Albuquerque Journal's All-Metro football teams for 2023

Dec. 17—This list of the top football players from the 2023 season has been expanded a bit this year.

After much thought, I have added a 12th player to our first team defense, in order that we have four representatives each on the defensive line, linebacker and in the secondary. We previously had been choosing only three players for the secondary, and the optics weren't sitting right.

There are also kick returners added to this year's squad.

Which leaves us with 54 total players on the 2023 list.

For those of you new to our methods, the Journal's All-Metro team is ultra elite. We combine all the classifications into one pool of athletes.

Thus, you will find players from Class 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A on this list. Just a first team and a second team. No third team, no ties, and no athlete being mentioned at more than one position.

Onward.

Offense

There is, naturally, a generous helping of Cleveland Storm and La Cueva Bears on this list, as there should be, since these were the two best teams in the metro area.

The state champion Bears produced our first-team quarterback, junior Cam Dyer. Dyer grew fantastically well into his role as the season progressed, overcoming some rough early outings as a passer, and eventually becoming a wickedly effective dual-threat QB.

He threw for 2,900 yards and 29 touchdowns, but it really was his legs that propelled La Cueva to that blue trophy last month. He rushed for 1,492 yards and 26 scores.

Our first-team receivers are a gifted bunch.

La Cueva sophomore Tanner Montano is tied for the youngest player of the 54 on this year's All-Metro list, and one of only two 10th graders on the first team. (There are four total sophomores on the list.) Montano caught 49 balls for 947 yards and nine touchdowns in that powerful La Cueva offense.

Josiah Mitchell, one half of Eldorado's big, athletic and absolutely stellar receiving duo, is also on the first team, after grabbing 68 receptions for 948 yards and 13 TDs. His perimeter running mate with the Eagles, Josh Jackson (51/803/9), rounds out the first-team receiving trio.

Our first-team backfield features a pair of workhorses.

Volcano Vista's Alijah Gonzales had the ball in his hands more than any 6A running back, and he frequently carried the Hawks offense during a solid 2023 season, even when defenses KNEW he was getting the ball. Gonzales finished with 1,792 yards (with four games of over 200 yards) and 17 touchdowns.

Cleveland's Harris Mbueha was another back who could wear a defense down and finished second in 6A carries to Gonzales. He finished with 1,631 yards and 25 TDs.

The first-team line has Mark Handy from La Cueva and Zach Markham from Volcano Vista at tackle, Gabriel Marquez of Cleveland and Carson Armstrong of La Cueva at guard, and anchoring is Storm center Ben Linfoot.

Los Lunas' Fabian Trujillo was my choice at the first-team athlete position; he compiled nearly 1,500 all-purpose yards as a slot and also in the return game for the Tigers.

Daniel Garcia of Valley gets the nod as first-team kick returner, and Miguel Quinones from Cleveland is handing the placekicking duties.

Defense

Linebacker usually features the deepest group of worthy athletes, and it was no different this year.

The metro area had two superstar linebackers. I could make an argument that junior Mason Posa of La Cueva was not only the single most disruptive defensive player in the metro area, but that he was also probably the most versatile football player of any of the 54 young men we recognize and honor. He was often mesmerizing to watch. He finished with 133 tackles, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Not that there isn't equal love for Cleveland senior LB Srat Shufelt, who battled through an injury this season but was as menacingly effective as always. Still no word on where Shufelt will play in college, even with the early signing day coming up later this week.

The Storm's other standout senior linebacker, Isaac Medrano, is the third of our first-teamers, and he and Shufelt made for a dynamic pair in the middle of a Cleveland defense that was (until championship Saturday) the most elite unit in New Mexico.

Albuquerque Academy's ferocious Brody Whitaker rounds out our first team at the linebacker position. Whitaker faced constant and persistent attention from opposing offenses, which frequently assigned more than one blocker to him.

The defensive line also has two Cleveland Storm, with Psalmon Kegler on the interior and Chuka Tutman at end. Also up front, we have Rio Rancho's Xavier Provencio and La Cueva's Bo Dixon.

In the back level, we have perhaps the top shutdown corner in Sandia's Juanito Cruz, plus La Cueva's Jackson Cherry. Those two combined for nine interceptions this year.

Bernalillo safety Mason Espinda-McChriston is the second Class 4A representative on the first team (along with Whitaker), and Rio Rancho's Andrew Gustafson rounds out the secondary.

Los Lunas' Kaiden Reese and his 44-yard per kick average rounds out the first team, as our punter.

Congratulations to each of the 54 players. The full list of first- and second-teamers accompanies this story.

See y'all in August.

Happy Holidays.

ALL-METRO FOOTBALL TEAMS

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Quarterback: Cam Dyer, jr., La Cueva

Running back: Alijah Gonzales, sr., Volcano Vista; Harris Mbueha, sr., Cleveland

Receiver: Josiah Mitchell, sr., Eldorado; Tanner Montano, soph., La Cueva; Josh Jackson, sr., Eldorado

Tackle: Mark Handy, jr., La Cueva; Zach Markham, sr., Volcano Visa

Guard: Gabriel Marquez, jr., Cleveland; Carson Armstrong, sr., La Cueva

Center: Ben Linfoot, sr., Cleveland

Athlete: Fabian Trujillo, sr., Los Lunas

Kick returner: Daniel Garcia, sr., Valley

Placekicker: Miguel Quinones, sr., Cleveland

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Line: Psalmon Kegler, jr., Cleveland; Chuka Tutman, sr., Cleveland; Xavier Provencio, sr., Rio Rancho; Bo Dixon, sr., La Cueva

Linebackers: Strat Shufelt, sr., Cleveland; Mason Posa, jr., La Cueva; Brody Whitaker, sr., Albuquerque Academy; Isaac Medrano, sr., Cleveland

Secondary: Juanito Cruz, sr., Sandia; Jackson Cherry, sr., La Cueva; Andrew Gustafson, sr., Rio Rancho; Mason Espinda McChriston, sr., Bernalillo

Punter: Kaiden Reese, soph., Los Lunas

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Quarterback: Elijah Brody, sr., West Mesa

Running back: Charles Lopez-Burton, sr., Valley; Amiri Mumba, jr., Highland

Receiver: Anthony Raymer, sr., Rio Rancho; Marquise Renfro, sr., Atrisco Heritage; Cruz Markham, sr., La Cueva

Tackle: T.J. McCarthy, sr., Albuquerque High; Javier Marquez, sr., West Mesa

Guard: Winston Brooks,sr.,Valley; Ronald Thomas, jr., Rio Rancho

Center: Andrew Rightley, sr., Valencia

Athlete: Josh Nieto, sr., Manzano

Kick returner: Jaden Davis, sr., Cleveland

Placekicker: Gabriel Fernandez, soph., Albuquerque High

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Line: Elycio Roybal, jr., Atrisco Heritage; Leon Sutulov, sr., St. Pius; Jacob Baca, sr., Hope Christian; Alejandro Montano, sr., La Cueva

Linebackers: Nick Mertz, jr., La Cueva; Kian Vander Wilt, sr., Volcano Vista; Hayes Baum, soph., Cibola; Thomas Adams, jr., Sandia

Secondary: McKay Burtenshaw, sr., La Cueva; A.J. Manning, jr., Cleveland; Dalton Lee, sr., Albuquerque Academy; Dominic Trujillo, sr., Los Lunas

Punter: Noah Nelson, sr., Rio Rancho