After three area football games concluded Friday night, trimmers could be heard from those shaving playoff beards after seasons ended for Pacific’s football Indians, Hermann’s football Bearcats and Washington’s football Blue Jays.

Some playoff beards do remain attached as the St. Francis Borgia Knights boys soccer team defeated Springfield Catholic 3-1 Saturday afternoon down in southwest Missouri.

With a few playoff beards still intact in Washington, Borgia will face the Vianney Golden Griffins on Friday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., on the Lindenwood University campus in St. Charles.

Friday night at Bearcat Memorial Stadium, Jed Leeper’s Hermann Bearcat football team welcomed the Bowling Green Bobcats with a Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 2, District 2 Tournament title on the line.

Facing a Bowling Green offense that entered Friday night action scoring at least 50 points in 10 of their 11 games, Leeper’s Bearcat defense knew that a tall task was in front of them.

After one quarter of football, both the Bobcat and Bearcat defensive units did their respective jobs as the game was scoreless after 12 minutes of gridiron action from northern Gasconade County.

Between the two teams, one touchdown apiece was scored within a 2:31 span during the second quarter yielding a 6-6 tie with 7:01 until halftime on a Henry Allebach to Nolan Mercier 48-yard TD pass.

Bowling Green added a pair of scores during the final 1:44 of the first half helping them to a 20-6 halftime lead.

Considering the Bobcats averaged over 50 points per game, Hermann’s defense was on pace to do something only Valle Catholic’s Warriors had done.

Near the midway point of the fourth quarter, Allebach found Mercier again on a 25-yard TD pass with 7:17 for the quarter cutting the Bowling Green lead to 20-12 with plenty of time yet to pull off a come-from-behind victory.

With 2:03 left, the Bobcats found the end zone pushing their lead back up to two scores at 28-12.

Hermann then answered almost a minute later on yet another Allebach to Mercier touchdown connection from 23 yards away.

After the same combination added two more points to Hermann’s side of the scoreboard, the Bearcats now trailed 28-20 with 1:00 remaining.

Relegated to an onside kick, Hermann kicked it only to see Bowling Green recover it and run out the clock on Hermann’s 8-3 season following their 28-20 loss to the visiting Bobcats.

Bowling Green will not get a chance to avenge their only regular-season loss on Saturday, Nov. 23 hosting Valle Catholic in Pike County.

Hermann was not the only Four Rivers Conference (FRC) team in action Friday night.

Pacific’s Indians were going for a MSHSAA Class 4, District 2 title on the road at Gateway in St. Louis.

Trailing 21-7 at halftime, Pacific was able to get within a score at 21-14 with 4:39 remaining before Gateway answered with 2:28 left ending Pacific’s season at 6-6 following a 28-14 victory.

Washington’s Blue Jays upset Eureka’s Wildcats last Friday night earning them a spot in Friday night’s MSHSAA Class 5, District 2 title game opposite the Lafayette (Wildwood) Lancers.

Down just 7-0 at halftime, Washington saw the host Lancers score 35 unanswered points in the second half before falling 42-7 seeing their season end at 8-4.

With fall sports now in the history books, basketball and wrestling squads throughout Maries, Osage and Gasconade County will begin their respective seasons over the next couple of weeks on basketball courts and wrestling mats.

Owensville’s Dutchmen and Dutchgirls will start their basketball seasons this Saturday in the Blue Fish Shootout at Rolla High School facing off against the Macks Creek Pirates and Lady Pirates.

Hermann’s Bearcats will take on St. James Friday night at the Blue Fish Shootout while their Lady Bearcat counterparts will open their regular season Monday, Nov. 25 on the road in Columbia against Father Tolton Regional Catholic’s Lady Trailblazers.

Dustin Howard’s Dutchmen wrestlers will host Rolla and Washington on a home tri-meet on Thursday, Dec. 5 in their season opener while Brandon Howard’s Dutchgirl grapplers will host their annual home tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at OHS with wrestling beginning at 1 p.m.