Enka overpowers Owen in season opener
Warhorses can’t keep up with Jets in 48-8 loss
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 24, 2024
The 2024 high school football season kicked off in the Swannanoa Valley, Aug. 23, as Owen welcomed Enka to Warhorse Stadium.
The visiting offense proved too powerful, as the Jets swooped in for a 48-8 victory.
Owen, led by first-year head coach John Faircloth, took the field with two seniors, as the young roster faced an Enka program that finished 3-7 a season ago.
The Jets, under head coach Mike Sexton, found the end zone early against the Warhorses, who entered the contest without senior running back and linebacker Tristan King.
The Owen offense stumbled in the first quarter, when an interception of sophomore quarterback Emmett Minks was returned for a touchdown, giving the visiting team a 14-0 lead. That advantage grew to 28-0 at the half.
The Jets continued rolling through the third quarter, holding Owen scoreless and pulling ahead, 41-0. The Warhorse offense broke through in the final seconds of the fourth quarter for its first touchdown and 2-point conversion of the new season.
Faircloth spoke to his team at midfield following the loss.
“I loved you guys before this game, and guess what? I still love you now,” he said. “Trust me, I made a lot more mistakes out there than you guys did., and I’m going to do better this week.”
The team’s third head coach in four seasons remains focused on establishing a strong foundation with his team, which includes 14 underclassmen on its roster.
“We’re trying to build a culture, and they’re on the ground floor,” Faircloth said. “Sometimes, being on the ground floor of creating something special isn’t that fun.”
Faircloth credited the opposing coach for developing an effective game plan.
“Coach Sexton is a great coach and he’s been around for a while,” he said. “They’re really good and well-coached, especially on defense, and that’s what we saw tonight.”
The Warhorses struggled in the second quarter, according to Faircloth, but responded well when facing adversity.
“I thought our kids rallied together as a team, especially towards the end of the game, and that’s a big part of building the culture we’re working towards,” he said. “We didn’t quit tonight, and it was nice to see things start coming together, even when we were down late.”
Owen will be on the road at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 30, when they face North Buncombe. The Black Hawks enter the contest after falling, 28-22, to East Henderson in week one.
Photos of Owen’s 2024 season opener against Enka can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.