Owen sets the tone with victory in season opener
Warhorses run through Rosman, 35-0, at home
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 23, 2025
The lights were bright and the cameras clicked, Aug. 22, while the Warhorses provided nearly all the action to open the 2025 football season in the Swannanoa Valley.
As Owen defeated Rosman, 35-0, in front of an exhilarated home crowd, the victory set the tone for the second year under head coach John Faircloth.
Four Warhorses found the end zone against the Tigers, but senior Hayden Burpeau scored first when he returned a fumble recovery for more than 70 yards. While the defense held the Rosman offense to 168 total yards, junior quarterback Emmett Minks and the Owen offense quickly found their rhythm.
The Warhorses began a second quarter drive on their own 2-yard-line with a strong 12-yard run by junior Stephen Anderson. Burpeau, who finished the contest with 91 rushing yards on 9 carries and a 24-yard reception, extended the drive with a long run up the visiting sideline. A pair of Minks runs in Rosman territory set up an Anderson touchdown in the final 3 minutes of the half.
While the offense stalled on the opening drive of the third quarter, the Warhorse defense stifled the ensuing Tigers drive. A punt return by sophomore Tye Lewis started the next Owen possession at the 47-yard-line, before junior Bear Dasher broke multiple tackles while picking up 23 yards and putting his team in scoring position. Minks, who finished the night with 7 completions on 7 attempts for 58 yards, capped the drive with a touchdown run up the middle.
Minutes later, following a Burpeau punt return to the Rosman 5-yard-line, the Warhorses expanded their lead when Anderson, who finished with 78 yards on 13 carries, scored his second touchdown of the night. Owen added one more touchdown in the final frame, as sophomore Donte Middleton powered through the Tigers defense into the end zone.
The win marked the first time Owen has started a campaign 1-0 since 2020, when the COVID-shortened season was moved to the spring. Faircloth, who is coming off a Helene-shortened season in which his team finished 1-8, congratulated his players, staff and cheerleaders at midfield, following the victory.
“I’m proud of all of you, because we fought really hard,” he said, as music blared from the Warhorse Stadium speakers. “We’ve got to get some stuff cleaned up, because we want to make the playoffs.”
He encouraged his team to enjoy the win and come back to the field the following Monday, and be “ready to work.”
Owen’s performance in the season opener offered a glimpse of the team’s potential, according to the coach.
“It’s good to get some stuff on film and see where we’re at, because you can look at scrimmages and practices, but until you get out here and it counts, you really don’t know what you have,” Faircloth said. “We got a look at where our starting point is, and I’m happy that we get to make some corrections after a big win.”
He credited the Warhorse quarterback and coaches for a strong offensive outing.
“Our staff made a great adjustment at halftime, giving Emmett the option of checking out of a play if he saw something before the snap,” the coach said. “He has taken a lot of snaps for us, and he’s had bumps and growing pains, but tonight was the best I’ve ever seen Emmett Minks play. He took command of the offense, and that helped us so much.”
That effort was bolstered by a strong supporting cast, Faircloth added.
“When you have 7 (Anderson) and 2 (Burpeau) in the backfield, and an offensive line that is really clicking, it’s easier to find ways to be successful and move the ball,” he said.
The defense, which allowed the Tigers to score 29 points a season ago, responded well to a new approach, according to Faircloth.
“This defense is something I developed back in 2019 with a bunch of friends of mine, and I had avoided it for a while because I was worried it was too complicated for high school football,” he said. “It looks like we did OK tonight, so we’ll see how that goes in the future. But, hopefully, the guys have a lot more confidence in their ability to execute it after tonight.”
Owen will travel to Cherryville, Friday, Aug. 29, to face the Ironmen in another non-conference clash.
“We’re going to have to keep some athletes in check next week, because they’re going to have four of the best athletes on the field,” he said. “We have a few things we need to clean up, but if we can play like we played in the second half tonight, I think we might be able to maintain this level of intensity.”
As Faircloth collected his second victory at the helm of the program, he remained focused on the collective effort that produced it.
“I’m so happy for our kids, and the Valley,” he said. “I’m also really happy for these coaches, because they’ve worked so hard. I don’t know a coach in America who says his team didn’t work hard in the offseason, and ours did, too. Now the players and coaches are seeing a return on that investment, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Photos of the Owen 2025 football season opener can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.