Perhaps the third time will be the charm.

That is the hope for Nathan Cabot’s Owensville Dutchmen football team going into Saturday’s Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3 quarterfinal football game on the road in St. Louis against Cardinal Ritter’s Lions.

In two previous meetings, the Dutchmen have not fared well against the Lions.

Back in 2012, Owensville was shut out 42-0 on the road in St. Louis.

Last fall in the first round of the MSHSAA Class 3, District 3 football tournament, the Dutchmen hosted the Lions only to fall 57-8.

Led by sophomore quarterback Antwon McKay, the Lions enter the quarterfinals with a 6-6 record.

Their road to a Class 3, District 3 title included a win by forfeit over Wright City in the first round.

A 60-0 shutout of St. Charles West in the district semifinals advanced them to the district championship game Friday night against the top-seeded Lutheran North Crusaders.

Freshman running back Jamorian Parker scored a 25-yard rushing touchdown with 3:24 remaining helping the Lions knock off the top-seeded Crusaders 20-18.

Rushing for 203 yards as a team against Lutheran North, Cardinal Ritter was led by Parker’s 74 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Junior Mike Tilman started the scoring for the Lions with a 97-yard kickoff return at the 8:51 mark of the first quarter.

Senior running back Artrell Miller scored on the ensuing two-point conversion for Cardinal Ritter.

Complete season stats on the Lions were not available at press time.

Playing a pair of teams from Illinois open their season, Cardinal Ritter split those contests defeating Cahokia 30-28 before falling to Joliet Catholic 30-20.

Moving back into the Show-Me State, the Lions posted a 50-0 shutout of St. Francis Borgia to open play in the Archdiocesan Athletic Association (AAA).

Dropping a 28-20 decision to Lincoln College Prep, Cardinal Ritter then defeated fellow AAA foe St. Dominic 42-21.

Ending the regular season with four loss, the Lions lost twice to Jackson by scores of 42-8 and 28-8 to go with losses to St. Mary’s (St. Louis) 42-0 and Bowling Green 24-20.

Lincoln College Prep, Jackson and Bowling Green all won their respective district titles to go into quarterfinal action this weekend with identical 11-0 records.

Coming off a four-touchdown night helping the Dutchmen to their first district championship in five years, senior running back Austin Lowder ran for 180 yards pushing him over the 1,000-yard mark for his senior season.

He enters Saturday’s showdown against the Lions with 1,063 yards rushing on 156 carries and 21 touchdowns.

Through the air, senior quarterback Brendan Decker leads the Dutchmen air attack with 2,177 yards passing completing 121 of his 203 pass attempts for a 59.6 percent complete percentage.

Decker has also thrown 28 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions.

Decker’s favorite target at wide receiver is fellow senior Derek Brandt who is also knocking on the door of the 1,000-yard mark.

He enters Saturday action with 955 yards receiving on 51 catches to go with 13 touchdowns.