Spring athletics in full bloom at Owen
Warhorses and Warlassies kick off March on a busy night
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 4, 2023
The spring athletic season came to town in a big way, March 1, as four Owen teams hosted games and matches.
The Warhorse tennis and baseball teams were in action at home, while the Warlassies soccer and softball squads took the fields nearby.
Owen baseball played its second game of the 2023 campaign against McDowell, after opening the season, Feb. 28, against Reynolds. The Warhorses, led by head coach Michael Huntsinger and a roster featuring eight seniors, fell to 0-2 in a 6-3 contest against the Titans. Owen will look for its first win of the season on the road, where the team will compete against Erwin, Reynolds and Draughn, before returning home to host the Wildcats at 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 17.
Hours before the first pitch, across campus, the Warhorse tennis team, which defeated Asheville in a February exhibition match, opened its regular season with a 8-1 victory over Western Highlands Conference foe, Draughn. The reigning WHC champion Warhorses open the season with a new head coach, Justin Kyremes-Parks, who is joined by long-time assistant Chris Barcklow.
The Warlassies softball team was engaged in a tightly contested season opener against Freedom through 5 innings, until the visiting Patriots knocked in 5 runs in the sixth. The team, coached by Pete Ledford and assistant coach Joey Valencia and led by senior pitcher Addison Bartlett, fell to 0-1 in the 7-1 loss, but will be back in action at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 7, when they host Erwin.
The spring soccer season kicked off for the Warlassies under the lights in Warhorse Stadium, where West Henderson jumped out to an early lead on its way to a 5-0 victory. Owen, coached by Trei Morrison, will attempt to pick up its first win of the season at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, at home against Brevard.
The Warhorse golf team opened the spring campaign, March 2, at the Black Mountain Golf Course, with a victory over Reynolds. Owen was led by medalist Carson Murphy, who shot a 34 in the nine hole tournament, as senior Harrison Kendall finished second with a 38. Malachi Harrin tied for the third spot with a score of 44.
The Owen track & field team, which registered a fourth place finish by Elijah Jones in the Feb. 18 Dorman Distance Carnival, was scheduled to compete in the Tony Waldron Invitational, prior to the postponement of the March 3 event. The Warhorses and Warlassies will compete in front of home fans at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 9, in the Owen Meet.
Photos of opening day of the Owen spring athletic season can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.