Karen Hayter has developed into a third scoring option for the Central High girls basketball team.

And the 5-foot-11-inch junior guard has started to draw attention from opposing teams’ defenses.

In last weekend’s 70-51 win over Montezuma-Cortez, Hayter finished the game with a team second-best 14 points that raised the Warriors’ unblemished record to 7-0 in the Southwestern League.

Considering her athletic background, it’s no surprise that Hayter’s begun to establish herself in basketball.

Earlier this year, she was the starting right fielder on Central’s state playoff softball team. In that sport, Hayter was voted to the All-Western Colorado region first team and earned a spot on the All-Southwestern League second team.

And the success Central has had on the hardwood could put Hayter in line for postseason honors in basketball as well.

At least she’s gotten a good start in that department. In a vote by the KTTM Radio (AM 1340) staff, Hayter was picked as the Gene Taylor’s Sporting Goods Prep athlete of the week.

Part of the honor will include her photo being placed at the sporting goods store’s “Wall of Fame.” Weekly honorees appear in Friday’s edition of the Free Press and are interviewed by KTTM Thursdays through the 2007-08 High School athletic seasons.