New coaches in four different sports and rising fuel costs are playing roles in changes to the 2008-09 OHS sports schedules compared to schedules last season.

Dutchmen football will kick things off on Friday, August 22, with a return trip to their jamboree scrimmages at Rolla High School. Due to a new two-year cycle for football districts, Owensville’s schedule will see a few changes.

St. Francis Borgia will now face the Dutchmen in week three instead of week 10 as the Knights were moved from Class 3, District 7, to Class 3, District 6. Salem’s Tigers will return to the district after a two-year absence and face OHS at Dutchmen Field in week eight. Owensville’s other opponents remained unchanged.

Chances at making the postseason will double for the next four years as the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) is testing a new playoff system. Previously, only the district champion qualified for the playoffs. For the next four years, the district champion and runner-up will both qualify for the postseason.

Dutchgirl volleyball saw one team and a tournament disappear from their schedule for 2008.

Owensville added Blair Oaks’ Lady Falcons and Salem’s Lady Tigers to their 2008 schedule while Columbia Rock Bridge was dropped. Also dropped was the OHS Varsity Volleyball Tournament.

“We were seeing the same conference teams every year at our tournament,” OHS Athletic Director Josh Hoener said. “We’d heard about Camdenton and jumped in that tournament to give us a chance to see some different teams during the upcoming season.”

Karen Willimann’s Dutchgirl softball squad will see a few changes to their schedule. Steelville’s Cardinals will visit Lion’s Field for their season opener instead of towards the end of the season. Blair Oaks was also added to their schedule and will host the Dutchgirls on Monday, Sept. 8., in Wardsville.

Other fall schedules that remain unchanged include OHS Cross Country and OMS Girls Basketball.
With new coaches on both high school basketball teams, also come new teams and tournaments added to their respective schedules.

Now being coached by former Logan-Rogersville and Sullivan assistant Josh Vinyard, the Dutchmen will have three new opponents and one new tournament for the 2008-09 season.

New teams on the schedule include Blair Oaks’ Falcons, Newburg’s Wolves and Rolla’s Bulldogs. Washington will also be their third tournament home as the Dutchmen will not be going back to the Lindbergh Tournament this upcoming season. OHS will also not be returning to the Holt (Wentzville) Shootout after it was cancelled due to weather last season. Also dropped from the Dutchmen basketball docket were Eureka’s Wildcats.

For Dwayne Clingman’s Dutchgirls, their lone schedule change involves one tournament. Due to lack of money and teams, the St. Clair girls tournament folded and OHS will be playing in the Rolla Tournament during the first full week of January.

Games against Newburg and Belle normally played before Christmas will be played in the final month of the season during 2008-09.

Currently, there are full schedules for OMS boy’s basketball and 9th grade boy’s and girl’s basketball.

“Depending on numbers and fuel costs, there are possibilities for changes down the road,” Hoener said. “It’s too early right now to say for sure.”

Rod Barndollar’s wrestlers gained a tournament and lost a tournament for the 2008-09 season. Due to Camdenton and John Burroughs scheduling their tournaments on the same weekend, OHS stayed with Camdenton and got into a tournament at Brookfield to replace John Burroughs.

As of press time, Iberia and Lebanon have been dropped from Casey Fisher’s Dutchmen baseball schedule in another effort to save miles and fuel costs.

“We had to drop Iberia and Lebanon based on distance and that will save us some on fuel,” Hoener said. “Potosi is still up in the air as we’re waiting on a suitable date to play.”
Schedules for OHS Track, OMS Track, OHS Golf and OMS Volleyball also remain unchanged at this time.