Fall sports came to an end over the weekend for Owensville’s Dutchmen and Hermann’s Bearcats with losses in their respective district semifinal football games.

Cross Country and volleyball also ended their respective seasons over the weekend with state competition in Columbia and Cape Girardeau respectively.

To say the least, it was a successful fall for both schools in Gasconade County.

Going for their state record 16th Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 2 State Volleyball Championship, Hilary Hays’ Hermann Lady Bearcats began their weekend at Cape Girardeau’s Show-Me Center taking on Bishop LeBlond’s Lady Eagles. Down two sets to one, Hays’ Lady Bearcats won the next two sets to advance to Saturday’s state championship match against another Lady Eagle volleyball squad from Fair Grove.

Nearly able to overcome a lengthy delay due to a fire alarm going off, Hermann’s quest for a sweet 16th state championship came up just short with a loss in five sets to Fair Grove.

Over in Columbia, harriers from Owensville and Hermann were hunting for medals and trophies during the MSHSAA Cross Country Championships held at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course.

Classes 1 and 2 were first on the course Friday morning in mid-Missouri.

Both the Bearcats and Lady Bearcats had one harrier earn All-State honors in their respective Class 2 races in Columbia.

Lady Bearcat senior Amelia Uthlaut closed her Hermann High School (HHS) Cross Country with a ninth-place finish in the Class 2 girls race while sophomore Bearcat Nolan Kopp nearly matched Uthlaut by placing 10th in the Class 2 boys race.

Uthlaut also helped her Lady Bearcat teammates leave Gans Creek with the third-place team trophy in Class 2 finishing behind Lafayette County and Woodland.

Teammates celebrating Hermann’s third-place team finish along with the elder Uthlaut included Cecilia Shepard, Alaina Heaney, Jocelyn Neill, Elaina Uthlaut and Lillian Vogelsang.

Losing only Amelia Uthlaut to graduation, Josh Morris’ Lady Bearcat harriers have the experience to make another run at state cross country hardware next fall in Columbia.

Qualifying three individuals to Columbia, Matt Candrl’s Owensville Dutchmen and Dutchgirls nearly saw that many medals leave Gans Creek.

Starting day two of racing Saturday was the Class 3 Boys.

Freshman Zach Holtmeyer made Owensville High School Cross Country history by becoming the first freshman boy to earn All-State honors following his 29th-place finish in the Class 3 Boys race.

Senior Dutchmen teammate Felix Guerrero ended his OHS Cross Country career placing 44th finishing just over 21 seconds outside of the top 30.

Already halfway to becoming a four-time All-State harrier, Dutchgirl junior Ilene Limberg stayed in the top 10 of the Class 3 girls race before earning her third state medal with a 13th-place finish.

Next fall, Limberg will look to join former Dutchgirl harrier Sophia Ashner as the only four-time All-State athletes in OHS Dutchgirl Cross Country history.

As the book is closed on fall sports, basketball fans can look forward to jamborees next week before the regular season tips off the weekend before Thanksgiving.