With the victory, Kaiserslautern matched the win total it produced in 2017 and improved to 1-1 in the race for a Division I semifinal spot.

The senior has stepped in seamlessly under center for the Ramstein varsity after an extended apprenticeship on the school’s JV team.

A loss to Ramstein put the Panthers in a 0-1 hole in the short five-week playoff race, evoking some unpleasant recent history for the program; Stuttgart missed the postseason the year after winning its breakthrough 2015 title.

The game was all but lost. The host Kaiserslautern Raiders had just scored another touchdown, this one building their lead to 31-9 minutes before halftime. As the Lakenheath Lancers received the ensuing kickoff, coach Gabe Feletar was looking for answers in the paper he held that showed his team’s so-far ineffective offensive plays.

Vilseck senior Cecelia Jackson recorded 13 digs, 10 kills and five service aces in the Falcons' 25-15, 25-17, 21-25, 27-25 defeat of Black Forest Academy on Saturday.

The rematch of last year’s Division I championship game turned into a romp for the host Ramstein Royals, who routed the Panthers 41-19 to earn a measure of revenge for Stuttgart’s 2017 title win.

Division I Vilseck won the first two sets fairly easily in a 25-15, 25-17, 21-25, 27-25 victory. But Division II Black Forest Academy, which also sports the Falcons as mascots, rallied in the third.

Kaiserslautern scored 24 second-quarter points and enjoyed a 31-9 lead late in the second quarter.

Mark Peltier carried nine times for 89 yards and three touchdowns for the Warriors, while Josh Blake collected 112 yards and a touchdown on 12 rushes.

The visiting Saints scored 14 points in each of the first and fourth quarters to bookend their comprehensive win.

Matthew Owen produced one of the most impressive quarterback performances of the season for SHAPE, completing 19 passes on 31 attempts for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

Ramstein outlasts Vicenza and Naples takes down Kaiserslautern in first day of D-I battles between schools north and south of Alps.

After a year with no team, Cougars debut with victory propelled by five-touchdown effort from Ogden Andrew.

After blowout loss to Rota on opening week, Cougars hand Wildcats first loss.

Thursday’s major season-opening meet at Ramstein set the stage for what figures to be a fiercely competitive season, for both the individual and team championship races.

Volleyball preview

A set of major Division I matchups highlight this weekend’s season-opening slate of 2018 DODEA-Europe girls volleyball.

D-I football preview

If last weekend’s three non-conference openers were any indication, the 2018 DODEA-Europe Division I football season has the makings of a classic campaign.

D-III football preview

Small schools are dealing with some big changes on the DODEA-Europe gridiron this fall.

Cross country preview

DODEA-Europe’s large-school cross country programs will throw healthy numbers of runners into competition this fall, hoping to claim enough high finishes to collect regular-season meet victories and, perhaps, a European team championship.

The Lions and Brigands are distinct entities this fall for the first time since 2014, fielding competing entries in a new five-school Division III league playing six-man football.

New starting quarterback Jakob Steinbeck headlined the Royal offense, completing seven of 13 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns while adding a 4-yard touchdown run.

Ion Duenas totaled 188 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries to lead the Lancers, while fellow running back Manny Cordero rushed 16 times for 151 yards.

Quarterback Alec Kenfield completed 10 of 18 pass attempts for 188 yards and three touchdowns for the Panthers.

Naples running back Marcus Ariola was dominant throughout, stockpiling 335 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.

Rota is eying a fourth straight trip to the European championship game, but its path is among the more difficult of any Division II squad.

Italy is the center of the DODEA Europe football universe Saturday as Naples and Vicenza host consequential Division II games on the season’s opening weekend.

Kaiserslautern hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2014 and has won just two games in the last three seasons.

The Spartans haven’t made a serious Division II football title run since 2013, when they took a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to Hohenfels in an epic European championship game.

Tennis preview

Two clear singles championship favorites are among the many DODEA-Europe tennis players opening the 2018 regular season this weekend; one a seasoned champion looking to extend a title reign, the other poised to begin one.

