, Do what’s right.” He definitely lived up to his own motto. (Side note, both of our sons are currently on the Wildcat staff, Josh Faith and Brook Quinones)
Anthony Gonzales was named head coach in 2016 and coached for 9 seasons before leaving to return to Texas and coach in Snyder. The 2021 and 2023 teams won a state championship. Gonzales had a 48-40 overall record.
Current head coach Josh Bailey, another LHS alumnus, is currently 14-10. We’ll have more information on Coach Bailey as the season approaches.
I’m indebted to Mike Magers for much of the information provided above, and we are both indebted to the best sports writer in the history of Lovington, Billy Dallas. We depend on Billy’s expertise in Lovington High School athletic history. Without his record keeping and story writing, this wouldn’t have been possible. Billy passed away in 2019 at the age of 71. Just days before he passed, he was asked what his favorite sports team was, and he smiled ear-to-ear and said, “Lovington Wildcats.”
There is something special about the names on this list because they represent different eras of Lovington history. They coached through changes in offensive and defensive philosophies, changes in equipment, changes in the way the game was played, and changes in the community itself. Yet one thing never changed: the expectations that come with putting on the blue and white. In Lovington, football has never been just about football. It has been about community, tradition, pride, and the opportunity to teach young men lessons that reach far beyond the hash marks.
So, as we look back at the men who have coached Lovington Wildcat football from 1940 to the present day, let’s remember that the story isn’t simply about wins and losses. It is about people. It is about coaches who invested their time, energy, and lives into the young men they coached. It is about the fingerprints they left behind—and how those fingerprints became part of the larger imprint of Lovington athletics.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention coaches’ wives, not just the head coaches but all the wives of coaches. There will be a special place in heaven for them. The things they have had to endure could fill a column of their own. Thank you, ladies.
More to come about Wildcat football and the white helmets and script Cats on the side. If you’ve enjoyed these articles, you might let the Lovington Leader know. I thank those who have reached out to me with positive comments.
And as we have learned throughout the history of the Wildcats, the Tale goes on…