Vilseck QB Aron Atakuzi airs out the ball on the final drive against Lakenheath on Friday, Sept. 15 in Vilseck, Germany. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
VILSECK, Germany — After battling it out with Vilseck on the ground and getting nowhere, the Lakenheath Lancers finally broke through in the air Friday.
Quarterback Nico Marchini connected with sophomore receiver David Kumi-Baah early in the fourth quarter for the game’s only score to give the Lancers a 7-0 victory over the Falcons.
“We knew if we were going to have a chance to stay with them we were going to need to air it out,” Lakenheath coach Gabe Feletar said. “Super proud of the guys to be able to pull that out at the end.”
The victory gave the Lancers a bit of revenge for the 25-14 victory in last season’s playoffs that knocked Lakenheath out of the playoffs.
Turnovers and penalties helped both defenses slow their opponents’ offenses in the first half. Neither team threw much and three of those passes were picked off.
“Once again, penalties and turnovers are what’s beating us,” Vilseck coach Eric Mead said. “We are the ones beating ourselves.”
Lakenheath senior running back Brian Miles breaks through the tackles of Vilseck defenders during a football game on Friday, Sept. 15 in Vilseck, Germany. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Senior QB Aron Atakuzi hands the ball off to senior running back Junior DeJesus during Vilseck’s football game against Lakenheath on Friday, Sept. 15 in Vilseck, Germany. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
After catching a pass, Lakenheath’s David Kumi-Baah turns and carries the ball up field during the third quarter of a game against Vilseck on Friday, Sept. 15 in Vilseck, Germany. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Vilseck’s Maverick Chase plows his way through a sea of Lakenheath defenders during the first half of their football game on Friday, Sept. 15 in Vilseck, Germany. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath’s Senior QB Nico Marchini scrabbles out of the pocket before throwing downfield during Lakenheath’s football game against Vilseck on Friday, Sept. 15 in Vilseck, Germany. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
The Falcons had looked to open the scoring in the third period, driving deep into Lancers’ territory. But Lakenheath held up on fourth down and then marched 80 yards down the field for the winning touchdown.
Vilseck, missing several banged-up members of its offensive line, also lost running back Junior DeJesus in the second half with a hamstring injury.
The Falcons converted a few fourth-down attempts to put together a small drive late, but the Lakenheath defense stiffened. The Lancers then ran out the clock, with senior Vincent LaStarza converting a key first down to wrap the game up.
With the victory, the Lancers stand alone atop the Division I standings after two weeks with a 2-0 record. Vilseck drops into a second-place tie with Kaiserslautern, Ramstein and Stuttgart.
Lakenheath hosts three-time defending champion Stuttgart next week, while Vilseck travels to Ramstein.