Raiders feature underclassmen at key offensive positions, including sophomore quarterback JP Albrecht. A solid core of receivers, including seniors Henry Carlsen and Zack Caruso, should make the process easier.

Rota will be on the road for the first four games of its regular season, starting Saturday with a visit to Vicenza.

Falcons didn't win a game last season, but hope to make some waves in the Division I race this year.

With 11 players back, the Royals aren’t entirely starting over. Last year’s European runner-up squad had a number of sophomores and juniors in key roles, many of whom are poised to make bigger impacts this fall

Wildcats hoping that revamped stadium, added talent and renewed effort will lead to a special season.

New head coach Chris Howard expects to field a roster of 22, a few bodies over DODEA-Europe’s threshold for 11-man ball.

The last time the Cougars fielded a team, they went undefeated until losing in the championship game.

The change from 11-man allows the small school to have enough players to practice offense and defense at the same time.

It’s been more than a decade since a team, namely the 2007 Ramstein Royals, has successfully defended a Division I European football championship.

Josh Blake expands Wiesbaden’s options considerably. Athletic and versatile, Blake can be a devastating force as a passer and runner in nearly any offensive scheme.

Almost half the 35 players who came out who took the field before school started are freshmen.

The Bucs are slated to join fellow small schools AFNORTH, Ansbach, Brussels and Hohenfels in a fledgling Division III league playing six-man football.

The team has been training hard with a two-hour weight-lifting program in the morning and then two hours of practice in the afternoon.

Only a handful of players return from last year’s squad that went 6-0 in the regular season before losing to Rota 26-21 in the Division II semifinals.

Longtime Stars and Stripes high school sports writer Ben Abrams died Thursday after a brief illness. He was 91.

Softball AOY

In softball, as in any high school sport, senior leadership is key. If they’re up to the task, a senior can set an emotional and psychological tone for a team, instill the required work ethic and guide inexperienced teammates through adversity.

Baseball AOY

Sometimes statistics don’t tell the full story of a baseball game. Other times, they come awfully close.

Jose Serrano set a new European mark in the 3,200 - his fourth gold in two days after winning the 800, 1,600 and anchoring the Royals’ winning 3,200 relay team.

Kaiserslautern’s Jada Branch spent the first few weeks of her track and field season this spring nursing an injury.

Boys soccer AOY

Rising phenoms on the soccer pitch must fulfill a variety of roles to reach true stardom.

Girls soccer AOY

As she made her transition from the Vilseck Falcons to the Stuttgart Panthers this spring, senior girls soccer star Camille Pereira was ready to make any contributions she could to the Panthers’ latest run at a European championship.

Multiple-sport stars Caleb Brown of Wiesbaden and Averi Chandler of Sigonella have been named the 2017-18 DODEA-Europe Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively.

European track - Day 2

Kaiserslautern senior breaks second mark in two days by winning 400, while Ramstein senior finishes with five gold medals and sets new record in 3,200.

European D-I baseball

No other school besides Ramstein and Stuttgart had won large-school baseball title before Lancers' triumph on Saturday.

European D-II/III baseball

Senior Alex Ogletree strikes out 16 batters and allows three hits to out-duel Sentinels ace Max Little.

European D-I softball

Kaiserslautern edges Lakenheath 10-9 to back up top seeding and finish atop large-school pack.

European D-II/III softball

Sigonella defends title with 4-2 victory over Hohenfels - the closest game by far the school had in the tournament.

European track - Day 1

Branch’s jumping feat was part of an exciting day of competition that saw another record almost fall on the track, a slew of new champions emerge, and a few familiar faces exert their dominance again.

European baseball

Ramstein meets Lakenheath and Wiesbaden plays Kaiserslautern in large-schools semifinals, while favorites Spangdahlem and Sigonella appear headed for small-schools clash.

European softball

Defending champion Sigonella romps through small-schools field to reach title game against Hohenfels

D-I boys soccer

The 2018 Kaiserslautern Raiders are not what’s left of a championship team. They are a championship team in their own right.

