Gifts for area sports figures

By Will Johnson, Sports Editor
Posted 12/25/24

By the time this edition of The Gasconade County Republican hits stores and businesses in Owensville and the surrounding area, it will be less than 24 hours until Christmas Day.

That signals …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Gifts for area sports figures

Posted

By the time this edition of The Gasconade County Republican hits stores and businesses in Owensville and the surrounding area, it will be less than 24 hours until Christmas Day.

That signals time for yours truly to play Santa Claus and hand out some gifts to current and former Gasconade County coaches, administrators and members of the media in the surrounding area.

Here are a few things I’m sure these coaches, administrators and members of the media have on their Christmas wish lists:

Cullen VanLeer (Dutchmen Basketball) - A shot at their first Maries County Bank Owensville Tournament title since 2007.

Scott Lewis (JV Dutchmen Basketball) - Ending up on the winners side of the bracket in February at the Bourbon JV Tournament.

Jake Witthaus (Bearcat Basketball) - Repeating as Four Rivers Conference (FRC) champions in boys basketball.

John VanLeer (Dutchgirl Basketball) - A return trip to Mizzou Arena in March to go along with their win against Fatima earlier this month at the Norm Stewart Classic.

Ashley Aaron (Lady Bearcat Basketball) - A chance to hoist tournament championship hardware in January at South Callaway and on their home court.

Jamie Ridenhour (Dutchgirl Volleyball) - Another year of good health for her parents to be able to attend as many volleyball matches as possible during the 2025 season.

Emily McKinney (JV Dutchgirl Volleyball) - Another winning record for JV Dutchgirl volleyball in 2025.

Taylor Payne (Freshmen Dutchgirl Volleyball) - Another solid crop of incoming freshmen volleyball players for the 2025 season this fall.

Tess Schannuth - (Lady Bearcat Volleyball) - A return trip to Cape Girardeau next fall to claim their state record 16th MSHSAA Volleyball State Championship.

Dustin Howard (Dutchmen Football) - More notches in the win column during the fall of 2025.

Jed Leeper (Bearcat Football) - A fifth consecutive win next fall in the annual Gasconade County Bowl football game against Owensville’s Dutchmen.

Shane Hunt (8th Grade Dutchmen Basketball) - More notches in the win column during the 2024 portion of their season.

Jarrett Payne (7th Grade Dutchmen Basketball) -  A shot at season-ending tournament hardware in Sullivan come late January.

Todd Anderson (HMS 8th Grade Bearcat Basketball) - More notches in the win column during the 2024 portion of their season.

Trent Anderson (HMS 7th Grade Bearcat Basketball) - A chance to make plenty of coaching memories with his dad during the 2025 portion of the season.

Hannah Koppelmann (JV Dutchgirl Basketball) - Good health for her JV Dutchgirl basketball players during the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Dustin Howard (Dutchmen Wrestling) - Plenty of caffeinated beverages for a nearly four-hour bus trip to Seneca High School in southwest Missouri for district wrestling.

Brandon Howard (Dutchmen Wrestling) - Witnessing Bailee Dare cap her Dutchgirl wrestling career with another All-State medal at Mizzou Arena in 2025.

Dr. Jeri Kay Hardy (R-2 Superintendent) - Another chance to make much needed improvement to district facilities in the near future.

Dr. Geoff Neill (R-1 Superintendent) - Plenty of chances to see his daughter Jocelyn claim more All-State accolades in track and cross country in 2025.

Kris Altemeyer (OHS Principal) - A chance to reveal the name of an Owensville High School senior winning the Glen Ebker $10,000 Math and Science Scholarship during homecoming basketball festivities against Hermann in early February.

John Bunch (OHS Assistant Principal) - Not as many long road trips during the 2025 portion of the school year.

Andy Emmons (HHS Principal) - A chance to reveal the name of an Hermann High School senior winning the Glen Ebker $10,000 Math and Science Scholarship during homecoming basketball festivities against Hermann in early February

Hannah Koppelmann (Dutchgirl Softball) - A healthy Hannah Keeney for the upcoming 2025 softball season.

Chris Leibach (Lady Bearcat Softball) - A more experienced softball team in the fall of 2025 to improve on their win total from last season.

Matt Johnson (R-2 Activities Director) - More wall space in the gym for state banners already earned by Dutchgirl Cross Country and potentially Dutchgirl basketball.

Todd Anderson (R-1 Activities Director) - More wall space in the gym for state banners earned by the Lady Bearcat volleyball and Bearcat cross country teams.

Steven Kemp (Dutchmen Baseball) - More arms to compliment staff ace Chase Weirich during the upcoming 2025 high school baseball season.

Wayland McKague (Bearcat Baseball) - Another winning season of Hermann Bearcat baseball along the Missouri River.

Gabe Soest (OMS Wrestling) - More middle school wrestlers to groom for the high school ranks during the 2025-26 school year.

Cullen VanLeer (OHS Golf) - More company for Crew Epstein to state golf this spring..

Jake Witthaus (HHS Golf) - A chance to defend Hermann’s FRC title from last spring.

Kalyn Kemp (Dutchgirl Soccer) - Enough Dutchgirls to field a team this spring.

Matt Candrl (OHS Track and Cross Country) - More signing photos to arrange for Owensville High School athletes in track and cross country.

David Koppelmann (OHS Track and Cross Country) - A busy Memorial Day weekend at state track in Jefferson City.

Keely Uthlaut (HHS Track and Cross Country) - More success for the Bearcat and Lady Bearcat track and cross country programs in 2025.

Dave Marner (Republican Managing Editor) - Good health for his parents during the upcoming holiday season.

Buck Collier (Republican Special Correspondent) - Plenty of chances to see his grandson make music with the Bearcat Brigade Marching Band.

Bill Battle (Washington Missourian Sports Editor) - An area basketball team to cover in the MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown.

Aaron Hustead (Washington Missourian Sports Writer) - More chances to get home to Edina in northeast Missouri to spend time with family and hunt for deer.

Rob Viehman (Three Rivers Publishing) - Covering one last Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) track meet with Vienna’s Eagles and Lady Eagles participating.

Neal Johnson (Osage County Unterrified Democrat) - An Osage County basketball team earning him a trip to Columbia in March for final four basketball.

Bobby Diestelkamp (KTUI Radio) - More sponsors to help him be able to broadcast Owensville High School sporting events on KTUI 102.1 FM during the 2025 portion of the school year.

Bill Seamon (Former Dutchmen Baseball Coach) - More willing student-athletes to take advantage of his indoor batting cages off of Highway 28 between Bland and Owensville.

Greg Williams (Former Dutchmen Basketball Coach) - A successful return to coaching as head coach of the Parkway South Patriots.

Rod Smith (KRCG-TV Sports Director) - Plenty of basketball Tuesday and Friday night highlights throughout the remainder of the hardwood season in mid-Missouri.

To all of the coaches, athletic directors, administrators and fellow members of the media throughout the area that make this job fun every day, Merry Christmas to you and your families and may 2025 be just as good as 2024 was.