One change that will be most noticeable to Dutchmen fans will be that St. Francis Borgia was relocated to another district. Salem came over from District 9 to take Borgia’s place in the district after a four-year absence. Sullivan and St. James will round out the district with Salem and Owensville. Borgia is now in District 6 with Bowling Green, Lutheran (St. Peters) and Winfield.

Potosi’s Trojans, Owensville’s week one opponent, are in Class 3, District 2 with Central (Park Hills), Fredericktown and Ste. Genevieve.

Class 2 football will see two area teams in different districts during the 2008 and 2009 campaigns. Hermann will move from District 4 to District 5. In their new district, Hermann will see Centralia, Montgomery County and Wright City.

Blair Oaks, Owensville’s week two opponent, will stay in District 6 and will join Hallsville, South Callaway and Southern Boone County in the district.

Cuba’s Wildcats will move from a St. Louis area district and into a district of teams from South-Central Missouri. Joining Cuba in District 9 will be Houston, Liberty and Willow Springs.

Three-fourths of last year’s Class 3 final four were bumped up to Class 4 by MSHSAA. Those three teams include Grain Valley and state finalists Harrisonville and Mary Institute-Country Day School (MICDS).

Class 4, District 9 remains unchanged as St. Clair, Union, Pacific and Hillsboro will stay put.

Union fans will be relieved to know that Ozark and Nixa, the two teams that have ended their season over the last two years, were bumped up to Class 5.

Also in Class 5, Washington’s Blue Jays were moved out of their district with Camdenton, Waynesville and Rolla and moved into a district with fellow Gateway Athletic Conference schools Fort Zumwalt South, Holt (Wentzville) and Timberland (Wentzville).

Dutchmen football has also released their 2008 schedule which will begin a week earlier due to the new playoff system that will take effect this season. Instead of one team from each district qualifying for the postseason, two teams from each district will make the playoffs.

Owensville will continue to play in the Rolla Jamboree before they travel to Potosi to take on the Trojans for their season opener.

After that OHS will enjoy a two-week homestand as Class 2 runner-up Blair Oaks and Class 3 semifinalist Borgia will visit Dutchmen Field in weeks two and three.

Week four will mean the opening of Four Rivers Conference football as the Dutchmen will travel to the dog pound to take on St. Clair.

OHS will return home for week five as Hermann’s Bearcats will visit Dutchmen Field to try and spoil Homecoming festivities and take back the Gasconade County Bowl trophy at the same time.

Dutchmen football will have two-week road swing with trips to the reservation and to E.A. Stierberger Stadium to face Pacific’s Indians and Union’s Wildcats in weeks six and seven.

Week eight will signal the start of district play as Salem’s Tigers will visit Dutchmen Field for the district opener for both teams.

Dutchmen football seniors will be honored before their week nine showdown with St. James’ Tigers at Dutchmen Field.

Owensville will conclude their regular season with a trip to Sullivan High School and their turf field. That game will be played on Thursday, Oct. 30.

Before you know it, the time will come to clear Friday nights from your calendars for OHS football.