Science Hill High School

Jeremy Owens

Whether he was on a gridiron or a diamond, Jeremy Owens loved to hit hard at Science Hill.

Owens, who has spent a decade roaming the outfields in the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Rays organizations, also excelled at football at Science Hill. In fact, the hard-hitting strong safety was part of the Hilltoppers' last victory against Dobyns-Bennett in 1994.

"I believe on their opening series they had fourth down and maybe not even a yard to go at about our 10- or 15-yard-line," Owens says. "And we stopped them. We didn't even wait to see the officials measure it.

"We ran off the field hitting each other in the heads like we didn't have any sense. I've never felt so much excitement."

Carson-Newman offensive coordinator Mike Turner coached Owens his junior season when the Hilltoppers advanced to the quarterfinals. He said Owens could've played college football.

"Jeremy Owens was tough, hard-nosed and he was never about himself," Turner said. "He was some kind of strong safety. He had the range to cover and he could come up and really put it on somebody. His first love was baseball, but whether he was coming up on a run or breaking on a ball, he had great instincts on the football field."

Turner would hand out hats for big hits delivered during games.

"Jeremy always had a locker full of hats," Turner said with a chuckle.

Owens opted for baseball at Middle Tennessee State. A power hitter with speed and a strong arm, he played shortstop at Science Hill. He won't ever forget inadvertently showing off his arm on a relay throw to third baseman Lance Torbett in a game against Sullivan Central.

"I threw the ball out of the whole stadium," he said. "It hit our bus. I remember seeing Coach (Bob) Dempsey just staring out of the dugout with his hands -- really his fists -- on his hips like 'What in the world are you doing?' But he didn't say anything.

"Coach Dempsey stayed on us all of the time, but you loved playing for him. He made sure we listened and gave our best."

Dempsey can still vividly see Owens hitting a long home run on a cold day against Daniel Boone.

"It was cold and the wind was howling, blowing in probably 20 or 25 miles an hour," Dempsey said. "Jeremy just killed one. I bet on a calm day it would've gone over 400 feet.

Greg Goulds still talks about how hard Jeremy hit that ball. I mean he hit it a ton."

Owens has played everywhere from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine. He reached Triple-A with the Red Sox, then again with Tampa Bay the past two years in a Durham Bulls uniform. (He's for the Rays in the ALCS.)

Owens has 139 career home runs and 299 stolen bases while playing affiliated ball. He's also played in independent leagues, including part of this past season for former Boston Red Sox manager Butch Hobson in Waldorf, Maryland.

"I watched Jeremy play for Mobile when they were in Sevierville one year," Dempsey said, "and even on routine fly balls to right or left, he was hustling over backing it up. He just loves to play game."

Indeed, although he's satisfied with the mark he's made, the 31-year-old Owens isn't ready to retire.

"I certainly hope to keep playing, even if have to go back to Double-A," Owens said. "I don't feel like my body's breaking down. As long as they'll give me a uniform, I hope to keep playing. It's like I'm in a different world when I'm playing baseball."