(Stars and Stripes)

The Vilseck Falcons failed for three years to get past the Stuttgart Panthers, falling in the championship game each time.

On Friday afternoon, they finally got over the hurdle against Stuttgart. The Falcons defeated the Panther 39-20 at Vilseck High School in both teams’ regular-season finales.

The win was also the first of 2024 for Vilseck (1-4).

The Falcon rushing attack led the way. Chase Maverick amassed 147 yards and two scores on 24 carries, while Xavier Wilson contributed 86 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Quarterback Keryel Badillo went 4-of-9 passing for 60 yards and only had 4 yards on three rushing attempts, but two of those carries found pay dirt.

Defensively, Colton Faulkenberry and Abiud Rivera were immense. Faulkenberry had seven tackles and a sack, while Rivera produced two sacks, five tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

To go along with his offensive success, Maverick made seven tackles and recovered a fumble.

Sam Broyles and Courtland Carroll picked off passes, while Wyatt Smith added a sack for the Falcons.

Both teams will a week off before starting the first round of the playoffs with a rematch. Stuttgart (2-3) will host Vilseck on Oct. 18.

Ramstein 42, Wiesbaden 13: The Royals exploded in the second half with 28 points to pull away from the Warriors on Friday evening.

Leading 14-10 at the break, Ramstein (5-0) made some adjustments on the offensive line, and it made the difference.

Michael Gonzales went 16 of 20 for 236 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions through the air. His favorite target on the night was Caden Nims, who totaled 124 yards and two scores on five grabs.

Receiver Christian Roy chipped in with 87 yards and a score on five receptions, while Pierson Lee added 15 yards and a score on two catches.

On the ground, Kydan Echard ran roughshod yet again with a 138-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Warriors (1-4). He did so on 13 rushes.

Defensively, Javier Harrington continued to be a menace against DODEA-Europe competition. The lineman made nine tackles, four for a loss, and one sack.

Echard had five tackles, two for a loss, and recovered two fumbles. Nims played a role in all three phases of the game with an interception defensively and a blocked punt.

The Warriors return to action in the first round on Oct. 18 against Lakenheath at home, while the Royals have the top seed and won’t play against until the semifinals on Oct. 25.

Division II

Naples 52, Rota 7: Saturday at Naples, the Wildcats clinched the rights to host the divisional title game by routing the Admirals for the second time this season.

Camden Kasparek threw for 230 yards and four touchdown passes for Naples, which took a 36-0 lead by halftime. Rota’s Jonathan King had a 60-yard touchdown run in the third quarter – part of a 120-yard effort – but Rota couldn’t score again.

Gab-riel Doran, Diondre Tilo and Julian Parker caught scoring passes from Kasparek and Kenny Pirches connected with Matt Butler on another. Michael Daniels and Leishieh Morgan ran the ball in for scores.

Naples’ defense was credited with two safeties, recovered one fumble and picked off two passes. Terry Herbert, Pirches and Tilo each had seven tackles for the Wildcats. Trevor Shannon had six tackles – half of them for loss – for the Admirals.

Division II/III

SHAPE 20, Spangdahlem 0: The Spartans stood strong defensively in their first homecoming game in four years to defeat the Sentinels on Saturday afternoon.

Twice Spangdahlem (2-1) got inside the red zone, but SHAPE (2-1) came away with interceptions both times. Sophomores Michael McGlothlin and Will Smith picked off quarterback Messiah Smith, who missed most of the fourth quarter with an injury.

Keller Schutt paced the Spartans in the victory. The senior signal caller went 6-of-16 passing for 168 yards and two scores, and he added another 113 yards and a touchdown on 12 rushes.

McGlothlin and Schutt proved to be a potent duo on the ground and through the air. McGlothlin contributed 111 yards on 16 attempts and caught a 48-yard score.

Sophomore Floyd Garcia had a 62-yard reception, and Smith had two grabs for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Along with an interception, McGlothlin had seven tackles and forced a fumble that was recovered by senior Christian Pernetti. Schutt and Smith each had 4.5 tackles and a pick.

SHAPE’s regular season is over after Ansbach canceled the remainder of its season due to injuries. Spangdahlem, meanwhile, hosts AFNORTH in its regular-season finale on Oct. 18.