Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg carried the ball 23 times for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Highlands’ 31-28 victory over Class 5A playoff qualifier Armstrong to begin the 2025 season.
The following few weeks, he said, were the continuation of a learning experience in running the football at a high level. He appreciated his new role as a feature back for the Golden Rams with time to ramp up his impact in the offense.
“I trained since last winter to be ready to go and knew what I had to do to prepare,” Owen-Cratsenberg said. “The whole offseason was about getting ready. I knew my teammates and coaches had faith in me that I could do well this season.”
He and the entire team worked their way through a challenging early nonconference schedule and were able to come out strong on the other end. For Owen-Cratsenberg’s part, he gained more and more traction as the season went on, and he was delivering the goods for a Highlands team that was on a roll up to and through its WPIAL Class 3A first-round home victory over Derry.
“I just tried to stay patient, knowing that I was going to keep getting better in what I could do for the team,” the sophomore said.
Owen-Cratsenberg was a workhorse for the Golden Rams and finished the season with 1,702 yards and 26 touchdowns on 216 carries, an average of 7.9 yards per attempt, as Highlands finished 8-4 overall and in second place to Imani Christian in the Allegheny 7 Conference, making it to the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.
With all of his personal achievements and what he meant to his team, Owen-Cratsenberg is the Valley News Dispatch Offensive Player of the Year from a field of highly qualified candidates including Freeport’s Amos Glenn, Leechburg’s Timmy Andrasy and Burrell’s Antonio Perkins.
“Whatever I could do to help the team win was the most important thing,” he said. “I am just glad I was able to run well with good vision. The guys around me, especially the line up front, were a big part of that. I couldn’t have done it without what they did in blocking like they did.”
Owen-Cratsenberg said the team cleaned things up and really hit its stride by the time of the clash with rival Freeport in Week 6.
The Yellowjackets came into the game 6-0, but the Golden Lions were ready.
Owen-Cratsenberg helped carry Highlands to a big win that night. He scored all three Golden Rams touchdowns in regulation — on runs of 2, 11 and 13 yards — before his 7-yard TD run in overtime put Highlands ahead.
He then made perhaps the biggest play of the season for the Golden Rams as he blocked the extra point after Freeport’s OT score.
“I told myself that I was going to give everything I had to get in there and block that kick,” he said. “We all knew someone had to make a play. Before the play, I just visualized it happening, and I was able to do it. It was an amazing feeling.”
Owen-Cratsenberg finished the game with 235 yards on 32 carries.
“We came into that game focused with our heads on straight,” he said. “We wanted to be the first to beat them.”
Cratsenberg also had big games running the ball against Deer Lakes (17 carries, 189 yards, four touchdowns) and playoff-bound Burrell (16 carries, 321 yards, four touchdowns) and in the WPIAL first round against Derry (24 carries, 183 yards, one touchdown).
“Tevin came in ready both physically and mentally for the role he was going to earn,” Highlands coach Matt Bonislawski said. “He’s one of the hardest-working kids on the team. I know the guys love him, especially the offensive line. They love blocking for him, and he is a big proponent and supporter of what they do up front. They have a good connection and chemistry.
“We worked with him on the process of how he was going to become more involved, and he took that responsibility to heart. He was still only a sophomore, but he paid attention to detail and kept letting the game come to him. He just went out and played and let his athletic ability take over.”
Owen-Cratsenberg has a focus on next season as winter workouts have started.
He’s also looking forward to his first outdoor track season, when he plans to run the 100- and 200-meter dashes and test himself in high jump. He’s not ruling out competing in the indoor season.
“My main goal is to get faster, and I think track and the workouts can really help with that,” he said. “I am looking to get my form right, get faster and just get better.”