Four Owen athletes finalize college commitments
Maesyn Gardner, Kameron Moore, Lucian Thomas and Jason Dash make the jump
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
May 24, 2023
Owen seniors, from left to right, Maesyn Gardner, Jason Dash, Lucian Thomas and Kameron Moore, celebrate collegiate signings, May 22, in the school’s media center. Photo by Fred McCormick
Four multi-sport Owen athletes are making the leap to the next level, following a May 22 signing ceremony in a packed media center.
Maesyn Gardner, Jason Dash, Lucian Thomas and Kameron Moore will each continue their athletic careers in N.C.
The event marked a day the student-athletes will never forget, Owen Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Kim Mason told the crowd of family members, teammates, coaches and supporters.
“You have a great opportunity ahead of you, and we wish you all the best as you represent Owen High School in your future endeavors,” Mason said to the student-athletes, who brought the total number of Warhorses and Warlassies to sign with college programs this year to nine.
Owen senior Maesyn Gardner will continue her basketball career at Catawba Valley Community College, following a May 22 signing ceremony in the school’s media center. Photo by Fred McCormick
Maesyn Gardner
Gardner accumulated a number of memorable moments in her career with the Warlassies volleyball, basketball, soccer and track and field teams. The four-year varsity athlete will focus on her favorite sport at Catawba Valley Community College.
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was old enough to dribble,” she said. “I went through phases where I considered playing volleyball in college, but I broke my hand in the winter, and taking that time away from basketball made me realize how much of a privilege it is to play the sport I’ve loved for so long.”
Her decision to play basketball at the collegiate level was an easy one, she continued, following a recent visit to the Catawba Valley campus.
“I fell in love with the coaches there,” Gardner said. “They have big personalities, and they’re fun, so I loved everything about that. The players were the sweetest people, and the program just felt so right for me.”
She credits her Owen basketball coaches, Chasity Simpson and Chris Elder, for helping her realize her dream of playing college basketball.
“I’ve never had anyone else pour so much confidence into me,” Gardner said. “They built me up, and gave me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and pursue the opportunities that were on the table.”
Owen senior Jason Dash is surrounded by his parents, May 22, as he signs with the wrestling program at Belmont Abbey College. Photo by Fred McCormick
Jason Dash
Athletics have long played a key role in the life of Dash, the reigning Western Highlands Conference wrestling champion who also suited up for the Warhorse football and track and field teams. He will head southeast to Belmont Abbey to continue his wrestling career for the Crusaders.
“I really loved the environment there,” said Dash, who was introduced to the sport in middle school, through the Grove Stone Wrestling Club. He was undefeated throughout his career at Owen Middle School, where he was named athlete of the year.
His passion for the sport grew throughout his four-year varsity wrestling career in high school, where he led the team with 37 wins as a senior.
“I really like the feeling of stepping on the mat and testing myself in an individual sport,” Dash said. “I think that’s why I’ve put so much time and effort into it.”
He will join a Crusaders program that finished 29th in the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championship.
“I really liked the campus and the people I met there,” Dash said of Belmont Abbey. “I’m looking forward to competing at the college level and doing my best in this sport. I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Three-sport Warhorse athlete Lucian Thomas is heading to Montreat, following a May 22 signing ceremony in the Owen media center. Photo by Fred McCormick
Lucian Thomas
Thomas, a teammate of Dash on the Warhorse wrestling, football and track and field teams, will begin the next chapter of his career on the mat close to home, at Montreat College.
“It feels really good,” he said of signing with the Cavaliers. “I’m really happy I get to keep wrestling, and have the opportunity to do what I enjoy doing.”
Thomas, an all-conference selection as a senior, will join a Montreat wrestling program that debuted in 2020.
“I went to a couple of their matches and I was impressed,” he said. “You could really see the hard work they put into it, and there is a really strong feeling of community there.”
The Cavaliers, he added, are allowing him an opportunity to improve his skills on the mat.
“I believe I can get better,” Thomas said. “I’m ready to compete at the next level, and I’m confident Montreat will help me become a better wrestler.”
Owen senior Kameron Moore will join the track and field team at Montreat College, following a May 22 signing ceremony. Photo by Fred McCormick
Kameron Moore
Moore, who played four sports during his time at Owen, is taking his speed and athleticism across the Swannanoa Valley to Montreat. The Warhorse football, baseball, wrestling and track and field athlete will join the Cavaliers track and field program, which won its third consecutive Appalachian Athletic Conference championship in April.
Moore added his name to the Owen record book this season as a member of the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relay teams for the NCHSAA 2A state runner-up Warhorses. A relative newcomer to the sport, the senior is eager to continue his running career at Montreat.
“This was my first full season of track, and I feel like I have a lot of room to grow in this sport,” he said. “It felt like it came naturally, and Montreat has a great program that I believe will help me get better.”
Moore joined the Owen track and field team as a junior, and soon discovered his passion for the sport.
“Last year I ran in the conference championship, regionals and state, and I wasn’t really able to practice with the team,” he said. “This year, I practiced with them and it really helped me improve as a runner.”
Competing for a collegiate track and field program emerged as a option for Moore last winter.
“I knew I wouldn't be a college wrestler, and I was focused on becoming a better runner coming into track season,” he said. “Once I started focusing on that, I felt confident I could compete in track at the next level.”
His familiarity with the Cavaliers was a deciding factor in his decision to commit to Montreat.
“I knew a lot of the people there, and I like the team a lot,” he said. “It has a really solid program, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to improve as a runner.”