With the 2020 Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Cross Country Championships in the book, the book has now closed on fall sports for the 2020-21 school year in the Gasconade County R-2 School District.

In fitting fashion, Mekayla Gibson closed her senior year and Owensville High School cross country career earning All-State honors with an 8th place finish in the Class 3 Girls race Thursday at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia.

Dutchmen harriers Cameron O’Neal and Harm Rademacher joined Gibson as state qualifiers from Owensville Cross Country.

Prior to that, Jamie Ridenhour’s Owensville Dutchgirl volleyball team went on a history-making run that will be talked about for years to come.

Seeded second in the MSHSAA Class 3, District 3 Volleyball Tournament at OHS the last week of October, Owensville looked to add to their banner hanging in the rafters of the gym.

Defeating St. James in four sets in the district semifinals, Owensville advanced to the district championship match against Sullivan who upset top-seeded St. Clair in five sets during the other district semifinal match.

Using the home court advantage to the fullest, Ridenhour’s Dutchgirls captured their first district championship since the fall of 1979 sweeping Sullivan in three sets by identical scores of 25-22 in each set.

Also amongst the success of the team, Ridenhour also saw five of her players earn postseason nods at the Four Rivers Conference (FRC) and/or district levels.

Also that week, Nathan Cabot’s Owensville Dutchmen opened MSHSAA Class 3, District 2 football tournament action against Cardinal Ritter’s Lions.

Outplayed by a better Lion football squad, Owensville saw their season end at 7-3.

They were fortunate to be able to play 10 games this fall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Only one hiccup ensued during the football season during week eight when the Dutchmen weren’t able to play Sullivan due to the Eagles not being able to field a team via the pandemic.

However, Owensville quickly picked up a new week eight opponent in Lutheran South’s Lancers.

On the softball field, Hannah Koppelmann’s Owensville Dutchgirls improved on their win total from the fall of 2019.

Finishing 14-13 a year ago, OHS ended the 2020 campaign with an overall record of 17-13.