Seymour girls soccer coach Greg Musser said senior captain Aidan Hiester played with a little more fire when she was on edge.
“She cared about the girls,” he said. “She was a tough player. She played better when she was agitated.”
Hiester was named the Seymour girls soccer team’s most valuable player earlier this month at its awards banquet. She also earned first team all-Hoosier Hills Conference, Indiana Soccer Coaches Association all-district second team and was one of 12 Owl players named to the academic all-state team.
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It’s those sort of accolades that helped earn Hiester the 2019 Jackson County Girls Soccer Player of the Year honor.
Helping the Owls to a 10-6-3 record and 4-2-1 in the HHC, Hiester netted seven goals and assisted on four others.
But she did more than just show off her offensive prowess.
Musser says she was always called upon to shut down the opposing team’s best player. More often than not she did.
She was a part of a strong senior class that Musser said was the winningest class he has ever had while he has been coaching at Seymour.
“The growth these girls had is amazing,” he said. “We played six games against regional-qualifying teams. We gave up six goals in the conference, and four of them were in one game.”
Several Owl players make up this year’s all-county team, but Hiester’s fire and fight are what helped set her above the rest.
She’ll sign with Hanover College next year.
Joining her on this year’s all-county team are fellow seniors Mallory Moore, Kate Snook, Bailey Lykins and Mia Schrader.
Snook, the Owls’ starting keeper, set the school record for shutouts this past fall with nine. That’s a year removed from tying the record last year with seven. She also earned academic all-state honors.
Schrader was one of two players to earn the Owls’ most improved award. The senior striker had six goals this year and assisted on two more.
Lykins led the Owls in assists with eight and also chipped in six goals this year. She was second on the team in points with 20. She also earned academic all-state honors and was named all-HHC honorable mention.
Moore is the lone defender on this year’s county team. She also earned first team all-HHC honors and received the ISCA’s top team player award. She also was named to the academic all-state team.
Joining these Owl players are Trinity Lutheran’s Kailene Cockerham, who had a county-best 17 goals this year, and senior Emma Goecker, who had five goals and eight assists this year for the Cougars.
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Player of the Year
Aidan Hiester, Seymour, M — Seymour MVP, all-Hoosier Hills Conference first team, ISCA all-district second team, academic all-state
Kate Snook, Seymour, G — Seymour season record for shutouts (9), academic all-state
Bailey Lykins, Seymour, F — Hoosier Hills Conference honorable mention, academic all-state
Mia Schrader, Seymour, F — Seymour most improved player
Mallory Moore, Seymour, D — all-Hoosier Hills Conference first team, ISCA top team player, academic all-state
Kailene Cockerham, Trinity Lutheran, F — Cougars’ top attacker, led county in goals scored
Emma Goecker, Trinity Lutheran, M — Led Cougars in assists, tied for county lead in assists
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