Warhorses tackle unfinished business in 2024

Davis Kendall and Owen soccer reload for another deep postseason run

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 19, 2024

Owen senior Davis Kendall, who scored 50 goals as a sophomore before missing much of his junior season, will return to the field at Warhorse Stadium, Aug. 19. Owen will host 2-0 Brevard to open its 2024 campaign. Photo by Fred McCormick

Most soccer programs would be understandably content to score nearly 5 goals per game in a season that resulted in a 20-2-3 record and a regional match on its home turf. However, on the bright green field in Warhorse Stadium, last year’s accomplishments do little to assuage the hunger of the players training relentlessly under the hot summer sun.

In fact, as the Owen Warhorses prepare to host Brevard at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 19, the motivating force going into the 2024 campaign is a shared determination to resolve some unfinished business.

The 2022 state champions entered last season with high hopes of a repeat performance, before a 3-0 loss to Community School of Davidson in the West Regional round dashed those aspirations.

“We came up a game short, and I feel like that was our one bad game in two years,” said Owen head coach Trei Morrison, who is entering his third season at the helm. “I think that experience is a motivator for a lot of these guys.”

The bitter memory still resonates with Davis Kendall, who watched from the sidelines where he spent the majority of last season due to a knee injury he suffered 363 days ago. The senior striker, who scored 50 goals as a sophomore to lead the program to its first state title, is determined to return to the championship match.

“Personally, anything less than a state championship would be a disappointment for me,” Kendall said. “One of the hardest parts of watching last year was being on the field feeling like I could’ve done so much to help us.”

Junior Spencer Woolley, who tallied 16 goals a season ago, certainly recognizes what the Warhorses are capable of accomplishing.

Junior Spencer Woolley lofts the ball toward the net, as the Owen soccer team prepares to open the 2024 season, Aug. 19, against Brevard. Photo by Fred McCormick

“We’re very motivated right now, and that’s something we want to maintain throughout the season,” he said. “It’s not just because of the result we had last year, but because of the injury to Davis. He’s one of the best players in the state, and losing him was heartbreaking.”

The outside back is one of several players on the roster focused on adding another championship ring to his collection.

“We were one of the top four teams in the state last season, but it is always our goal to win a state championship,” Woolley said. “Two years feels like a long time, so it would be great for us to bring another one home.”

The pieces are in place for Owen, which lost seven seniors, including top two scorers Elijah Caro and Daniel Garcia and goalkeeper James Centers, to graduation. There is no shortage of players eagerly embracing the opportunity to assume a bigger role on the field this season, according to Morrison, who has won 41 games in two years with the program.

“Last year, Caden Mobley came off the bench and filled in for Daniel and Elijah, and at our most recent scrimmage games, he was our best player,” the coach said. “His dynamic movement, wanting the ball and the work he does to get the ball, brings us something a little different, and he’s ready to put that extra responsibility on his shoulders.”

The junior center midfielder has been eagerly awaiting the upcoming season since last fall.

Owen junior Caden Mobley is one of several Warhorses embracing a larger role on the field this season. Photo by Fred McCormick

“I just want to keep working hard and do whatever I can do to make myself and my teammates better,” he said. “We’ve had a strong pre-season, so we all understand that we need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. It also helps that we have good team chemistry right now, which is something that should get stronger throughout the season.”

Mobley is one of several Warhorses, including seniors Liam Feste, Owen Lollis and Jace Grogan, who bring significant experience to the field. Lollis scored 7 goals and notched 8 assists last year, while Grogan registered 86 minutes in the net without giving up a goal. Feste, a defensive midfielder, is one of nine seniors on the Owen roster.

“There are definitely big shoes to fill,” he said. “We had really strong senior leaders last year, and we’re trying to step up and take after them. A lot of that is about pushing each other and taking everything seriously. We know what we need to do to be successful, so we just want to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

While summer workouts have been demanding, according to Feste, the intensity of the offseason program represents an investment in a common goal.

“From the last week of school last year to the start of the season we’ve been training every week day,” he said. “We work hard to play this style of soccer this team has become known for in the past few years.”

The team’s effort over the past few months has been “brilliant,” according to Morrison.

“The kids have been out here all summer working hard in the weight room and on the field,” he said. “We want to be the most fit team and the hardest working team, and doing that allows us to be creative in game situations.”

Few players possess the ability to turn scoring opportunities into goals like Kendall, whose returns to the Owen lineup with something to prove, according to Morrison.

“Getting him back is like adding a new player that other teams will have to account for immediately,” he said. “Of course, we know what he’s capable of, as far as scoring goals, but even his presence on the field opens things up for his teammates.”

Owen head soccer coach Trei Morrison enters his third season on the sideline, as the Warhorses host Brevard, Aug. 19, to open the 2024 schedule. Photo by Fred McCormick

Kendall, who has played matches for the Asheville City Soccer Club Academy and Asheville Football Club since recovering from his season-ending injury, is setting the bar high for his final season in maroon and white.

“I feel good, and I’ve been playing for a while now, so this first game back at Owen just kind of popped up, like, ‘this is actually happening,’” he said. “It’s a completely different year than any other year.”

The prolific goal scorer intends to eclipse his 2022 total this year.

“I want to score 65 goals,” Kendall said. “The first game will say a lot, but I think 60 to 65 is a realistic number. Don’t get me wrong, scoring 50 again would be nice, but I’d like to aim higher than that.”

Reaching that personal goal would likely put his team in position to contend for another state title, he added.

“We all have a role, and I think we’re already at a point where everyone really understands and commits to that,” Kendall said. “Scoring goals is my thing, so the more I can do that, the more we’re in a position to win.”

While Kendall’s return inspires confidence among his teammates, according to Morrison, each Owen player is expected to step up and be “the guy.”

“Each year we talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, and filling the vacuum left by the guy who played before you,” he said. “We want our players to want that larger role and to not hide from it. “

As the season approaches, Kendall is nearing a moment he has been waiting on for a long time.

“People might’ve forgotten, but I want to remind them what we can do,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being back out there.”