Vero Beach High School’s nationally ranked Fighting Indians and its best-known grad, country music star Jake Owen, teamed up this past weekend to provide our community with big wins on the stage and the football field.
Owen performed the ceremonial coin toss before excited fans at the Citrus Bowl before the undefeated Indians continued their march toward a hoped-for state football championship, whipping East Ridge High School from the town of Clermont, 57-10.
The Indians, who moved into the Top 100 this week in High School Football America’s national rankings, will be trying to extend their 2025 unbeaten record to 12-0 tomorrow night (Nov. 21) when they host Lake Nona High School from Orlando in the 7A Region 3 state semifinals.
Then Owen, 44, who moved to the heart of the country music industry in Nashville long ago but still regards Vero as “home,” took part in a series of charity events for his foundation’s annual Flamingo fundraiser.
High point was a concert held in a packed hangar made available by Corporate Air at the Vero Beach Regional Airport.
The Jake Owen Foundation, which has raised more than $8 million since it was founded in 2010, supports a variety of charities here and nationally.
