In the recently completed 2003 boys prep soccer season, Rifle rode its way to the top of the Class 4A Western Slope League standings with an 11-0-1 win-loss record.

So when it came time to pass out league honors, it figures the 2003 WSL champion Bears would top that list too.

Rifle senior David Romero, the Bears starting midfielder, was named the league’s player of the year by the WSL coaches. In another vote, Rifle’s head coach Tom Taucher was tabbed as coach of the year by his colleagues.

Along with earning both player and coach of the year honors, five other Rifle soccer players also received league honors.

Two of those picks, senior goalkeeper Roman Tencza and junior forward Adam Krick were voted to the WSL’s first team.

Senior forward Paul Knipping and junior Bryan Cloninger and sophomore Stuart Stapleton earned honorable mention.

Two Glenwood Springs players ” junior Taylor Wilde and sophomore Pat Shepard ” also made the 2003 WSL soccer honor roll.

Wilde, a midfielder for the Demons, was a first-team choice. Shepard received honorable mention.

The balance of the first team includes Steamboat’s Harry Packer, David Barney and Devon Borvansky; Antonio Aparacio and Andy Banner from Battle Mountain; Moffat County’s Marcos Quezada, Sean French of Delta and Hansi Feller of Palisade.

Non-area schools with multiple players earning honorable mention are Nick Bently and Alec Nelson of Steamboat; Aaron Gogenold and Kyle Gavin from Delta County and Battle Mountain’s Julio Garcia and Harrison Brown.

Individual honors went to Hugo Quezada of Moffat County and David Rojas of Palisade.