COLBY, Kan. – The 2023 KJCCC All-Conference awards were announced by league officials on Monday and Butler soccer saw five of its own earn recognition.
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FIRST TEAM
Freshman midfielder Sakiko Manabe was the lone Grizzly to earn first team honors after her stellar first season in El Dorado. The Tanabe, Japan, native led Butler in goals scored (10), shots on goal (26) and points (22) as she played and started in all 21 games on the season. Manabe was the main force for the Grizzlies offensive attack throughout the year. Her 10 goals was tied for 10th most in the league. She finished the year with three multi-goal games with two in a 4-0 win over No. 5 Monroe as well as two in back-to-back games in wins over region champion #16 Cowley and Garden City. She also netted a goal in Butler's Region VI quarterfinal win at Hutchinson on Oct. 27.
SECOND TEAM
Sophomore defender Logan Riley was the lone Grizzly to earn second team All-KJCCC recognition. Riley played in all 21 games this season, starting 20. She ended the year with four points, two assists and one goal. She had the game winning goal in a 1-0 win at Dodge City on Sept. 20. Riley was a defensive stalwart all year in her second season with Butler. The Derby, Kan., native played in 44 games across her two-year career.
HONORABLE MENTION
Sophomores Kaitlin Erwin and Emma Kolbe and freshman Ruby Kilden garnered honorable mention All-KJCCC honors from the conference.
Erwin, a forward from Goddard, Kan., netted six goals on the season, tied for second on the team. She also totaled 16 points, 11 shots on goal and four assists. She played in 20 games on the year, starting 17. She scored in games vs. #18 Cowley, #13 Hill, #7 Barton, #14 KCKCC, Seward and Dodge City.
Kolbe, a midfielder from Mulvane, Kan., finished with four goals, 10 assists and 18 points scored with two game winning goals to her name. The four goals were tied for third on the team with Giselle Nash. Kolbe closed the year out with three assists vs. Dodge City and two vs. Hutchinson in the Region VI quarterfinal.
Kilden, a midfielder from Harwich, England, scored six goals this year, totaling 14 points, two assists and a game winning goal. She was impactful in her first season with the Grizzlies, starting all 21 games on the year. Kilden led the Grizzlies with 57 shots and 32 shots on goal. Kilden had a multi-goal game, scoring two in a win at Seward on Sept. 15. She also closed the season with an impressive free kick goal in the region Vi semifinal loss at Barton.
