Baumholder's Solo Turgeon is brought down by Bitburg's Trevor Getty during a football game in Baumholder, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015. The visiting Bitburg Barons defeated the Baumholder Bucs 46-0. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Baumholder's Solo Turgeon is brought down by Bitburg's Trevor Getty during a football game in Baumholder, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015. The visiting Bitburg Barons defeated the Baumholder Bucs 46-0. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Baumholder Bucs Trey Kendrick passes the ball during a home game in Baumholder, Germany, Sept. 25, 2015. The Bucs lost the game 46-0 to the visiting Bitburg Barons. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Baumholder's Solo Turgeon breaks through a tackle against Bitburg's defense in Baumholder, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015. Baumholder lost the game 46-0. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stri)
Bitburg's DeJhon Williams runs the ball during a football game in Baumholder, Germany, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015. The visiting Bitburg Barons defeated the Baumholder Bucs 46-0. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Bitburg's John Blake tries to break a tackle by Baumholder's Anthony Amos in Baumholder, Germany, Sept. 25, 2015. Blake went on to score a touchdown in the next play, and his own two-point conversion. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
BAUMHOLDER, Germany -- The longest losing streak in DODDS-Europe football reached nine games Friday as the long-suffering Baumholder Bucs took a 46-0 loss to the visiting Bitburg Barons. Bitburg unleashed enough carnage in one 12-minute span to claim the mercy-rule victory well before halftime.
It started with four and a half minutes to play in the first quarter when John Blake rumbled into the end zone on a 15-yard touchdown run and tacked on his own two-point conversion. A Bitburg safety and another Blake touchdown run pushed the advantage to 16-0 through one quarter.
The Barons really found their stride in the second, forcing a string of turnovers and converting them into points almost immediately.
Matthew Holmes, Eli Canaan and Ernie Carrasco notched rushing touchdowns to push the lead above the mercy-rule threshold at 40-0 with four and a half minutes to play in the second quarter. Noah Anastassopoulos scooped up a fumble and returned it 16 yards for one last first-half score and a 46-0 lead at intermission.
The game decided, Bitburg and Baumholder played mostly in the midfield in the second half as the Barons dipped deep into their bench and the Bucs searched for positives upon which to build.
Baumholder coach B.J. Walker was pleased with his young team's effort after halftime, when the young Bucs matched up against Baron reserves more comparable in terms of size and experience.
With only five seniors and a backfield comprised entirely of freshmen and sophomores, every snap on either side of the ball is a chance to learn something new.
"They've got to learn to trust their blockers and hit the hole hard," said Walker, vowing to "keep it positive" despite an 0-2 start. "They've got to learn to tackle.
"Back to work on Monday."
The Barons, meanwhile, encountered a very different problem. The score was so lopsided so early that Bitburg benched its starters in the interest of sportsmanship. But in a five-game regular season, coach Mike Laue would like to see his primary players get as many live-game reps as possible as the Barons prepare for more formidable future opponents.
"That's where we really end up in a bind," Laue said. "We've got a lot of little things to clean up yet and put together."
The Barons can lock in a winning season with a win in their regional opener Oct. 3 against SHAPE.
The Bucs play another Friday night home game Oct. 2 versus AFNORTH/Brussels, when they'll celebrate homecoming against the newly combined Benelux squad.
Twitter: @broomestripes
