Josh Collette returned three pass interceptions for touchdowns and ran 19 yards for a score as Bitburg throttled visiting Mannheim 52-14 in the Division II-North opener for both teams.

Bitburg, the defending European D-II runner-up, sprang Jason Bush for a 77-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff en route to a 36-0 first-quarter lead.

Anton Harris, who carried eight times for 107 yards, had a 2-yard TD run in the first quarter, the rest of which belonged to Collette, who registered his TD run, two of his interception-return TDs and a pair of two-point conversions in the quarter.

Bush ran 19 yards for a third-quarter TD and posted a safety when he tackled a Mannheim ball carrier in the end zone in the same period.

Rob Ferguson, Alex Rodriguez and Steve Chauvin paced the Bitburg defense with five tackles each.

Mannheim struck twice in the fourth quarter, on a three-yard run by Mitchell Williams and a five-yard burst by Walter Brown. Thomas Spindler rushed 15 times for 90 yards for the Bison.

In other Division II games Saturday:

Baumholder 28, ISB 8At Brussels, Rashad Taylor rushed for 221 yards on 13 carries and scored three TDs as the Bucs claimed a Division II-North victory.

“He was unstoppable,” International School of Brussels coach Rob Stewart said of the 200-pound Taylor, who scored on runs of 4, 81 and 53 yards, intercepted two passes and was in on nine tackles from his safety position.

Lacross Gray scored the other Baumholder TD, crashing over from a yard out in the fourth quarter.

Patrick Thigpen, who carried 12 times for 123 yards, ran in from 19 yards out in the third quarter for ISB’s TD. John Webb and Dominick Calotta were each credited with 14 tackles for ISB.

Aviano 27, Vicenza 12At Aviano, Italy, Andre Dean ran for touchdowns of 15 and 27 yards and returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown as the Saints claimed a Division II-South victory over their neighborhood rivals, who were making their D-II debut.

Linebacker Brad Karolchyk, who was credited with 11 tackles, set up both Aviano TDs in the third quarter. He recovered a fumble on the Vicenza 27-yard line to set up a 1-yard TD plunge by Kyle Hernandez, and his interception on the Vicenza 30 set up a 27-yard TD scamper by Dean.

Vicenza scored on a 22-yard run by Jeriel McNeely and a 26-yard pass from Cory Garrett to Napolian Myhand in the fourth quarter. Vicenza passers completed nine of 14 passes for 158 yards and two interceptions.

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