Europe
Royals back in championship game after routing Lancers
Stars and Stripes
October 29, 2016
Ramstein's Jaylen Bussey, left, and Dawson Miskin lunge for a fumble at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Ramstein won the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal game against Lakenheath 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Jaylen Bussey, left, and Dawson Miskin lunge for a fumble at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Ramstein won the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal game against Lakenheath 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Andrew Short gets taken down by Lakenheath's Peyton Wilson during the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Ramstein won the game 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Marcus Smith, left, tries to get through Ramstein's defense at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Lakenheath lost the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal game against Ramstein 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Christopher Cruz catches a pass over Ramstein's Jaylen Bussey during the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Lakenheath lost the game 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Tyler England throws a pass at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Lakenheath lost the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal game against Ramstein 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Christopher Cruz, right, tries to catch a pass over Ramstein's Ryan Morgan during the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Lakenheath lost the game 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Trevor Miller throws a pass over Lakenheath defenders at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Ramstein won the game 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Sidney Boggs, right, runs past Lakenheath's Jacob Shankles during the DODEA-Europe Division I semifinal at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. Ramstein won the game 58-15. (Michael B. Keller/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN, Germany -- Guess who’s back.
The Ramstein Royals returned to the DODEA-Europe Division I championship game Saturday with a 58-15 semifinal rout of the visiting Lakenheath Lancers. The title-game appearance will be Ramstein’s fifth in the last six seasons; the Royals missed out last year thanks to a dramatic semifinal loss to eventual champion Stuttgart.
This year’s game was the polar opposite of that 2015 upset.
The Royals were dominant from the beginning, scoring for the first time just two minutes into the game and posting 20 unanswered points in the first quarter. Lakenheath rallied for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, limiting Ramstein’s lead to 22 at halftime. But three third-quarter Ramstein scores spelled the end for the Lancers.
Royals quarterback Trevor Miller completed seven passes for 163 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Receiver Naser Eaves caught five balls for 128 yards and three touchdowns.
Lancers quarterback Tyler England totaled 156 passing yards. Running back Marcus Smith paced Lakenheath with 75 rushing yards and a touchdown and added seven tackles, tying for the game’s high tackling effort with Ramstein’s Andy Short.
Ramstein will face Wiesbaden for the Division I crown Nov. 5 at Kaiserslautern. The teams played in the title game in 2013 and 2014, with Wiesbaden winning the earlier game and Ramstein winning in 2014.