Ramstein running back Kydan Echard goes airborne after being tripped up by Stuttgart defender Sammy Johnson during the Division I DODEA European championship game on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Rhett Dalling called his shot when his team needed it the most.

Ramstein had a one-point advantage over Stuttgart at halftime of Friday evening’s DODEA European Division I championship game at Ramstein High School, and the host was receiving the ball out of the break.

Dalling told his teammates he was going to take the kick to the house. And when he fielded the ball at the 11-yard line, the sophomore from Argyle, Texas, saw the wedge up the middle about which special teams coordinator Matt Martinez told him.

After cutting to the right, Dalling scampered 89 yards untouched for a score, starting a dominant second-half performance en route to a 40-20 victory.

The win gave Ramstein its first European crown since 2018.

“I was feeling like I needed to turn the tide,” Dalling said. “It ended up happening, which was great.”

Special teams proved to be the difference for the Royals (7-0).

Ramstein scored two touchdowns on returns. Senior Kydan Echard picked up a bouncing ball from a botched punt and found pay dirt after 24 yards.

“A lot of people overlook special teams,” Ramstein coach Carter Hollenbeck said. “(As shown) tonight, special teams wins championships.”

Echard’s score especially was a backbreaker for the Panthers (4-4). They had forced a punt on Ramstein’s previous possession, but the Royals had pinned Stuttgart inside its 10-yard line.

The Panthers were forced to punt inside their own end zone after a three-and-out under heavy pressure, and the ball didn’t travel far. Echard noticed no Panther was near the ball and decided to take advantage.

“Normally, we’re taught if it’s poison, go away, avoid it,” Echard said. “I saw a wide-open gap. There were no players around it, so I grabbed, brought it to the house, had a couple blocks from my teammates.”

From that point, it was all Ramstein.

Ramstein quarterback Michael Gonzales throws a pass into the flat during the Division I DODEA European championship game against Stuttgart on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart quarterback Kai Lewis throws a pass to receiver Kenneth Lee, center, during the Division I DODEA European championship game against Ramstein on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein defensive back Cage West breaks up a pass to Stuttgart receiver Luke Heumphreus during the Division I DODEA European championship game on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein running back Kydan Echard stiff-arms Stuttgart senior Zach Poe during the Division I DODEA European championship game on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein defender Leon Pierre-Louis tackles Stuttgart receiver Joseph Vernetti during the Division I DODEA European championship game on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart quarterback Kai Lewis tries to escape Ramstein junior Javier Harrington during the Division I DODEA European championship game on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein defender Elijah Morris dives after Stuttgart junior Sammy Johnson during the Division I DODEA European championship game on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

The Royals added two more scores in a 12-yard run by Echard – his second of the night after a 5-yard touchdown at the 7:48 mark in the first quarter – with 35 seconds left in the third and an 11-yard throw from quarterback Michael Gonzales to senior Caden Nims with 2:30 left in the game.

Echard started getting more yards on plays in the second half, producing runs of 20 and 19 yards to go along with more common 5- to 9-yarders. The senior amassed 218 yards on 32 carries.

Echard also added an interception on a screen pass on Stuttgart’s opening drive.

“The team is typically a second-half team,” said Echard, who was named the game’s MVP. “We were able to put stuff together. The coaches were able to work their magic like they do every single game, and we were able to execute every single play to the precise level that we needed to in order to score touchdowns.”

While the final score was lopsided, the Panthers pushed the Royals early.

Stuttgart scored on back-to-back possessions early in the second quarter to take a 13-7 lead. First, quarterback Kai Lewis threw a jump ball to junior Luke Heumphreus in the end zone. He managed to secure the ball before Ramstein defensive back Conner Scott tried to wrestle it away.

Then junior running back Sammy Johnson broke a few tackles to complete a 15-yard touchdown.

But the offense struggled outside of that until the very end, when Lewis scored on a quarterback sneak with 42 seconds left in the game.

“We kind of had Ramstein on the ropes a little bit, but they went back to the drawing board and just kept grinding it out with 45 (Echard),” Stuttgart coach Antoine Reed said.

“We’ll be back next year and mix it up again.”

Friday’s win ended the Panthers’ four-year reign atop Division I football.

For Hollenbeck, it was a long return to the top.

“We got hit with COVID; that kind of wiped us out for a while,” Hollenbeck said. “We’ve been inching back every year. … This is a great win.”