Freshman phenom named Owen Athlete of the Year
Mia Roland earns top award, seniors Jakob Knighton and Nevaeh Perkins honored in end-of-the-year ceremony
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
June 6, 2024
Mia Roland become the first freshman to be named Owen Overall Athlete of the Year, June 5, as the school recognized its top performers from the 2023-24 year. Photo by Fred McCormick
Over the course of the Owen High School school year, there were times it seemed as though Mia Roland could do nearly anything.
The three-sport standout checked off the latest on a growing list of accomplishment, June 5, becoming the first freshman to be named Owen Overall Athlete of the Year, as the school recognized its top performers of 2023-24. Roland was joined on stage by Owen Male Athlete of the Year Jakob Knighton and Female Athlete of the Year Nevaeh Perkins.
The event recognized more than 70 All-Western Highlands Conference athletes, eight conference championship teams, West Regional qualifiers, championship qualifiers and NCHSAA 2A Track & Field State Champion Trevae Woodyard, who won gold in the 300 meter hurdles in May.
“State meets are the fastest of the fast,” Owen Athletic Director Chris Collins said. “He won by more than a second.”
Forty-four athletes from the school’s track, swimming, wrestling, tennis and golf programs competed in state championships over the course of the season, while two teams—men’s soccer and women’s golf—qualified for regional competition. Fifty-nine individual Owen athletes competed against the top performers in the West.
However, it was Roland, a first-year student that emerged as a key figure on the Warlassies volleyball, basketball and softball teams, who added her name to the First Bank Owen Athlete of the Year trophy.
She began her Owen athletic career last fall, when she was named WHC Co-Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player for a volleyball team that finished the season, 16-6, in the second round of the playoffs. Roland led the conference with 280 kills and 446 digs. Her 48 blocks were third among WHC players.
She followed that performance by competing in organized basketball for the first time since she was 6 years old, going on to lead the Warlassies in rebounds, and finishing second on the team in scoring and steals. Roland was named the program’s defensive player of the year.
Athletic Director Chris Collins recognized 70 All-Western Highlands Conference selections from the school, June 5, as Owen celebrated the top athletic accomplishments of 2023-24. Photo by Fred McCormick
While she established momentum early in her Owen athletic career, Roland saved her best performance for the spring, when she led the Warlassies softball team in every offensive statistical category. The shortstop amassed a batting average of .532, with 42 hits, a conference-leading 44 runs batted in and 8 home runs. Three of her home runs, including a walk-off in the second round of the playoffs at home, were grand slams, as Roland earned All-WHC honors.
“Vince Lombardi once said that ‘we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well that we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But, in the process, we will catch excellence,’” Owen softball head coach Pete Ledford said, while presenting the award to Roland. “This athlete not only embodies that statement, but also applies those words into every aspect, whether it’s on the field or on the court.”
Roland, who became the youngest Owen athlete to win the award since its inception in 1971-72, was surprised by the announcement.
“I thought it could be a possibility, coming into the year, and I planned to put in the work to try make it happen,” she said. “But, we have great athletes all around this school, so it wasn’t something I expected.”
While she was prepared for her first volleyball and softball seasons in a Warlassies uniform, her introduction to basketball posed a unique challenge.
“It was tough, physically and mentally, but you have to have patience and trust your ability as an athlete,” Roland said. “I was a first-time volleyball and softball player at one point, but one of the most important things to remember is to have fun.”
There was a lot to celebrate on the softball field last season for Owen, which finished 20-3 and won its first conference championship since 2011, while advancing to the third round of the playoffs. The campaign was memorable one for Roland and her teammates.
“It was a big moment for us, and super special,” she said. “I think we all knew we were going to be competitive this year and we all put in the work, trusted each other, and played the game we love.”
Roland plans to return to all three programs as a sophomore.
“This is a great achievement, but it’s time to reset and put in the work,” she said. “I want to go into next year prepared, mentally and physically, and have fun playing with my teammates.”
Seniors Jakob Knighton and Nevaeh Perkins were named Male and Female Athletes of the Year, June 5, as Owen Athletics closed out the 2023-24 season with an annual award ceremony. Photo by Fred McCormick
Owen’s top male athlete also filled the stat sheet in three sports this year. Knighton earned all-conference recognition and offensive most valuable player honors for the Warhorses on the football field, where he set a school single-season record with 2,012 passing yards and completed 46% of his attempts and threw for 10 touchdowns.
The senior played in 21 games for the Owen basketball team, before hitting .292 for the Warhorse baseball program, where he struck out 42 batters in a team-high 45.2 innings pitched.
“He’s very deserving of this award, and I can’t think of a better person to receive this award,” Owen baseball head coach Michael Huntsinger said.
Knighton, who will enlist in the U.S. Navy after graduation, was honored to receive the award.
“I’m so happy to get this, because I know plenty of great Owen athletes have received this same award, so it means a lot,” he said.
While football season was challenging for the Warhorses, Knighton’s first season as quarterback is one he will not forget.
“I obviously couldn’t have done any of that without my coaches and teammates, but it was an awesome experience,” he said. “It felt great to have some success in my first year in that position and represent for this school and the name across my chest.”
Perkins, Owen’s top female athlete, established herself as one of the school’s best runners and wrestlers. She will compete in both sports at Montreat College.
“It took about two years of begging to convince (her) to join the cross country team, as she kept insisting that she was just a 400 meter runner,” Warlassies cross country coach Kate Dost said. “She finally agreed to give it a try, and she quickly demonstrated she can excel at running any distance.”
Perkins was the runner-up in the WHC Championship meet, finishing her senior campaign as the school’s top finisher in the regional championship. She switched gears in the winter, when she compiled a 34-5 record on the mat for the Owen wrestling team.
“She is the first female wrestler from this school to qualify for the state championship,” head wrestling coach David Avila said. “That’s very impressive on its own, but a lot of people don’t understand is there is no 1A, 2A, or 3A, so you face everybody, and they are the best in the state. To qualify and finish in the top 16 in the whole state is very impressive.”
Eleven Owen athletes were nominated for athlete of the year awards, June 5, as Mia Roland became the first freshman to win the honor since it began in 1972. Photo by Fred McCormick
Perkins’ tenacity set her apart in the sport, the coach added.
Her success in the sport carried over into the spring, when Perkins raced to bronze in the 800 meter state championship, according to track and field coach Bob Sadlemire.
“She is a tremendous athlete who ran a great state meet against some very talented runners,” he said. “She was a conference championship in the 800, second in the West and third in the state. She was also a key member of the 4X400 meter regional championship and a key member of the 4X200 and 4X400 teams at state.”
Earning recognition as Owen’s top female athlete was an “exciting” way to close out her career, according to Perkins.
“I was a little nervous, but overall I’m really excited,” she said. “I’ve worked so hard these last four years, so it was truly an honor to receive this award.”
Including Perkins, Owen acknowledged 10 student-athletes from 11 programs who signed letters of intent to compete at the collegiate level. Three seniors, Tinley Clark, Quinn Graham and Ryland King, received Sunshine Scholarships from John Knight.
Owen and Montreat College alumnus Jesse Gardner presented the first annual Warhorse to Cavaliers Scholarship to Clark and Perkins, each of whom committed to compete for two Cavalier programs in the upcoming academic year.