By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
CATAWBA – Starting this season, seeing uniform No. 44 on the varsity football field at Bandys High will mean the Trojans have a very special player.
Randy Lowman as a Bandys player, wearing No. 44 in 1970-71.
On Wednesday, head coach Trent Lowman announced the school will issue that number – worn by his father, Randy, in the early 1970s at Bandys and most recently by linebacker-fullback Matt Woodlief in 2005 – only when the coaching staff feels it is merited.
In a spin off from how Michigan does its “Old No. 98” in honor of the late Tom Harmon (1938-40), its first Heisman Trophy winner, Bandys will make wearing No. 44 a significant honor.
During their 63-year football history, the Trojans have not retired varsity football uniform numbers and don’t plan to add that.
“There may not be a No. 44 every year,” said Trent Lowman, who starts his sixth season as head coach at Bandys in August. “It will be an honor to be chosen to wear it.
“Whoever wears it will definitely be a team captain, someone who does things right on and off the field and someone of high character and high productivity.
“(For example) it might be something someone gets to wear as a senior. It will be the only jersey with a captain’s ‘C’ on it.”
Every eligible position on the varsity team that could wear No. 44 will be considered, and if a 2017 player is to be assigned that number it will come prior to Bandys’ season-opening game on Aug. 18 at St. Stephens.
Trent Lowman said the Trojans don’t have a No. 44 jersey in their current stock and the school will order it each year it is needed.
Trent Lowman,
Bandys head football coach
The additional honor is part of an effort by Trent Lowman, a former star quarterback at his alma mater, to better acknowledge the history of Bandys athletics and help educate a younger generation at the school about the storied history of its football program.
As they prepare to enter a new league come August – the South Fork 2A – the Trojans have an unofficial varsity football record of 372-316-1, and their three state title game appearances – in 1996, 2002 and 2003 – are the most by a Greater Hickory area team.
Randy Lowman, who retired after the 2011 season, coached all three of the state title game teams and spent 38 years in the program. The school named its Butler Stadium field Randy Lowman Field last season.
“I thought it would be a great thing for the program,” said Trent Lowman of the added jersey honor. “I’m trying to bring excitement of the community back (about football).
“There’s a lot of old history in Bandys athletics that some who are new (in the community) aren’t aware of.”
With that thought in mind, Trent Lowman approached his football coaching staff and then Bandys athletic director Brandon Harbinson and administrators with some ideas, including the No. 44 gig.
Randy Lowman spent 38 years in the football program at his alma mater and, last year, the school named its football field Randy Lowman Field.
Since January, he’s also been making highlight films from past seasons — “Anything I can find, from the (current) oldest 1996 through 2016,” said Trent Lowman, who wore No. 13 while playing quarterback at Bandys.
Trent Lowman asks that anyone with any game film from past Bandys teams contact him at the school.
“I don’t know that it will do anything (in particular) for the program, but it’s an honor,” Trent Lowman said of No. 44. “That (issuing it to a player) would be an honor to carry through the decades.”
Woodlief, who signed with Wake Forest and ultimately became a starting linebacker for the Deacons, is the last Trojans player to wear No. 44.
The others in the last 47 years (if there are additional please email me at hobbsdailyreport@gmail.com)
— Randy Lowman as a tailback and defensive back in 1970 and 1971.
— Kurt Benfield, a fullback and linebacker on the 1984 and 1985 teams who was a senior captain in 1985.
— Paul Caldwell in 1987 and 1988, Randy Lowman’s first two seasons as head coach.
— Running back Roger Pendley in the early 1990s.
— Linebacker-fullback Jason Roseman, who was a senior on the 1993 team that went 10-3.
— Lee Hoyle, who had a rushing TD and a receiving TD in 1996 when Bandys played in its first state football title game.
— Linebacker Zeb Campbell (1997 and 1998).
— Linebacker Sam Mackey in 1999.
Randy Lowman played three seasons of varsity football at Bandys and in 35 games (26-8-1). After playing at Lenoir-Rhyne University, he joined the football coaching staff at Bandys as an assistant for nine seasons (92 games, 42-50 record).
When Tony Paroli resigned after the 1986 season, Randy Lowman became Bandys’ head coach. Over the next 26 seasons, he coached in 325 games and the Trojans went 206-118-1.
Randy Lowman participated in 452 of Bandys’ 689 varsity football games to date (65.6 percent) and is a member of the Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame.
“Obviously, my dad had an impact,” Trent Lowman said.
BANDYS 2017 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
August 18—at St. Stephens
August 25—Fred T. Foard
Sept. 8—Bunker Hill
Sept. 15—at Hickory
Sept. 22—at MAIDEN
Sept. 29—NEWTON-CONOVER
Oct. 6—at LINCOLNTON
Oct. 13—at E. LINCOLN
Oct. 20—W. LINCOLN
Oct. 27—at LAKE NORMAN CHARTER
Nov. 3—N. LINCOLN