By By STEVE FRANKLIN
Sports Writer
CRESWELL — Ralphon Owens does a little bit of everything for the Creswell Tigers.
The 6’2”, 220-pound senior lines up at tight end and fullback on offense. On defense, he flips between inside and outside linebacker. And on special teams, he’s a field goal kicker and punt coverage man.
Tigers’ coach Wayne Rodgers knows how one special player can change a game in Class 1-A football; that’s why Owens rarely leaves the field.
Owens has taken on a new role in 2008, serving primarily as the team’s tight end on offense. Occasionally, he’ll still line up in the backfield when his team needs a big play.
After spending the majority of his time at fullback last season, where he averaged better than 100 yards per contest, Rogers decided to move Owens to tight end to keep him fresh.
As a junior, Owens took a pounding in the Tigers’ backfield, serving as Creswell’s workhorse. However, midway through the season, Owens suffered a hip injury that ended his junior campaign.
So this season, to avoid the pounding, the Tigers have moved Owens to tight end and are putting new wrinkles into the play book to get him the ball.
So far, the results have been stellar.
Owens has caught nine passes through the first two games for 164 yards and two touchdowns.
While Owens has logged the majority of the snaps at tight end, he also has played fullback on several occasions this season. In the season opener against Harrells Academy, Owens carried the ball for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Owens is one of the Tigers’ top tacklers and has shown a great knack for being able to cover receivers.
Following his career at Creswell, Owens is hoping to go on to play college football. Though no large schools have come sniffing yet, Owens is trying to catch the eye of a large college.
Rodgers sure thinks Owens has the talent to make it at the next level.