Seven local players earn soccer All-State honors
Post Independent
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
The Western Slope is starting to carve out a spot in the upper echelon in the state of Colorado when it comes to high-end soccer talent.
Following a season in which the Glenwood Springs Demons and Roaring Fork Rams made runs to the state semifinals in 4A and 3A respectively, seven total players from the valley earned All-State honors as voted on by coaches within Colorado High School Activities Association.
In 4A, Glenwood standout senior midfielder Leo Mireles earned First Team honors for the Demons after scoring 14 goals and 18 assists, good for a team-high 46 points. Mireles helped the Demons finish the season 13-5-1 (9-2-1 4A Western Slope League).
Along with Mireles, Glenwood junior defender Mitchell Burt earned Second Team honors for the Demons. Burt was one of the top defenders in the 4A Western Slope League for Glenwood, helping the Demons hold opponents to just 1.211 goals per game as Glenwood made the state semifinal run.
Junior German Alvarado earned honorable mention accolades for the Demons after leading Glenwood Springs with 17 goals, adding one assist for 35 points.
Steamboat Springs saw two players earn Second Team honors, while Battle Mountain had one player earn First Team honors. Air Academy’s Thaddeus Dewing was named the 4A Player of the Year. Dewing scored one goal in Air Academy’s win over Glenwood Springs in the state semifinals before the Kadets went on to win the state championship for the second consecutive season.
In 3A, Roaring Fork’s Aidan Sloan earned First Team honors for the Rams after finishing with a team-high 19 goals and nine assists for 47 points to pace the Rams, which finished 15-2-1 (6-1 3A Western Slope League).
Joining Sloan on the All-State team was senior defenders Max Candela and Ronald Clemente. Candela and Clemente scored four goals each, while Clemente added five assists. Defensively, the duo helped the Rams hold opponents to just 0.5 goals per game on the season before the Rams were knocked out of the 3A semifinals on penalty kicks against Liberty Common.
Coal Ridge saw junior Gustavo Archila earn Second Team honors after scoring nine goals and nine assists, leading the Titans (8-7-1, 4-3 3A WSL) to the 3A state playoffs. Basalt saw junior Anthony Portillo earn honorable mention accolades after the junior scored three goals and six assists on the season.
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