HERMANN — Seeing his first Friday-night light action last week at St. James, Owensville Dutchmen sophomore quarterback Khai Krupp recorded his first varsity start Friday night against Hermann’s Bearcats during the Gasconade County Bowl inside Bearcat Memorial Stadium.

While Krupp may have collected his first two varsity touchdown passes, it was not enough to overcome a Hermann offense that struck early and often during their 50-14 loss in northern Gasconade County.

“We just didn’t execute tonight,” Howard said. “It doesn’t matter who you play, you can’t turn the ball giving them short fields and expect to be successful.”

Three plays into the game, an Owensville fumble recovered by Hermann’s Kohlt Witthaus quickly led to points for the Bearcats.

Aiden Eikermann capped a six-play, 32-yard drive on a 1-yard touchdown run at the 8:23 mark of the first quarter putting the orange and black in a 7-0 hole after an early turnover.

Starting near the midfield stripe on their next drive, Owensville looked to make a move down the field to answer Hermann’s first score.

Unable to get a first down in four plays, OHS turned the ball back over to the Bearcats  on their 48-yard line.

Two plays later, Eikermann scored his second touchdown of the opening quarter on a 46-yard scamper at the 6:00 mark of the first quarter.

Trent Chasteen’s missed extra point left Owensville staring at an early 13-0 deficit.

Lightning nearly struck for the Dutchmen on the ensuing kickoff.

Brady Watson fielded the kickoff returning it 80 yards for a touchdown only to have it wiped off the board by a holding penalty on the return.

On the very next play, Chasteen intercepted Krupp putting Hermann’s offense back on the field.

Eight plays and 75 yards later, Kohlt Witthaus scored for Hermann on a 4-yard TD with 1:25 for the first quarter.

After the missed two-point conversion, the Dutchmen trailed the Bearcats 19-0.

Without a first down through one quarter, Owensville had the ball at the start of the second quarter only to have to punt it away.

Set up by a Myles Stiers 47-yard punt return, Hermann added to their lead on a Witthaus to Chasteen 20-yard TD pass with 9:18 until halftime.

After the failed two-point conversion attempt, Owensville trailed Hermann 25-0.

In spite of another three-and-out by the Dutchmen, Watson was able to pin the Bearcats on their own 5-yard line after a 44-yard punt at the 8:06 mark of the second quarter.

Sparked by a Witthaus to Carter Humphrey 72-yard pass play, Hermann added to their lead on a Witthaus 27-yard TD run near the midway point of the second quarter.

After another missed two-point conversion attempt, Hermann now had a 31-0 lead with 6:22 until halftime.

Starting with the ball in Hermann territory, Owensville got within a yard of a first down before once again turning the ball over on downs.

Driving 61 yards in nine plays, Hermann added to their lead on a Witthaus to Stiers 9-yard TD pass with 42.7 for the half.

Another missed extra point left the Dutchmen in a 37-0 deficit and a possible running clock in the second half.

On Owensville’s next play from scrimmage, Krupp found Chase Crosby for a 52-yard TD pass with 27.3 until halftime.

Despite the failed two-point conversion attempt, Owensville went into halftime trailing Hermann 37-6 getting themselves below the 35-point threshold.

After Hermann scored two second-half touchdowns through the air. Krupp capped the scoring connecting with Watson on a 4-yard TD strike at the 3:43 mark of the fourth quarter.

Krupp then found Crosby on the two-point conversion capping the scoring in Owensville’s 50-14 loss moving them to 0-5 on the season.

Throwing for 82 yards on 5-16 passing, Krupp connected with Crosby and Watson for his first two varsity touchdowns.

Liam Rasmussen led the Dutchmen ground attack with 33 yards rushing on 11 carries.

Crosby had three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown to lead Owensville receivers.

Ricky Marquez also had a catch for 21 yards while Watson had a five-yard reception for a touchdown.

Defensively, Steven Buddemeyer, Will Coppedge and Rasmussen each led OHS with eight tackles.

Crosby was close behind with seven tackles while Henry Loeb added six tackles.

Aiden Carpenter record five tackles while Marquez added four tackles and a sack.

Bo Buddemeyer, Brendan Kramme, Connor Wellman and Watson recorded three tackles each.

Adding one tackle each for the Dutchmen were Wyatt Shaw, Zach Barch, Cael Walker and Mason Turner.

Walker also had a forced fumble.

Witthaus was 8-11 passing for 124 yards and three touchdowns while also leading the Hermann ground attack with 129 yards rushing on three carries.

Owensville (0-5) will have another Friday night facing a winless team this week in Pacific’s Indians (0-5) with a 7 p.m., kickoff at Dutchmen Field after being on the road the past three weeks.