D-I girls soccer

For the second consecutive year, the Stuttgart Panthers found themselves selecting five shooters and preparing their goalie. This time, they came out winners.

D-II boys soccer

The AFNORTH Lions wouldn’t be denied again.

D-II girls soccer

No matter which name they use – Bitburg, Barons, Spangdahlem or Sentinels – a group of soccer players can rely on one name recently: champions.

D-III boys soccer

By definition, a brigand is a member of a traveling gang that extracts treasure through overwhelming force.

D-III girls soccer

The Sigonella Jaguars have seen enough of Alconbury and senior striker Isabel Black.

D-I boys semifinals

Stuttgart edges unbeaten Ramstein 1-0 in one semifinal and defending champion Kaiserslautern tops Wiesbaden 4-1 in another.

D-II boys semifinals

Lions defeat Florence in one semifinal, while Royals top AOSR in other to set up rematch of 2-2 draw in pool play.

D-I girls semifinals

After two-year break, one of Europe's fiercest rivalries is renewed in finals after Royals and Panthers win Wednesday semifinals.

D-II girls semifinals

Unbeaten and top-seeded Admirals take on Spangdahlem, which edged Black Forest Academy, in Thursday's final.

D-III soccer roundup

Ansbach boys played Brigands closer than anyone in tournament and get another chance, while Sigonella girls hope to stretch out one-goal winning streak.

The final championship event of the 2017-18 DODEA-Europe school year arrives this weekend in the form of the European track championship meet, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Kaiserslautern High School.

Europe boys soccer - Day 2

Kaiserslautern to play Wiesbaden and Ramstein takes on Stuttgart to reach D-I finals, while AFNORTH is lone school not from Italy in D-II semis.

Europe girls soccer - Day 2

In D-II action, Rota will take on AFNORTH with Black Forest meeting Spangdahlem for right to play in finals.

Europe baseball preview

It’s all hands on deck for the 2018 DODEA-Europe baseball tournaments, running Thursday through Saturday at Pulaski Barracks in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and nearby Ramstein Air Base

Europe softball preview

Fourteen teams from around the continent will gather in the Kaiserslautern Military Community this week for the 2018 DODEA-Europe softball championship tournaments, running Thursday through Saturday at Ramstein Air Base and Kapaun Air Station in southwestern Germany.

Europe boys soccer - Day 1

Berths in the semifinals up for grabs Tuesday in top two divisions, while small schools continue to battle for supremacy.

Europe girls soccer - Day 1

Three defending champions and other favorites win all games, with exception of No. 2 seed Marymount in Division II.

Baseball roundup

Royals rally from 5-0 deficit to triumph in first game, then get 7-3 victory over Raiders in nightcap.

Wiesbaden wins 15-4 in second game after Vicenza takes opener 16-6 in matchup between teams in cellar of D-I softball standings.

After dominant meet, Lakenheath will send more than two dozen athletes to European championships in Germany.

Boys soccer preview

In general, there are two avenues to soccer success - scoring a lot of goals or preventing the other team from scoring.

Girls soccer preview

Three DODEA-Europe divisional championship girls soccer tournaments will begin Monday at sites around the Kaiserslautern Military Community. All three will culminate with European championship matches Thursday at Kaiserslautern High School.

Sentinels are 5-0 in Division II play, but should face plenty of challenges in small, but competitive field in championships.

Athletes still trying to qualify for the DODEA-Europe Track and Field Championship in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in two weeks were as focused on the clock or measuring tape as their opponents.

Boys soccer roundup

SHAPE, Stuttgart tie and Kaiserslautern edges Vilseck in final weekend of the soccer season.

Girls soccer roundup

Spangdahlem, Alconbury, Rota all win by four goals, while Stuttgart finishes unbeaten with narrower victory over SHAPE.

Diamond roundup

Lakenheath sweeps Ramstein to join German rivals as contenders for season-ending championships.