Prep football: Three Los Alamos players issued citations

James Barron | The New Mexican

10/1/2008 - 10/2/08

Three players from the Los Alamos High School football team were issued citations for a minor in possession of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia Sunday morning.

It is not known if seniors Zach Mang, Bradley Picard and Corey Clark are still on the team following the incident.

Los Alamos athletic director Vicki Nelms declined to comment, citing personnel issues. Messages for Hilltoppers head coach Bob Scott and Los Alamos principal Grace Brown were not returned Wednesday.

Mang, 16, is the starting quarterback and free safety, while Picard, 17, starts at tight end and strong safety. Clark, 17, is a wingback and cornerback.

According to a Los Alamos police report, officers pulled over a silver Honda driven by Picard for speeding on Diamond Drive at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Picard admitted to drinking "some jungle juice" and struggled to complete the field sobriety tests.

Officers then discovered a two-liter bottle of alcohol and a multi-colored marijuana pipe, the report stated, but Clark, Mang and Picard denied knowing anything about either item.

The players were released to the custody of their parents and their cases were referred to the local juvenile probation office.

It is the second incident involving Los Alamos athletes and alcohol in the past two years.

In October of 2006, eight athletes — including two football players — were kicked off their respective teams for violating the schools' extracurricular activities code after being issued minor-in-possession citations.

The two players — Drew Benage and Mark Krone — appealed the decisions and were reinstated for the Class AAAA playoffs in November.

The school's current code states that athletes who use or are in possession of alcohol or drugs suffer 30-day suspensions upon their first offense and 90 days for the second.