Owen clinches conference title on Senior Night

Sulzman Nets Hat Trick in 6-0 victory over Mountain Heritage

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
October 27, 2026

Four Warhorses were the focus of a pregame ceremony, Oct. 26, as Owen prepared to host Mountain Heritage in the final contest of the regular season.

Upon the conclusion of the Senior Night festivities, recognizing Lyle Sulzman, Marshall Bryant, Shiloh Renner and Sebastian Ward, the home team shifted its attention to reclaiming the Western Highlands Conference crown. A hat trick and assist from senior captain Sulzman was more than enough to lead Owen to a 6-0 victory and an undefeated record in the conference.

The Warhorses entered the night with 10 straight victories, outscoring opponents by a combined total of 65-1. Just over 2 minutes after the opening kick, a header from junior Jonah Wilson floated over the outstretched arms of the Cougars goalkeeper, gave Owen an early 1-goal advantage. Forty-one seconds later, junior Boone Ferguson drilled a screamer from nearly 30 yards away to establish a 2-0 lead.

While Mountain Heritage adjusted by packing the box, Sulzman, blanketed by a defender, scored his first goal of the night from just inside the attacking third of the field. He added a second goal with an indirect free kick attempt in the 38th minute, as Owen carried a 4-0 lead into the break.

Ferguson added his team-leading 16th goal of the season in the second half, before a breakaway run by Sulzman in the 75th minute ended in his first career hat trick.

“It was a great feeling,” said Sulzman, who finished the regular season with 15 goals and a team-high 23 assists. “I wasn’t necessarily playing to score 3 goals, but the opportunities came to me and I took my chances.”

Owen, which improved to 12-4-2 with the victory, captured the WHC championship for the sixth time in seven seasons, following a second place finish in 2025. Head coach Trei Morrison credited his players for reestablishing the program’s position at the top of the conference.

“Giving up only one goal in conference play is fantastic,” he said. “When you look at it, Polk and Hendersonville are really quality teams, and other teams in our conference are scoring goals against them. We score a lot of goals, but we really pride ourselves on our defense.”

Delivering a win for the seniors who were playing the final regular season home match of their careers was a priority for Owen, on its way to the WHC title.

“This group had big shoes to fill, because they all came in the year after we won a state championship, and they were freshmen when we went to the final four,” Morrison said. “In my opinion, Lyle is the conference player of the year. He just does so many things for us, and he’s more than a handful for anybody.

“The other seniors are also hard workers. Marshall is a skillful player, and he does everything we ask him to do,” the coach continued. “Sebastian is a work horse for us. We’ve seen him score some nice goals for us this year. He can play anywhere. Shiloh is also a player who works hard and his teammates love him. I’m going to miss all of these guys.”

Sulzman, who has started for the varsity program since his freshman season, characterized his tenure with the soccer team as the best time of his life.

“Even when I was in the eighth grade, I was up in the stands watching that team win a state championship,” he said. “Right then and there, I knew I wanted to be here and play the game I love.”

Preparation for the postseason, with NCHSAA 3A State Soccer Playoff brackets to be announced, Thursday, Oct. 29, will begin immediately, according to the head coach.

“I don’t think people can just focus on shutting down our striker, because we have the mentality that anybody can step up,” Morrison said. “That’s the ethos we have been instilling with this team all season long, and that’s what we’re taking into the playoffs.”

Owen will work to maintain the momentum established throughout its 11-game winning streak, he added.

“We’ll have a lighter day tomorrow, Wednesday will be a dynamic session and Thursday we’re going to play like we have a game,” Morrison said. “We want to keep that intensity level heading into the playoffs.”

Photos of the Owen Senior Night victory over Mountain Heritage can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.