STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
Hutchinson Community College women's soccer sophomore Esther Karhayu highlighted six Blue Dragons chosen to the 2020-21 Jayhawk West Women's Soccer All-Conference Team.
Karhayu was named the league's Player of the Year on Friday.
Karhayu, a sophomore forward from Kenya, was Hutchinson's top offensive threat this past season. She scored nine goals and finished with 18 points. Karhayu had game-winning goals against Butler, Barton, Dodge City and a Region VI opening-round victory over Coffeyville. Karhayu had three two-goal games this season – those coming against Barton, Dodge City and the Region VI tournament win over Coffeyville.
Karhayu is the sixth Blue Dragon to win the league's Offensive Player of the Year award, joining Jordan Downing in (2016), Jen Rogers (2013), Danielle Sheehy (2012) and Alicia Robinson (2010 and 2011). Karhayu is the 11th overall conference player of the year in program history.
Fellow sophomores Cheyenne Busker and Marah Franke joined Karhayu on the all-league first time. All three players are two-time all-conference selections. Karhayu and Busker are two-time first-team selections. Franke was a second-team selection as a freshman in 2019.
Busker was a dominant defender for the Blue Dragons this season. Usually marked up against the top opposing scoring threat, Busker helped the Blue Dragons limit the opposition to 19 goals in the spring of 2021. She was credited with one assist on the offensive side.
Franke was the top assist person for the Dragons in 2020-21 with eight assists. Her only goal of the season came in a 2-2 tie against nationally ranked Kansas City. Franke had three assists off cornerkicks this season.
Three Blue Dragons, all freshmen, earned second-team honors – midfielder Aimee Maher and defenders Zara Lawless and Ella-Mae Miller.
Maher was perfect on three penalty-kick attempts this year. She finished the season with six goals and two assist (14 points).
Lawless had a goal and assist this season and Miller added a goal and assist. Both freshmen played key roles for the Blue Dragons defensively.