KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Turnovers turned out to be the most prominent guest at Kaiserslautern’s 50th anniversary homecoming game Friday night.
The Red Raiders lost five fumbles and threw five interceptions in a 32-18 loss to Ramstein in Division I high school football.
Ramstein junior Brennan Relaford intercepted three Danny Morris passes, and Brian Greeley returned an interception 22 yards for Ramstein’s final touchdown, which came with 5:04 to play in the third quarter.
Kevin Moryc made the final Ramstein interception in the fourth quarter.
Greeley’s score came when he anticipated a throwback route the Red Raiders had exploited several time earlier in the contest.
“They had trips-right,” Greeley said, “so I shifted over. He threw it right to me.”
The play gave Ramstein (3-2 overall, 2-2 in Division I) a 32-12 cushion and put away a Kaiserslautern team that would have given much to replay the first and third quarters.
Kaiserlautern’s first three possessions ended in turnovers. Relaford intercepted passes on Kaiserslautern’s first and fourth plays from scrimmage, and the Red Raiders fumbled on first down the next time they had the ball. In the third quarter, after closing to 13-12 at halftime, the Red Raiders fumbled away three straight possessions and went three-and-out on the fourth as they fell to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in league play.
Using a spirited running game, which amassed 324 yards, Ramstein converted four of the turnovers into scores. Jeremy McGaughey, who rushed for 135 yards before leaving with an injury early in the fourth quarter, scored the first TD on a 2-yard run. He added a bruising 48-yard TD run in the third quarter.
Rome Wynder ran three yards for Ramstein’s second TD on the first play of the second quarter to covert a fumble recovery.
“The line did their job, and our backs had a great game,” said Ramstein quarterback Matt Irwin, a senior transfer from Yokota, Japan.
“They really gave it their all.”
Kaiserslautern, held to 151 yards rushing and 65 yards passing, got close at halftime by covering 71 yards in nine plays following a Ramstein kickoff, and returning a Ramstein fumble 45 yards for its second TD less than a minute later.
Julian Smalls, who caught three passes for 41 yards, caught a 29-yard TD pass for the first score, and Corey Payton, who rushed for 113 yards on 12 carries and intercepted a pass, scooped up a Ramstein fumble for the second.
Kaiserslautern closed the scoring with an 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter after Ramstein missed a 30-yard field goal try.
Ramstein hosts Heidelberg on Saturday in its regular season finale. Kaiserslautern will host Wiesbaden.
Saturday
Lakenheath 14, Wiesbaden 6
Nick Dybdahl ran 3 yards for a fourth-quarter TD to clinch the victory for Lakenheath.
Lakenheath (3-2, 3-1) took the lead in the second quarter when Isaac Kittle, who carried the ball 18 times for 120 yards, scored on a five-yard run. Mike Preston’s PAT kick put the Lancers up 7-6 at halftime.
Paul Fry ran 15 yards in the first quarter for Wiesbaden’s score. He carried only four more times for 11 yards in the game.
The Lakenheath defense, led by two interceptions and two fumble recoveries by Dybdahl and the tackling of Jesse Smith and James Judge, held Wiesbaden star Edmond Woods, who had been averaging nearly 200 yards per game, to 100 yards rushing on 21 attempts.
Wiesbaden (3-2, 2-2) travels to Kaiserslautern on Saturday, while Lakenheath plays at Würzburg.
Heidelberg 37, Würzburg 14
Lewis Allen rushed 39 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions improved to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the league.
Allen’s third TD began a 21-point Heidelberg fourth quarter that broke open a 16-14 game. Corey Putnam added a 55-yard interception return TD and D.J. Johnson ran 9 yards for the final score.
Würzburg’s James Jordan, wearing the same No. 22 as Allen, almost matched his counterpart’s output. Jordan carried 24 times for 203 yards and scored both TDs for Würzburg (1-4, 1-3).
