Charleston Owens – Madison Academy two-sport athlete looking to new school year

MADISON – Though just a rising junior at Madison Academy, Charleston Owens has already made his athletic talents known throughout the state of Alabama and beyond. As the Mustangs’ starting quarterback for the football team and starting point guard for the school’s basketball team, the 17-year old has quickly put himself in the position to direct two teams to even more success in the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.

“I feel I have leadership qualities to help make others on my teams better as I have lots of energy making me the guy that makes others try and dial in to what I’m doing and being fun to watch,” said Owens, in between summer camps he has attended for football and playing for an AAU Under Armour basketball team in what is like a whirlwind summer. “I give my dad and my older brother a lot of the credit for making me a better athlete as they both worked with me. I’m from a basketball-heavy family as my father, Charles, my mother, Courtney, and my brother, Leyton all played basketball. I’m the only one to concentrate on football.”

As he started to play sports at age five in YMCA basketball, some of his friends played football and talked him to trying out for the local team. He chose to do so, and has been playing the gridiron sport ever since. Owens said by age eight, he felt his was a good athlete in both sports as his football teams were winning and he was scoring touchdowns, while in basketball, he was exceling quickly due to spending a lot of time in the gym with his father and brother alongside.

Owens made his way to Madison Academy in the seventh grade playing middle school football and basketball, but a moment in time stands still for the exceptional athlete. He moved up to Madison Academy’s junior varsity football team and a breakout moment happened suddenly. “Yes, the first time I ran the ball as quarterback I scored a touchdown on a 60-yard run,” said Owens.

For Owens and the Mustangs, that moment began what has been an exciting ride.

“He has done several camps this summer, plus football & basketball workouts, practices & playdates. There is a lot of interest but no offers yet,” said Bob Godsey Madison Academy football head coach. “Size is a concern for most, but he will get a good offer.”

Owens has attended camps for South Alabama, Shorter University, East Tennessee State, UAB, Austin Peay and Murray State. “All were invites from the camps, which means each saw my talents and possibilities. All were a good experiences,” said Owens.

Standing just 5-foot-8 and weighing 155 pounds, Owens is considered small by many college football programs, but his talents are far more eye-boggling. In his sophomore season, where the Mustangs made it to the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs, Owens was a terror for opposing defenses. He passed for 2,588 yards and 21 touchdowns while running for 853 yards and seven additional scores for the Mustangs’ offense which scored 38 points per game.

In basketball, Owens has made his place on the team securing a point guard spot on the roster. He played junior varsity his seventh and eighth grades moving to the varsity squad of Mustangs in his freshman season. As a sophomore last season, he started every game for head coach Tom Berryman.

“I feel I’m the floor general as I get others involved,” said Owens. “I can shoot and an exceptional ball handler. Coach Berryman and my dad have both given me valuable tips. As for my play in AAU, I have played well as we’ve traveled to Memphis and into Ohio to play in tournaments. I had a good season in AAU.”

His history on the football field simply exploded on the scene as a freshman as he split playing time with the starting quarterback before taking over the lead in the quarterback spot in week eight of the season schedule. “I stayed level headed on what Coach Godsey told me. I worked hard, especially in the weight room, and studied a lot of film and did well, especially since I was injured in the first game of the season,” said Owens.

“In my sophomore season of play last season, I was just showing everyone I can run and throw while running the offense,” added Owens. “Coach Godsey put me in position to score and run the offense as I remained healthy.”

In the sixth game of the 2025 season, the Mustangs were put to the test of championship quality in their game versus North Jackson where the Chiefs hosted the horses in a most memorable contest of the two squads. With time running out and trailing by seven points, Madison Academy stunned the Chiefs with an Owens touchdown. “I ran down the left side for the score where I had some superb blocking to get me there,” said Owens of his six-point run. He then took control of the twopoint conversation play to go for the win instead of a tie with Godsey’s plan. “We lined up in a wild formation with myself and our center in the middle of the field, the rest of the offensive line split out on the left side and a running back in the backfield and wide receiver on the right. Once I took the snap, I had two options and the defender chose wrong and it was clear for me to run in for the game-winning two-point conversion.”

All of his extraordinary play in both sports nearly did not happen to due to severe injury on Jan. 28, 2023. “That just happened to be the birthday of my younger brother, Kholton. We were playing Scottsboro in basketball while I was in the eighth grade and I went up for a layup and while completing the play, my knee gave out. I had surgery with Dr. Eric Janssen at SportsMed and was expected to be out of any athletic endeavors for up to 10 months. With the help of regular post-op physical therapy and lots of help from our school’s athletic trainer, Shane Harris, I was back in action after six months. I truly believe I was blessed by God by my return.”

His religious Faith has always been a part of his life as he and his family attend First Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville. His Faith runs deep into his soul as his grandfather is a Preacher and Owens prays before each game he suits up for. Owens has a 3.6 grade point average and drives around town in his 2015 Nissan, which was purchased for him by his parents. “Yes, it was for Christmas as my parents told me to go outside and there was the car with a big yellow bow wrapped around it. What a rush. What a gift,” he added.

Actual official first practice for the 2026 M.A. football team occurs Aug. 3 with all eyes set on the opening game on the tough Mustangs’ schedule at Mars Hill, defending Class 3A State Champions who posted a perfect 15-0 2025 season, which included a 57-21 defeat of Madison Academy.

Owens is not shy about his being bowed-legged or being small by most standards in his position as starting quarterback, but his mental attitude certainly outweighs any physical reservations as he feels he’s the field and floor general, looking for success in his junior season of high school athletics.