Owen Hewitt established himself as a playmaker a year ago. Now, he's ready to be the next Rambler offensive great in one final ride.
PETOSKEY — There’s a bit of offense to replace in Boyne City from last season.
Give or take 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns worth, from just one player.
“Yeah, of course,” Boyne City senior Owen Hewitt said. “We don’t have the meathead.”
That “meathead” was the football powerhouse that was Rambler graduate Ryan Spate and Hewitt meant it with all the respect.
Now, Hewitt is ready to step up to replacing some of Spate's production.
“I’m going to be playing all over,” Hewitt said. “We’ll utilize other guys too, because I’m going to be a bit target this year, so I’ll be bouncing around so they can’t get a target on me.”
It’s not like Hewitt will be unknown to opposing defenses and coaches.
He made second team all-state honors as an athlete a year ago and that’s exactly what he was, an athlete.
He ran for 674 yards and 10 scores, then accumulated 408 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver.
Add in his defensive production and it’s easy to see why he’ll hold a target again in 2025, but he’s ready for it.
“This is my last season, I’m ready to do it all,” he said. “It does not feel real. I’m a little worried for when it does come to an end. I’ll be sad, but until then…”
Until that final game, Hewitt will likely form into the next Boyne City star. The kind that made the likes of Maceo Vroman, Malik Smith, Bobby Hoth and Ryan Spate names talked about for years to come.
Hewitt will have one last ride with a talented group in Boyne City, one that includes the likes of quarterback Drew Neer, Tristan and Thomas Ager and others he grew up playing with. Like Hewitt, following talented brothers before them in Boyne uniforms.
“We have really good chemistry and we’ve all been pretty much best friends since the third grade,” Hewitt said. “We’ve had lots of experience on varsity. There were six or seven of us as sophomores that were starting on varsity, so we’ve had plenty of experience and now this is our time.”
Like past Boyne City seasons, there’s a lot to live up to in 2025, with a Division 6 semifinal run a year ago and wins over four ranked opponents in 2024.
Hewitt and the Ramblers will likely head in with a good deal of opponent respect and just have to find a way to work through the attention.
But, finding his way to the endzone has been a work of art for Hewitt, who doesn’t have the same kind of luxury as running through people like the bruising Spate.
At 5-foot, 11-inches and 170 pounds, Hewitt has his own ways.
“I’m more of the fast running back, rather than the (power) running back,” Hewitt added. “So I’ve needed to utilize different ways of getting first downs, like jumping over the line. Whatever it takes to get first downs, touchdowns. The big hits, they add up after a while, so you’ve got to figure out your own way.”
The “meathead” had his way and now Hewitt’s high-flying speed is about to take center stage in 2025.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Boyne City’s Owen Hewitt ready to lift Rambler football program
Category: General Sports
