Ramstein running back Kydan Echard shrugs off Kaiserslautern defender Braden Carson during a Sept. 13, 2024, game at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – The Ramstein Royals stress being the hammer and not the nail on the football field.

No player epitomizes that philosophy more than Kydan Echard.

He showcased it during the Royals’ 52-13 victory over crosstown rival Kaiserslautern on Friday evening at Ramstein High School. The senior tailback powered his way to 306 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries, bouncing off Raiders (1-1) left and right as he generally ran up the middle.

The play that best encapsulated his night was the second to last before the mercy rule kicked in with 9 minutes remaining in the game.

Echard took the ball off tackle and after a decent gain of 12 or so yards looked stopped. Yet the European wrestling champion in the 150-pound weight class kept churning and eventually shrugged off a pair of tacklers. The Monona, Iowa, native traveled a total of 34 yards before going down at the Kaiserslautern 1-yard line.

The Royal tailback pounded the ball into the end zone on the next play to finish the game.

“They’re afraid to hit me,” said Echard, whose performance Friday followed a 252-yard total in the opening win against Stuttgart. “I’m just going to hit them over and over again.

“I don’t stop until the whistle is blown, until I’m down.”

Echard admitted Friday’s performance was motivated by last year’s loss to Kaiserslautern on the final play.

He said the Royals (2-0) wanted to make sure the Raiders couldn’t rally this time.

Ramstein never trailed and scored the first 24 points before Kaiserslautern got on the board with a 36-yard jump ball from quarterback Rueben Todman to Andy Etchell at the goal line as time expired in the first half.

“We had vengeance after what happened last year,” Echard said. “We wanted to have no room for a comeback surprise.”

Kaiserslautern quarterback Rueben Todman throws a pass to receiver Andy Etchell during a Sept. 13, 2024, game against Ramstein at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein running back Nathan Rutlege tries to shed the tackles of Kaiserslautern defenders John Westad, behind Rutlege and River Foulks, right, during a Sept. 13, 2024, game at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein's Shaun Young runs with the ball while Kaiserslautern defender Sevastion Quiles chases during a Sept. 13, 2024, game at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein defender Javier Harrington brings down Kaiserslautern quarterback Rueben Todman during a Sept. 13, 2024, game at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein dominated in every facet.

The Royals outgained the Raiders 489-290 in yards. The Ramstein passing attack was no slouch, with quarterback Michael Gonzales going 10 of 16 through the air for 164 yards and a 14-yard touchdown to a wide-open Pierson Lee (two catches, 21 yards) in the back corner of the end zone to open the scoring.

Senior Christian Roy totaled 89 yards on four receptions, while junior Shawn Young chipped in with 54 yards on four grabs.

To go along with Echard’s scores of 15, 10, 17 and 1 yards – three of which came in the second half – fellow senior Nathan Rutlege provided two hammer blows of his own with touchdowns of 9 and 3 yards.

Ramstein coach Carter Hollenbeck credited the guys in the trenches for their offseason work as a major reason for the team’s offensive success, with the Royals averaging 545.5 yards per game.

“Our offensive line, they are so much stronger, and they’re working well together,” Hollenbeck said. “It’s a good group.”

Not to be outdone, the Ramstein defense stymied the Kaiserslautern offense.

The Royals chased Todman all over the field and forced the senior signal caller to scramble to extend plays. Junior Javier Harrington produced a sack, and senior defensive back Caden Nims picked off Todman near the 40-yard line to set up Ramstein’s final score.

Todman still had a few moments of magic such as the touchdown pass to Etchell and another to receiver Jakob Bell (four receptions for 95 yards) of 25 yards at the 2:23 mark in the third quarter.

The senior managed to go 13-of-24 passing for 232 yards and added another 35 yards on the ground.

“This entire week we’ve been focusing on Rueben because he’s an amazing quarterback, he’s a dual-threat outside,” Echard said. “Our entire defense was able to come together and make a stop when it mattered.”

Kaiserslautern coach Duke Allen admitted it was a rough day at the office, but while the Raiders must improve in every phase of the game, they have plenty of time before the postseason to do so.

“It’s an opportunity to learn and get better,” Allen said of the loss. “We’re looking to get better for the playoffs.”