By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
CRESWELL — Xavier Owens not only kept the WDN Defensive Player of the Year award within the same team, but the star defensive end kept it within the same family.
One year after Creswell’s Ralphon Owens earned the award, his cousin, Xavier Owens, picked it up this year. The junior had an outstanding season, helping to lead the Tigers (11-1) to un undefeated Tideland Conference championship and a trip to the second round of the state playoffs.
“I think that’s very good,” Owens said with a big smile. “It means that I followed in my father’s footsteps when he was in high school. And it’s good to keep it with the family.”
Not bad, considering this was Owens’ first year playing football.
“He worked hard and got better at it,” Creswell coach Wayne Rodgers said of Owens. “He listened to his coached and worked hard.”
Owens racked up 15 quarterback sacks, 90 tackles and three fumble recoveries. The sack total was among the highest in the state.
“He got those by being quick,” Rodgers said. “He wasn’t necessarily a great tackler, but he used his quickness to get to where he needed to be.”
Owens said he surprised even himself with the numbers he put up.
“Yes, I was (surprised),” Owens said. “I didn’t think I’d be able to start in the beginning, but the coach gave me a shot.”
Owens knew almost immediately that he was a pretty darned good football player.
“In the very first game we played against Northside, I got like three or four sacks,” Owens said. “That’s when I knew I could play this position.”
The 5-10, 167-pound junior had at least nine tackles in seven games. He also recorded at least two sacks in four games, including a season-high four sacks in a 52-0 win over Mattamuskeet.
“I just studied my position and did what the coaches told me to do,” Owens said. “Because of that, I was able to be successful at my position.”
Both the player and his coach are expecting big things from Owens next season.
“Next year he’s going to have to do a lot more,” Rodgers said. “He’s going to play some offense for us, too.”
Owens is ready for the challenge, and ready to put up even bigger numbers.
“I want 40 sacks next year,” Owens said. “I want to be all-conference.”