Columbia Academy’s Owen Harper took the next step in his football career Wednesday, inking a letter of intent to play for Southwest Community College.
The 6-foot-6 tight end had 61 receptions, 854 yards and 11 touchdowns in the past two seasons for the Cougars and caught the eye of the coaches. The numbers could have been higher, but Harper was plagued with nagging injuries his senior season.
“Since I’ve been here, he’s the first player that we’ve had sign a scholarship offer,” Cougars head coach Randy Butler said. “We are awfully proud of him. He’s an outstanding young man and we look forward to watching him and wish him a great career. He’s going to get his education paid for is the main thing.”
Harper said he is enthusiastic about the chance to play collegiate ball.
“I’m excited,” he said. “As a young boy, I always wanted to play at the next level – to play college football. I’m excited that I’ve got my education paid for and that I get to play football doing it.”
Harper said he hopes to continue in a similar role at in Summit for the Bears.
“They are going to put me at a tight end, H-back hybrid,” he said. “They came after me for that reason. I plan to go to a spring camp that they are supposed to be having and I’m looking forward to it.”
After several years of coaching Harper, Butler said a few things stand out about him.
“He’s a great kid – a Christian kid,” he said. “He’s very well rounded and has great parents. He’s the kind of young man that if you had a son, it would be what you’d want. On the field, the last couple of years, he’s had over 60 catches. He’s a really good playmaker. I’m looking forward to him getting to Southwest and bulking his body up and getting a little added strength. He’s going to be a really good player at the next level.”
Pictured Above: Columbia Academy senior Owen Harper inks a scholarship to play tight end at Southwest Community College. | Photo by Mark Rogers
