Owens, Ronnie

A four sport athlete at Lauderdale County High School 1967-1969 (Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Track). He was an All-area running back tor Coach Earl Grisham in 1968. Highlights of 1968 senior year: led area total offense & multi-purpose yards (2000+ yards), rushing (1275 yards), receiving(410yards), passing(335 yards). kicking (punt returns, PATs & field goals), kicked game winning field goal to defeat Muscle Shoals 3-0. First time a county school had ever defeated a city school. Scored four touchdowns in win over Loretto including a 95 yard run from scrimage, was elected team captain, and was MVP on 1968 team. Member of LCHS Basketball Team that finished third in the state in 1967 under Coach Truman Beggs. Signed football scholarship with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Highlights: Played against Archie Manning at Ole Miss, Terry Bradshaw at Louisiana Tech, Pal Sullivan al Auburn, Ralph Brock at Jax State. Rushed for 80 yards in 20·19 loss to Vanderbilt. Transferred to Troy State University for Junior and Senior years under Coach Tom Jones. Jim Blair and Ken "Tank" Mitchell were assistant coaches. Two year starter at fullback. Highlights at Troy: Averaged 5.0 yards per carry junior and senior years. He helped lead Troy to the Gulf South Conference Championship in 1973 with a 7·2·1 record, Player-of-the-Week four times senior year, winner of the Kilpatrick Award in 1973 to the senior with the highest acadmic average. Began teaching and coaching career in 1974 at Rogers High School under Jim Smith. He moved to Central after one year to coach under Don Creasy. Helped lead Central to state playoffs in second year. Served as head coach at Loretto four years before moving to Bradshaw as offensive coordinator under Jim Blair in 1983. Helped lead Bradshaw to its first ever playoff berth in second year (8.2 record). After three years at Bradshaw, moved into school administration as Assistant Principal at Hibbett School. Became principal Bradshaw High School in 1988 for nine years before ending career in education. Served seven years as a basketball official with the shoals area BBOA.