‘Something to prove’: Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg shines in backfield for Highlands

By: Michael Love
Saturday, October 11, 2025 | 1:50 PM

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Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg’s rise to running prominence this season started a 31-28 Week Zero victory against Armstrong.

The Highlands sophomore collected 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 carries.

The transition to a feature back in the Golden Rams’ offense had its ups and downs early as he cut his teeth against some of the top teams in their classifications, including New Castle, Elizabeth Forward and Imani Christian.

But as the weeks have gone on, Owen-Cratsenberg said his confidence has grown and his impact has helped lift Highlands to prominence with a fifth straight trip to the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs.

“This (playoff trip) is what we’ve worked so hard for,” he said. “We don’t want to stop now.”

Owen-Cratsenberg was at it again Friday in a 42-21 postseason-clinching victory at Burrell in Class 3A Allegheny 7 Conference play.

He carried the ball 16 times and totaled 318 yards. He scored on runs of 62, 89, 64 and 15 yards as the Golden Rams pulled away in the second half after the teams went to halftime tied 21-21.

Owen-Cratsenberg didn’t let a first-half fumble that led to a Burrell touchdown get in his head as he came back out and continued to rack up yardage and points.

“Most of the plays, I just had to run straight,” he said. “My line and the guys blocking on the outside did a great job. I give them all the credit. I had a couple of good runs myself, but I couldn’t run as well as I have been without them. We have a lot of chemistry, from being in the weight room together, on the field in the summer, going out to eat and hanging out together. We’ve developed a bond that we want to win for each other, and that is what we are doing right now.”

Owen-Cratsenberg has shown out the past three weeks as Highlands is riding a three-game winning streak in conference play. In those wins — 35-0 over Deer Lakes, 28-27 in overtime against Freeport, and Friday night against Burrell — he has collected 741 yards and 12 touchdowns on 66 carries.

He surpassed 1,000 yards for the season against the Bucs and now owns 19 ground TDs.

“We eased him into this season with some of the nonconference games and kind of limited the wear and tear,” coach Matt Bonislawski said.

“We didn’t have him as a workhorse early as we do know. Tevin is phenomenal in there for us with his vision, his ability to turn on the jets and his breakaway speed out in space. When we get him out there, there’s not too many guys who are going to get him. He understands and appreciates his linemen, the H-backs we have in there and the receivers. Everybody has been blocking well.”

Owen-Cratsenberg hopes to deliver for the Golden Rams over the next two weeks as Highlands closes the regular season with nonconference McGuffey on Friday and against Valley in the conference finale Oct. 24.

“We’ve all been working hard in practice making sure we’re ready to go each week,” said Owen-Cratsenberg, who also has shown dangerous flashes in the kick return game.

“We pay attention to detail so much. I just feel prepared, knowing what to expect from each defense. We’ve just gone to work, and it’s been great.”

Last year was one of growth for Owen-Cratsenberg among a collection of talented backs that featured the now-graduated Menage Lucas and Darius Cherry, who combined for more than 2,300 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.

He was an understudy of sorts as he learned in the offense. He got the chance to carry the ball 10 times and finished with 55 yards.

“For him, it was just getting involved and learning the schemes coming in as a freshman,” Bonislawski said.

“We worked him in a little bit, but we were pretty set in the backfield. He was able to get his feet wet on defense as he got acclimated and got in the game.”

The youthful Owen-Cratsenberg made an impact at linebacker last season with 59 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery.

Working in the snow of the winter months, Owen-Cratsenberg said he knew that he was going to get the chance to increase his role in the offense, and he took that as a challenge to get better in the weight room — he is up 20 to 25 pounds to 180 this season — and also with his speed. Spring and summer workouts increased his effectiveness.

“Just putting in the work year-round has brought me to these moments,” Owen-Cratsenberg said.

“I am grateful that the coaches and my teammates have the faith in me to get the job done. I was so ready to get on the field and run with the football. I felt I had something to prove.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Highlands