Quietly confident Warhorses seek to reclaim conference title
Young talent, veteran leadership and Unrelenting Effort Set Foundation for Owen Soccer
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 13, 2026
The sounds of raised voices and players delivering fiery speeches will likely be rare, as the Owen soccer season, which began, Aug. 10, with a 3-1 victory on the road over Pisgah, progresses. The 2026 Warhorses, with a record of 1-0-1, following a 1-1 tie in their Aug. 12 home opener against Erwin, are guided by a much more restrained style of leadership.
What the young roster lacks in outward displays of emotion, however, it makes up for with relentless pressure, clear communication and the quiet confidence of a team that is committed to doing what is necessary to reclaim the Western Highlands Conference title.
Entering his fifth season at the helm at Owen, head coach Trei Morrison brings more than enough passion to the sideline, where he has led his team to 62 victories and four postseason appearances, including the program’s first state championship in 2022. The Warhorses won 27 straight matches on their way to three consecutive conference titles until 2025, when it relinquished the top spot to Polk.
Following the graduation of six seniors, a talented roster, featuring 12 juniors, three seniors and a sophomore goalkeeper, is focused on restoring a foundational characteristic of Owen soccer, according to the coach.
“We always want to be who we are, meaning when we have the ball we want to be creative, have fun with it, knock it around, and I think we’re already doing that,” Morrison said. “One thing we have specifically talked about getting back to, which is something we’ve been great at in the past, is really pressing the heck out of the ball and defending. Slowly but surely we’re doing that.”
Led by a crew of captains featuring senior Lyle Sulzman and juniors Boone Ferguson and Jonah Wilson, who form the spine of the formation on the field, the Warhorses registered a 2-1 victory in a scrimmage match against Enka. Sulzman, who has recorded 3 goals in the two regular season matches, is tapping his experience as a four-year starter to hone his leadership style.
"We’ve had leaders in the past who led with words and motivation, but we’ve also had captains who lead with how they play,” he said. “I’ve tried to have a balance with that. I need to keep working on the vocal part, but I’m really trying to emulate the things I’ve seen as effective.”
One of two seniors on the team, Sulzman demonstrates the style of play valued by the coach.
“Since Lyle was 8 years old, I’ve known he was a player. He knows the game and he plays it well,” Morrison said. “He’s not 6-foot-2, he doesn’t weigh 190 pounds, but he puts himself in the right positions, he’s a great passer, he creates for himself and he has confidence. He’s not an animated kid, but he definitely leads by example.”
Clear communication with teammates and a willingness to create opportunities for others are key components of his interpretation of the role.
“I want to have the right mindset, stay positive and make the right decisions,” Sulzman said. “I want to make the right passes, even if I think I could dribble, and find the open guy. That’s the energy I want to bring to the team.”
Ferguson, entering his third season as a Warhorse starter, is an athletic defender who netted 11 goals a season ago. His presence on the back line, next to fellow junior Jasper Sterling, allows the unit to balance creativity and sound decision-making. Both players are capable of supplementing the Owen offensive attack.
“I put full faith in them to know when to get involved and they are learning how to carefully choose those spots,” Morrison said. “For me to say, ‘I’m giving you the keys, you drive the car’ shows them how much I trust them. I’m proud of them because they have really stepped into their roles.”
The adjustment is a challenge welcomed by Ferguson.
“We have really big shoes to fill, losing Spencer (Woolley) and Caden (Mobley),” he said. “I feel like they set a good example on how to be vocal and lead by example. We’re really trying to do that by working as hard as we can and making sure we’re encouraging our teammates to do the same.”
The middle line of Owen, anchored by Wilson in the center, represents a team strength, according to Morrison.
“We moved Jonah from the 6, where the game is mostly in front of you, to the 8, where it’s all around you, and that is a challenge,” the coach said. “That’s just an adjustment he has to make, but that’s something that comes with time. It’s a big ask, but he’s more than capable of doing it.”
With a wide dispersal of talent, the Warhorses will rely on a tough non-conference schedule to hone their skills against strong opponents. The team will travel to Sylva, Monday, Aug. 17, to face Smoky Mountain, before heading to Reynolds, Tuesday, Aug. 25. Owen will return home at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 31, to host Brevard.
“I really like where we are. I thought we had a fantastic summer and we’re fit, so we can really push the pace of the game,” Morrison said. “For me, I want to see each one of them become more confident in themselves. I think this team has a lot of belief in each other, but I want these guys with less experience to believe in themselves. We create so many good chances, I just want to see us finishing more of them.”
Team chemistry will play a key role in Owen’s development this season, according to Sulzman.
“When things start clicking in the attacking third, we’re going to be good,” he said. “Our ball movement is a strength, especially with our midfield, because we know when to dribble and when to play it, so when we get moving it opens the whole game up.”
Complementary play in the back of the formation has already been a defensive strength, according to Ferguson.
“We’re all really connected back there, and I feel like we’ve done a great job of just working together,” he said. “That’s something I think we’ll keep improving as the season goes on.”
The goal, according to Sulzman and Ferguson, is to return a familiar spot atop the WHC.
“We want to win the conference championship,” Sulzman said, followed immediately by his fellow captain.
“Win conference and then go on a run in the playoffs,” Ferguson said.
Photos of the 2026 Owen soccer home opener can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.