Owen takes down Madison, 29-22, in regular season home finale
Senior Night marks big Western Highlands Conference victory for Warhorses
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
October 18, 2025
The atmosphere in Warhorse Stadium was festive, Oct. 17, as Owen senior members of the football and cheer teams and band were escorted onto the field by family, friends and supporters on Senior Night.
As the Western Highlands Conference matchup between the Warhorses and Madison ended, the home team was again in a celebratory mood, with players and coaches dancing at midfield, following a 29-22 victory.
Owen, sporting black uniforms to mark the occasion, scored in the opening 10 seconds of the contest and never trailed, despite the relentless ground attack and aggressive defense of the Patriots. The Warhorse defense forced a Madison fumble on the opening drive, setting up a toss to senior Hayden Burpeau, who threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide open senior receiver Haiden Small. Junior Stephen Anderson capped the possession with a successful run for a 2-point conversion.
The Patriots initiated the ensuing drive from their own 20-yard line, with Owen forcing a punt on fourth down. A personal foul for roughing the kicker extended the possession, followed by multiple Madison running plays putting the visiting team in Warhorse territory. A sack by Owen junior Bear Dasher on fourth down gave his team another possession and scoring opportunity.
The Warhorses responded by driving down the field, setting up a short touchdown run by Anderson and establishing a 15-0 advantage.
Madison closed the gap before the half, later battling back to within a touchdown and setting up a dramatic final drive. The offense needed approximately four minutes to move the ball to the Owen 37-yard line, before a holding penalty pushed the line of scrimmage closer to midfield. A leaping Burpeau deflected a deep pass down the middle on third down, leading to a Patriots timeout with 1::24 remaining in the game. Sophomore defensive and offensive lineman Cam McDonald read the fourth-down play, dropping senior quarterback Dallas Bartlett at the 50-yard line to clinch the Owen victory.
Leading the way for Owen was Small, who carried the ball six times for 104 yards and a touchdown while hauling in two receptions for 23 yards and another score. Burpeau, who collected one reception for 13 yards, added 95 yards and a touchdown on the ground in five rushing attempts.
The Warhorses improved to 5-4 in the win, marking the program’s highest season win total since 2014 and setting up a possible postseason game at home. The victory was the second straight in a regular season home finale under second-year head coach John Faircloth.
The game represented a shift in the Owen football culture, according to senior offensive and defensive lineman Rio Obispo, in his third year on the varsity program.
“Things are different now,” he said. “Three years ago, I would not have believed you if you said this team was going to finish this season with at least a .500 record and talking about the playoffs. It feels great to come out here and get a win on Senior Night.”
The junior Anderson, also in his third year on the roster, credited the head coach for his impact the Warhorses.
“I’ve had two coaches in three years, and my brother had three in his career, so it was hard to imagine someone sticking around,” he said. “But, coach Faircloth got here and showed us what a real football team looks like. He showed us what culture is. I’m so glad we have Faircloth, I’m so proud he’s in the Valley and I’m so glad our culture is strong.”
Faircloth praised his players representing the class of 2025, while also recognizing the work of last year’s graduating class. Liam Franklin, one of three seniors on the Owen roster last season, huddled around the coach after the victory over Madison.
“All of this started with the three seniors we had last year, Tristan (King), Liam and Austin (Anderson),” Faircloth said. “I remember telling them, you guys aren’t going to see the benefits of the work you’re doing. I meant that, because we weren’t in that position at the time. I’m so proud our guys have taken what we were doing, built on it, become more confident and been able to have this type of year.”
Stepping onto the field for the final regular season home game of his two-year career at Owen was an emotional moment for Small, who responded with multiple big plays in his team’s victory. The speedy receiver and defensive back was welcomed with open arms when he transferred to the program from T.C. Roberson two years ago.
“It feels really good, because we came into this week knowing this was our last at home, and we wanted to give our all,” he said. “We wanted to show everyone what we’ve got, one last time. Hopefully, we get a chance at another one, but we’re all happy about this one.”
The Warhorses head into their bye week, allowing extra time to prepare for the season finale on the road against Mountain Heritage, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31. Faircloth gave his players Monday and Friday off, and encouraged them to enjoy the victory over Madison.
“I think, at this point, a bit of a break is a good thing,” he said. “Our players and coaches have been working hard, so this is an opportunity to take a step back and process where we are. I might even beat the buses out of here on Monday.”
The team will continue focusing on refining its system throughout the rest of the week, he added.
For senior Tru Davis, even the bye week is an opportunity to be around his teammates and coaches in the final stretch of his Owen football career.
“I love this group; these people are so amazing,” he said. “I’m really happy we came out tonight and did what we had to do to get the ‘W.’ It feels great to get this moment, as a senior, and I love being a part of this team.”
Photos of Owen football, cheer and band 2025 Senior Night victory over Madison can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.