With their victory Friday night in the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 4 Quarterfinals on the road in Aurora by a score of 38-35, John VanLeer’s Owensville Dutchgirl basketball squad is the last Four Rivers Conference (FRC) and area team standing.

A beefed up schedule has helped the Dutchgirls prepare for their upcoming MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown Class 4 Girls semifinal contest tonight (Wednesday) against Central Park Hills’ Lady Rebels.

Losing 47-32 to Marquette in the third-place game of the Marquette Tournament earlier this season, Owensville nearly saw the Lady Mustangs punch their ticket to the Class 6 girls final four.

Quarterfinal action Friday night saw Marquette suffer a 48-41 loss to Cor Jesu Academy.

Dropping a hard-fought 36-34 decision to Helias in late January, the Dutchgirls almost had mid-Missouri company Friday night.

Playing in a Class 5 Quarterfinal up the road in Marshfield, Helias’ Lady Crusaders saw their halftime lead disappear before seeing their season end after a 56-49 loss to the host Lady Blue Jays also on Friday night.

Defeating St. Pius X’s (Festus) Lancers in the semifinals of the Peoples Bank Holiday Classic 41-27, the Dutchgirls gave themselves a win over one final four team as they finished fourth in MSHSAA Class 3 Girls Basketball after a 36-34 loss to Centralia over the weekend in the Class 3 Girls third-place game.

Playing amongst a loaded field during the Hermann Invitational Girls Basketball Tournament, Owensville was matched up against the Class 5 Lutheran St. Charles Lady Cougars.

Dropping a 67-37 decision in semifinal action at Hermann, Owensville saw the Lady Cougars advance to the MSHSAA Class 5 Girls Show-Me Showdown following a 58-51 quarterfinal win over Parkway West.

Lutheran St. Charles will face Smithville’s Lady Warriors today (Wednesday) at noon in the first of two Class 5 Girls semifinal games.

There was also a possibility of a third meeting with St. James’ Lady Tigers tonight.

In their previous two showdowns, St. James topped the Dutchgirls 44-41 in triple overtime for the PBHC championship in Sullivan while Owensville returned the favor during FRC play with a 38-32 road win in Phelps County helping them eventually claim a share of the FRC title along with the top seed in the MSHSAA Class 4, District 10 Tournament at Eldon.

Go Dutchgirls.