Naples keeper Joey Randazzo comes out to make a stop on American Overseas School of Rome’s Andrea Torelli in the Division II boys title game at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Naples won the all-Italy match 5-2. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – The Naples boys soccer team already had a big reason to be excited to step onto the field at Ramstein High School on Thursday afternoon.

The Wildcats were seeking a second consecutive Division II European crown against rival American Overseas School of Rome at the 2025 DODEA European championships.

Yet what really had Naples chomping at the bit was the larger size of the field compared to what they normally see.

“When the ball gets to you, you can dance with it, dribble,” Naples midfielder Joshua Banks said. “You have more fun. You’re free to do what you want with the ball.”

The Wildcats showed off that fun and free-flowing spirit against the Falcons, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back in a 5-2 victory.

For first-year coach Sue Fitzpatrick, this year’s squad was special for numerous reasons. One of the biggest was the depth in scoring, as 14 players managed to score at some point this season.

Even in Thursday’s championship match, the Wildcats (12-1) shared the wealth on the scoresheet, with four players hitting the back of the net. They scored in various manners, be they through balls, set pieces, headers or right-footed curlers.

“(The fun) was evident – just the amount of scoring goals shared across all the players,” Fitzpatrick said.

Finn Stephens of Naples passes off to a teammate against American Overseas School of Rome’s Shai Gerard in the Division II boys final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. The Wildcats beat AOSR 5-2 to take the title. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Members of the Naples Wildcats celebrate their 5-2 win over American Overseas School of Rome in the boys Division II final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

American Overseas School of Rome’s MengPeng Jian gets past Naples’ Colin McCord to take a shot on goal at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. AOSR fell to Naples in the boys Division II title game 5-2. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Naples’ Joshua Banks threads the defense to land his shot in the top right corner of the goal on the Wildcats way to beating American Overseas School of Rome 5-2 in the Division II boys final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Finn Stephens of Naples, right defends against American Overseas School of Rome’s MengPeng Jiang in the boys Division II final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Naples took the title with a 5-2 win. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Naples’ Anders Cromwell celebrates after scoring the Wildcats’ fifth goal of the boys Division II final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Naples took the title with a 5-2 win over American Overseas School of Rome. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A familiar name opened Naples’ account against AOSR (8-4) in Jackson Shorey. In the sixth minute, the senior forward sprinted to a through ball from Finn Stephens, dribbled around goalkeeper Valerio Natali and placed the ball into the empty net.

That sparked a dominant first-half performance in which the Wildcats found themselves ahead 3-0 half an hour into the match. Marlin McCord doubled the lead when he headed home a Stephens corner in the 15th minute, and in the 31st minute, a long throw-in bounced in the box before reaching Banks, who headed it over the line.

The focal point of the Naples attack in years’ past, Shorey said it was enjoyable not to have to carry the load. He credited his teammates and the new formation – a 4-3-3 with a pair of diamonds – that Fitzpatrick brought with her after moving to Naples in December, saying it played to the team’s strengths – once the players bought in, that is.

“This new formation, we were skeptical about at first, but with the bigger fields and wider fields, longer fields, we can really do a lot of damage to teams that aren’t used to all that pressure at the top,” Shorey said. “We have a lot of players that can work sideline to sideline, and I think that’s why we dominate.”

As if to highlight the fun Naples had in the final, Banks produced a stunning second goal in the 53rd minute to make it 4-1.

The junior got the ball on the left side of the box before cutting back inside and away from the end line. He then curled the ball into the upper right corner of the net, giving AOSR substitute goalkeeper Owen Steelman no chance to save it.

Banks admitted he was thinking shot all the way before creating a moment of magic.

“That’s maybe hard to top, honestly,” Banks said of the goal. “I’ve hit some similar goals, but I think that was definitely one of the best goals of my career, especially in this important moment.”

Despite the domination, the Wildcats got themselves into trouble three times during the second half, letting the Falcons back into the match.

The first moment came in the 50th minute, when AOSR captain Riley Smith launched a free kick into the box, and after the ball bounced around, it went off a Naples player for an own goal to make it 3-1.

Then, in the 73rd minute, AOSR pulled back the deficit to 4-2 when sophomore fullback Michael Makinwa got on the end of a long throw in and shooting inside the left post past Naples goalkeeper Joey Randazzo.

Things became interesting 3 minutes later when AOSR was awarded a penalty that could have made it a one-goal match. Senior Andrea Torelli’s attempt hit the post and bounced out, though, and the Wildcats survived the scare.

Sophomore midfielder Anders Cromwell put the bow on Naples’ victory with a goal in the 78th minute.

The Naples coach defended the openness of the closing minutes despite having a multigoal advance.

“We’re not going to pack it in and lock it up and park the bus,” Fitzpatrick said. “We’re going to continue to attack and take care of the ball and play.”

Falcon coach Giacomo Castelli said his players never recovered from giving up the early goal, but he praised his team’s fighting spirit over the last 40 minutes.

Considering the team was mostly new with just four guys returning from last spring’s runner-up squad, he expressed hope the Falcons will come back stronger in 2026.

“The first goal shook us,” Castelli said. “From there on, we struggled to get back (into it). I think we did in the second half, but it was a bit too late.

“We have a young team, and we have a good program. We will definitely be competitive in the years to come.”