Put a ring on them
Historic Owen championship teams need hardware, and you can help
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 19, 2023
A new display near the front office in Owen High School holds a pair of NCHSAA 2A State Championship trophies collected by the Warhorse soccer and cross country teams in the fall. The concurrent title runs marked the first time in Buncombe County School history that teams form the same school won state championships in the same athletic season. Photo by Fred McCormick
I recently discovered the phrase, “flashbulb memory,” which refers to the vivid recollection of isolated details while witnessing a dramatic event. The term was first used in the late 1970s after researchers explored the hypothesis that humans possessed a biological ability to retain clear mental images of an emotionally impactful moment.
The phenomenon is fascinating to me, even though many believe these types of recollections are no more accurate than standard memories, but I stumbled upon the concept when I was reflecting on a historic moment I witnessed two months ago.
My toes were freezing on the field at MacPherson Stadium in Greensboro back in November, after about 100 minutes of NCHSAA 2A State Championship Soccer. I remember looking down at them and thinking: “This numbness is worth it because I think I might be witnessing a historic moment for Buncombe County Schools Athletics.”
That random thought shot into my head like a Harrison Kendall golden goal into the corner of the net when I learned about a GoFundMe campaign launched by the Owen Boosters this winter. The nonprofit organization, which has provided vital financial support to the Warhorses and Warlassies for nearly six decades, is raising $15,000 for state championship rings.
It’s an important cause for a few reasons, not the least of which being that the Warhorse cross country and soccer teams accomplished something that no other county program has: they won two state championships in the same athletic season.
That’s right, all of the random detailed memories I have associated with those coaches and student-athletes might be my own anecdotal evidence of a flashbulb memory. Fortunately, my camera is still more reliable, so let’s look back at some of the details of an unprecedented fall in the Swannanoa Valley, and why these teams deserve their hardware.
I knew pretty early on that senior Elijah Jones was going to have a special cross country season for Owen. I also realized his fellow senior, Jaheem O’Hara, possessed a quiet confidence that led me to believe he would do big things.
Jaheem O’Hara, left, and Elijah Jones led the Warhorse cross country team to its first state championship since 2008. Photo by Fred McCormick
But, it was a brief conversation with fifth-year cross country head coach Bob Sadlemire in Veterans Park last September that made me a true believer in this team’s lofty aspirations.
Jones was fresh off of posting the second-best time in Owen Cross Country history when I spoke to him and his coach, and I wasn’t surprised to hear the senior proclaim his desire to help his team win a state championship. He is the most dedicated distance runner I’ve seen since I began covering the sport in 2014, and his training regimen was designed to help him compete at the highest level. Jones is currently a contender for an individual state championship in Owen’s indoor track season.
What truly resonated with me, however, was the coach’s confidence in his team’s ability to accomplish something the program hadn’t since 2008. Of course, every team begins every year with championship aspirations, but Coach Sadlemire, who possesses a true passion and deep understanding of the sport, didn’t flinch when he made the case that the Warhorses were one of the top teams in the state. While it wasn’t his goal, he convinced me they were the real deal.
Another moment I distinctly remember during the cross country team’s championship run came during the West Regional meet, which was hosted by Owen and held at ACA. The vibrant late-October foliage created an ideal setting for pictures, and as Jones and O’Hara led the pack coming into the last mile before crossing the finish line in first- and second-place, it occurred to me that this team was likely to bring home a state title.
They did that the very next week when the duo finished in the top 10, while three more Owen runners added to the tally in the top 25.
The night before cross country went east to complete their championship mission, another flashbulb moment occurred as I was covering the Warhorse soccer team. Owen, which entered the playoffs with the No. 10 seed, led No. 7 Robinson all night in a second round upset victory. As I was walking out to my car after the game, which included a 4-goal performance by sophomore Davis Kendall, it occurred to me that I could be reporting on two Owen state championships in a span of weeks.
I looked back at the empty stadium, where the lights were still on, and thought these teams could do something great.
Owen sophomore Davis Kendall celebrates one of his 50 goals in the 2022 season on the way to the first state soccer championship in the program’s history. Photo by Fred McCormick
The historic significance didn’t register, but I knew this feat would be a remarkable accomplishment. I started covering Owen sports in 2014 and no program has won a state championship in that time. I was also pretty sure it was unprecedented for the school. I would come to find out from Carl Bartlett, an Owen Athletics historian who attended the school in its first year, served as chairman of the Owen Athletics Hall of Fame and announced home football games for four decades, told me it had never happened in the county.
Two weeks later, I was standing on the field in Greensboro marveling at the amount of Owen fans who made the drive and braved the cold, damp weather. If flashbulb memories are a thing, I have dozens of them from that night. The Warhorses came back from a 1-0 deficit, battled through a pair of overtime periods and won on the final goal of a penalty kick shootout to capture the first state soccer title in the program’s history.
Not only was the match an instant classic, covering it was an experience I’ll never forget.
Within the walls of Owen, which opened in 1955 with the consolidation of its predecessors - Black Mountain and Swannanoa High Schools - trophy cases are filled with reminders of athletic excellence. The smallest school in the county boasts an impressive collection of hardware, while its hall of fame recognizes dozens of noteworthy alumni.
Crossing into the gymnasium, banners honoring past state champions hang above the home bleachers, while others recognize names like Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brad Johnson, top NBA draft pick Brad Daugherty and the Warlassies basketball teams that won 89 straight games in the 1960s.
A new display, just outside of the front office, features a pair of NCHSAA 2A State Championship banners and a collection of 2022 trophies. There is no doubt future Warhorses and Warlassies will be inspired by the student-athletes who brought a pair of state titles back to the Valley this year.
While that hardware will be permanently housed in the school, the players who delivered it need rings, and this is why the community should support the fundraising efforts of the Owen Boosters. Designed by each team, the rings will serve as permanent reminders of the unprecedented accomplishment of these athletes.
But they’re more than simple mementos.
It is likely that several of these athletes will go on to be involved in their sports long after they graduate, and some could be teaching future generations of Swannanoa Valley youth. It’s not a stretch to imagine one or more of these rings could motivate local kids to pursue similar goals and leave their own legacies at Owen.
To date, the crowdfunding campaign has collected nearly $5,000 of its $15,000 goal through individual contributions. The initiative received support from Pepperoni’s Pizza, which ran a “Warhorse Special” from mid-December through mid-January, while the Owen Boosters are raffling a 750 watt folding electric bike to help raise money. The tickets are $5 each and a winner will be announced, Monday, Feb. 20, when the school hosts the Western Highlands Conference basketball tournament. Donations can also be mailed directly to the Owen Boosters at P.O. Box 141, Black Mountain, N.C. 28711.
One of the most endearing flashbulb memories I have of this historic athletic season in the Swannanoa Valley is set in the center of downtown Black Mountain, where family, friends and supporters gathered to cheer on the soccer team as its left for Greensboro. While the Warhorses were still hours away from hoisting the championship trophy, a hand-written sign spoke for the entire community.
Before the Owen Warhorse soccer team headed east to Greensboro, on their way to the program’s first state championship, they were greeted by cheering fans and a simple message in the center of town. Photo by Fred McCormick
It simply read: “We’re proud of you, boys!”
I know I am, and putting rings on these champions is one way we can all show them.