The defenses picked up where they left off in November’s European Division I championship game as visiting Ramstein claimed a 7-2 victory over defending champion Heidelberg in high school football on Saturday.

The Lions won last year’s title game 9-6, and both defenses were more than equal to bettering that effort in the teams’ opener.

Ramstein’s defenders made Williams Canfield’s 3-yard, first-quarter run stand up. Heidelberg’s only score came in the second quarter when pressure from Tyrell Geter forced the Ramstein punter to fumble the ball out of his end zone.

Ramstein senior Michael Wallace, starting at quarterback for the first time in his career, set up Canfield’s TD burst with a 30-yard run to the Lions’ 3. It was a gain which the Heidelberg offense could only envy — the Lions gained just 109 yards rushing in 35 attempts. Thomas Hogue was Heidelberg’s leading rusher with 55 yards on 20 carries.

Heidelberg wasn’t any better against the Ramstein pass defense as quarterback Jimmy Montfleury completed just four of 13 passes for 31 yards.

Heidelberg intercepted a pass off Wallace and sacked him twice.

In other games involving Division I teams on opening day:

Kaiserslautern 36, Patch 8: At Kaiserslautern, quarterback Josh Fry ran for two touchdowns and passed for two as the Red Raiders ruined the debut of Patch coach Brian Hill.

Jamil McGinnis pulled in a 13-yard TD pass from Fry, who also connected on a 43-yarder to Mike Dorelin. McGinnis also ran 15 yards for a touchdown.

Dallin Bridges ran for 121 yards for the Red Raiders, who rushed for 199 yards and passed for 179. Dorelin added 76 rushing yards and Fry 68.

Julius Johnson-Rich led Patch with 94 yards rushing. Kenny Hall, whose 2-yard second quarter plunge produced Patch’s lone TD of the day, added 52.

Tyler Anderson led K-town with 11 tackles.

Vilseck 28, Lundquart Broncos 7: At Vilseck, All-Europe quarterback Tyler Hall connected with All-Europe receiver Jamal Grant for touchdown passes of 31 and 9 yards in an exhibition victory over a Swiss club team.

Tyler Hall and Angelo Anderson accounted for Vilseck’s other TDs, on runs of 3 and 12 yards, respectively. Vilseck rushed for 134 yards in 25 attempts and completed seven of eight passes for 103 yards.

Cornerback Rayshaun Clark registered the defensive play of the game when he returned an interception 71 yards. Unfortunately, the goal line was 72 yards away from where he picked off the pass, and a Swiss defender was able to punch the ball loose on the 1. The ball rolled through the end zone for a touchback.

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