PORTLAND, Ore.
- Portland Timbers forwards Byron Alvarez and Alan Gordon were selected to the A-League’s first team while midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar was picked for the second team, it was announced by the league Wednesday.
Voted in by A-League coaches and general managers, the three Portland selections are second to Montreal (5) for most representatives from a single team.
Alvarez, 25, was named to the second team in 2003 and makes the jump to first team honors this season after collecting 36 points on 16 goals and four assists. He was also named A-League Player of Week for Week Nine after scoring three goals and plating two assists in a 6-0 win over Edmonton.
Alvarez’ 36 points and 16 goals rank second and third in the league, respectively.
Gordon, 22, a rookie from Oregon State, made his presence known within 30 seconds of stepping onto the pitch in the season opener, scoring his first professional goal in the first minute of play. A likely pick for A-League Rookie of the Year, Gordon went on to strike for 17 goals this season, sharing the goal-scoring crown with Dante Washington of Virginia Beach.
Gordon was named A-League Player of the Week three times this year and leveled two hat tricks in his rookie campaign.
The Timbers’ second-team selection, Alcaraz-Cuellar led the team and the league with 10 assists, breaking his own team record of nine dishes set last season. Alcaraz-Cuellar, 27, tallied a point in six consecutive matches during the Timbers’ 11-game unbeaten streak to end the season and scored five goals for 20 points on the year.
All three players are signed through the 2005 season.
A-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
G - Greg Sutton - Montreal Impact
D - Dustin Branan - Minnesota Thunder
D - Gabriel Gervais - Montreal Impact
D - Peter Luzak - Richmond Kickers
M - Mauro Biello - Montreal Impact
M - Sandro Grande - Montreal Impact
M - Alex Pineda-Chacon - Atlanta Silverbacks
M - Johnny Torres - Milwaukee Wave United
F - Byron Alvarez - Portland Timbers
F - Alan Gordon - Portland Timbers
F - Dante Washington - Virginia Beach Mariners
A-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
G - Joe Warren - Minnesota Thunder
D - Craig Demmin - Rochester Raging Rhinos
D - Nevio Pizzolitto - Montreal Impact
D - Mark Watson - Charleston Battery
M - Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar - Portland Timbers
M - Justin Evans - Charleston Battery
M - Alfredo Valente - Vancouver Whitecaps
M - Richie Williams - Richmond Kickers
F - Mac Cozier - Atlanta Silverbacks
F - Ali Gerba - Toronto Lynx
F - Greg Howes - Milwaukee Wave United
