Portales quarterback navigates ACL tear

During Portales High School's halftime homecoming ceremony last Friday night, the Rams public address announcer introduced nominees and read out quotes from each one. Common themes were faith in the Lord, being a good person and virtues of hard work.  

But one, which came from Pierce Culpepper – a 6-foot-5 sophomore PHS defensive end – stood out. It was a message to his older brother, Paxton Culpepper, PHS' senior quarterback, about how his season-ending ACL tear was just a minor setback for a major comeback.  

Though appreciative, it was a reminder for Paxton about how one awkward plant in the team's second regular-season game has upended his football life. While he has an unwavering support system, life's basic essentials and a healthy perspective, there's one thing he'll never have: The senior season he envisioned.  

"Everything of me wishes I was out there," he said after PHS' (2-2) exhilarating homecoming comeback win over West Las Vegas High School.  

Now Culpepper must accept what is and let go of what could've been.  

A third-year starter, he hoped his senior year included the pride of leading the Rams to a 2024 4A state championship. Last year, the Rams fell in the title game to rival Lovington. Once football season concluded, Culpepper aimed for his lethal jump shot and scoring ability to guide PHS to a basketball state championship.  

"One of the main things he always wanted to do was play in the Pit for a state title for basketball," Dathan Culpepper, Paxton's father, said.  

What's more, his individual pursuits. Entering this season, Paxton Culpepper hoped a stellar football season could turn interest from Division II's into a scholarship. Heck, if he played well enough, maybe New Mexico and New Mexico State would let him spin spirals.  

In his sophomore year, PHS finished 9-3 and he threw for 2,290 yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In his junior year, PHS finished 11-2, and he upped it to 2,687 yards, 39 touchdowns and eight interceptions.  

His 2024 season could've been better. Then came the injury which left him "frustrated" because "I knew that could be my last down of football." 

Dathan Culpepper hopes not. Too much work has been put in – especially this offseason – for Paxton's career to end this way.  

Eager to obtain his first offer, Dathan said he and Paxton hit the quarterback camp scene "pretty hard" following the 2023 season "because we knew that ... this is it for him to get looked at." 

There was the Air It Out quarterback camp in Abilene, Texas. Another one in Lubbock. And the Reload Quarterback camp in Artesia. Paxton was crowned MVP of that camp over roughly 25 other quarterbacks hailing from Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, according to Dathan.  

Schools including New Mexico Highlands and West Texas A&M showed interest in him. Paxton had built a relationship with WT head coach Josh Lynn through Lynn's time at Eastern New Mexico University, and if he played well enough this season, an offer appeared obtainable.  

That'll have to wait now.  

"The travel time, the sacrifices of getting up early in the morning, and the money – that takes a toll – but that's just part of it," Dathan said, but we "wouldn't change it for anything, because those were times we can't get back." 

But a larger part of the devastation of Paxton's injury is what guiding PHS to a state title would've meant for him.  

A third-generation Ram, Paxton could've delivered a title to a team he grew up idolizing.  

He said he remembers attending games, and being inspired to play as a youngster, when past Rams including Carlos Delgado visited his elementary school to read to him.  

A few years ago, when it was his turn to read at James Elementary, he relished the opportunity. 

"You're in a small town, he's (Paxton) been the quarterback for the last three years. You know, of course, he has a lot of kids have probably gone to these games and the whole purpose was to watch Paxton play," PHS head coach, Jaime Ramirez, said.

Paxton especially liked it when the kids asked him questions about football. These days, however, questions have transitioned from "What position do you play?" to "What happened?" alluding to the brace cloaking his right leg. 

It all dates back to Friday, Aug. 30, against rival Lovington High School.  

The Rams were fresh off a season-opening win over Goddard. This, in turn, bolstered confidence that the Rams, with their slew of returning difference-makers, could meet high expectations of winning a state championship. They'd come close in recent memory but hadn't done it since 2019.  

On one play, against the team he lost to in the previous state championship, Paxton rolled out, surveyed the field, and didn't see anyone open. So, he did what he'd done so many times before: He took off.  

"When I went to plant, it just popped, and I just collapsed," Paxton said.  

It was a freak accident that negatively impacted a good kid beloved by many. 

Dathan Culpepper described him as "kindhearted, hardworking, competitive" and was proud of how he pursued his football dreams while working two jobs this summer – lifeguarding at Cannon Air Force Base and mowing lawns – with a great attitude.  

Ramirez, meanwhile, appreciates how Paxton is a quiet leader and a "thinker" who cares more about dissecting defensive alignments in the film room than touting his own personal accomplishments.  

"His character is high, so therefore everything that revolves around that; his motivation, his work ethic, his willingness to prepare is high," Ramirez said.  

The following morning, at a Lubbock doctor's office, he got the news: ACL tear.  

Instead of playing on it, and risking injuring it again, which could end his career, Culpepper decided to have surgery. While the decision could pay off in the long run, it still hurts him.  

On the drive back from Lubbock, Culpepper said he dwelled on, "how I don't get to play high school football anymore, and that I probably missed basketball too, which was my favorite sport." 

He briefly paused.  

"Yeah, it was just, it was hard." 

Culpepper is still trying to figure out his next move. The most likely option is going to a community college, excelling and hoping to build enough tape to obtain an offer.  

In the meantime, Culpepper is keeping his spirits up by FaceTiming his girlfriend in San Angelo, playing the video game "NCAA 25" and coaching up PHS quarterbacks, including Tommy Lopez.  

"He's really a big help," Lopez said after his two rushing touchdowns last Friday night prevented PHS from entering district play on a three-game losing streak.  

At Steven Loy Stadium last Friday night, where his rocketing right arm was supposed to be a source of Friday night light's glory, Culpepper was proud of Lopez and PHS. Of course, he wanted to be out there. But envy or self-pity was the last thing on his mind.  

He knows there's a future for him.  

What that is exactly remains unknown.  

"I've lived for sports ever since I was a young, young kid, and I did put a lot of work in to be where I was at today," he said. "And I feel like just having this injury, it's like I put all that work in for nothing, but I know in the long run, I did put that work in for something."