This will likely be the final time Bryce Alford and Cullen Neal share something at the high school level.
La Cueva’s Alford and Eldorado’s Neal headline the Class 5A boys all-state first team, which was released Thursday by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.
The state’s all-time second- and third-leading scorers competed as rivals and soon will begin their college careers — Alford at New Mexico, Neal at St. Mary’s.
Alford set the state single-season scoring record in 2012-13, with 1,050 points, breaking a 50-year-old record. He averaged 37.5 points a game, about a dozen more than Neal, who led 5A in scoring as a junior.
Clovis guard John Dawson, who has signed with Marquette, guard Joseph Garza from state champion Las Cruces and Eldorado wing Zach Lee round out the first team. All the first-team players are seniors.
Sandia junior power forward Tim Brennan and Valley junior guard Joe Anaya were on 5A’s second team, along with Hobbs guard Dane Pannell, Clovis guard D.J. Blackmon and Las Cruces forward Kai Williams.
With one exception, 4A’s first-teamers hailed from the metro area. State champion St. Pius put point guard Micah Sanchez and forward Nic Stafford on the team. Los Lunas point guard Ben Romero, Bernalillo shooting guard Brandon Saiz and Albuquerque Academy post Chris Martin were also honored.
Hope Christian, the 3A state champ, had three first-team selections in Micah Murphy, Austen Drake and Tommy Riley. Jonny Doran from Sandia Prep also was on the first team.
Bosque guard Andres Rivera was first team in Class 2A.
Girls
Two senior posts, Cibola’s Kassandra Harris and Eldorado’s Kerstin Strong, joined La Cueva sophomore guard Alexa Romano on 5A’s first team. Clovis sophomore guard Danni Williams, and Mayfield post Daeshi McCants, round out the top five.
Among those on the second team were Sandia’s Astrea Reed, Manzano sophomore Jourden Williams and Volcano Vista’s Hannah Fenske.
Junior post Teige Zeller of Los Lunas, St. Pius sophomore guard Natalie Zamora and Belen’s Mariah Forde, a sophomore who plays guard and forward, all were voted to 4A’s first team.
Guard Marissa Perry and post Leala Longmire from Hope Christian were chosen to the first team in 3A.