Jed Leeper’s Hermann Bearcat football team entered Friday night’s Gasconade County Bowl football showdown against Owensville’s Dutchmen looking to retain their grip on the trophy while at the same time find the win column for the first time.

Cashing in two first-quarter Owensville turnovers for touchdowns, Hermann led 19-0 after 12 minutes before turning a 37-6 halftime lead into a 50-14 victory good for their fifth consecutive win over the Dutchmen.

“We’ve worked so hard this season and it feels great to see all of it pay off with a win,” Leeper said. “Anytime you get Owensville and Hermann together on a football field, it’s going to be a competitive game. We were just fortunate to take care of the football and win the turnover battle.”

Three plays into the game, Kohlt Witthaus recovered an Owensville fumble giving the Bearcats the football in excellent field position at the Dutchmen 32-yard line.

Set up by a Witthaus 16-yard run on fourth-and-six, senior Aiden Eikermann got the Bearcats on the board with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 8:23 mark of the first quarter.

Trent Chasteen’s extra point gave the blue and white an early 7-0 lead.

After Hermann’s defense forced Owensville into a turnover on downs, the Bearcat offense wasted no time moving into double digits on the scoreboard.

Eikermann capped the latest scoring drive by the Bearcats with a 46-yard TD run with 6:00 for the opening quarter.

Chasteen’s missed extra point left the Hermann lead at 13-0.

Hermann dodged a bullet on the ensuing kickoff.

Owensville’s Brady Watson returned it 80 yards for what would have been a touchdown had the Dutchmen not been called for holding on the return.

On the very next play, Chasteen intercepted the ball putting the Bearcat offense back on the field at their 25-yard line with 5:39 for the first quarter.

Traveling 75 yards in eight plays, Witthaus capped the drive on a 4-yard TD run at the 1:25 mark of the quarter.

Hermann led 19-0 following the failed two-point conversion attempt.

Leading 19-0 after one quarter, Hermann quickly got the ball back early in the second quarter forcing Owensville into a punting situation.

Five plays into Hermann’s first offensive drive of the second quarter, Witthaus went to the air finding Chasteen on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 9:18 until halftime.

Hermann led 25-0 after the failed two-point conversion attempt.

Another quick stay on the field by Hermann’s defense led to them getting the ball back on their 5-yard line after a Brady Watson 44-yard punt.

Witthaus went back to the air finding Carter Humphrey on a 72-yard pass play moving them all the way down to the Dutchmen 23-yard line at the 7:40 mark of the second quarter.

After a Myles Stiers 22-yard TD run was negated by an illegal shift penalty, Witthaus found the end zone on a 27-yard TD run near the midway point of the second quarter.

After the failed two-point conversion attempt, Hermann led Owensville 31-0 with 6:22 until halftime.

Another Owensville turnover on downs led to another Bearcat touchdown in the final minute of the half.

Capping a nine-play drive that traveled 61 yards, Witthaus found Stiers on a 9-yard TD run with 42.7 for the half.

Chasteen’s missed extra point gave the Bearcats a 37-0 lead.

Owensville got on the board seconds later when sophomore quarterback Khai Krupp found junior receiver Chase Crosby on a 52-yard TD pass with 27.3 for the half.

After that score, Hermann entered halftime with a 37-6 lead.

Both teams traded turnovers on downs to start the second half before Hermann again found the end zone.

Witthaus found Stiers for the second time in the game on a 6-yard TD pass at the 3:37 mark of the third quarter.

Chasteen’s missed extra point left Hermann’s lead at 43-6 with a running clock now in effect due to the MSHSAA 35-point mercy rule.

Eikermann capped Hermann’s scoring at the 7:11 mark of the fourth quarter on a 15-yard TD run for his third rushing score of the game.

Roman Martin’s extra point put the Bearcats on top 50-6 near the midway point of the fourth quarter.

Owensville capped the scoring when Krupp found Watson on a 4-yard TD pass with 3:43 left.

Krupp then found Crosby for the two-point conversion making the final score 50-14 in Hermann’s favor.

Hermann had 371 yards rushing with three Bearcats each reaching 100 yards on the ground led by Witthaus’ 129 yards rushing on 13 carries.

Stiers also ran for 113 yards rushing on 13 carries while Eikermann averaged just over 10 yards a carry going for 103 yards on the ground on 10 carries and three touchdowns.

Through the air, Witthaus went 8-11 passing for 124 yards and three touchdowns.

Humphrey led Bearcat receivers with 79 yards on two catches.

Stiers also had three catches for 20 yards.

Defensively, Brady Traub had a sack for the Bearcats while Chasteen had Hermann’s lone interception.

In addition to his 103 rushing yards, Eikermann led Hermann defenders with 10 tackles followed by five from Witthaus.

Adding three total tackles apiece were Tayven Hopkins, Sawyer Moore, Stiers and Traub.

Eli Pilger and Martin recorded two tackles apiece while Ashton Rucker and Karl Quehl each added one stop.

Owensville was led by Liam Rasmussen with 33 yards rushing on 11 carries while Crosby had three catches for 57 yards receiving and a touchdown.

Starting his first full varsity game, Krupp was 5-16 passing for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Leading Dutchmen tacklers with eight apiece were Steven Buddemeyer, Will Coppedge and Rasmussen.

Hermann will open the October portion of their season this Friday night on the road at Sullivan High School against the Eagles.

It will also be homecoming for Sullivan with a 7 p.m., kickoff.