A wait that has lasted since the end of October will finally come to an end this Friday night.

Nathan Cabot’s Owensville Dutchmen football team will open the 2021 season this Friday night at the friendly confines of Dutchmen Field hosting Potosi’s Trojans.

Last year’s 12-0 loss on the road to the Trojans has made the orange and black realize this season that every game matters.

That is because the loss to Potosi ultimately caused them to have to face eventually district champion Cardinal Ritter in the first round of the playoffs last fall.

“We’re hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened last year in the season opener,” Cabot said.

After opening the season at home, the Dutchmen will spend the entire month of September on the road.

Their month-long road trip will begin with a Labor Day holiday weekend excursion into Miller County to take on Eldon’s Mustangs.

Over the years, Owensville and Eldon have had some wild and dramatic games.

Fans should expect nothing different in 2021.

Week three will bring the Dutchmen back closer to home with a short trek south on Highway 19 taking on Cuba’s Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 10.

Owensville has defeated Cuba in every match up since the series began back in 1998.

Opening Four Rivers Conference (FRC) football action in week four, OHS will venture into Phelps County to face St. James’ Tigers.

Although not played the same week, this year will mark the 10-year anniversary of Owensville’s 80-75 shootout victory over St. James.

That score remained a state record for points scored by two teams until Pattonsburg defeated Albany 94-62 in an 8-Man football game nearly six years later in 2017.

Closing the month-long road swing on Friday, Sept. 24, the Dutchmen will venture north on Highway 19 into Hermann for the annual Gasconade County Bowl against the host Bearcats.

It will also be homecoming in northern Gasconade County.

Opening the month of October, Paul Day’s Pacific Indians will pay a visit to Dutchmen Field for Owensville’s homecoming on Friday, Oct. 2.

Entering his second year as head coach of the football Indians, this game will mark Day’s first visit to Dutchmen Field since the fall of 1997.

Week seven will send the Dutchmen east on Highway 50 into Franklin County to take on Union’s Wildcats at E.A. Stierberger Stadium.

This will also be the third homecoming football game for the Dutchmen in the span of three weeks as it will be homecoming in Union.

Week eight on Friday, Oct. 15 will present a match up that did not happen last year due to COVID-19.

Scheduled to play Sullivan last fall at the time, the Eagles went into a COVID-19 related quarantine forcing the Dutchmen to find a different week eight opponent in Lutheran South.

Wrapping up the regular season on Friday, Oct. 22, the Dutchmen will welcome the two-time defending Four Rivers Conference (FRC) champions in St. Clair’s Bulldogs for senior night.

Nonetheless, Dutchmen football on Friday nights should be full of exciting offense and stingy defense.