AFNORTH quarterback Sladen Hager throws a pass before SHAPE defender Aldas Pasvenskas gets to him during a Sept. 13, 2025, game in Mons, Belgium. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Last year’s nine-man title-game appearance didn’t sit right with the AFNORTH football team.

Sure, the Lions didn’t complain about getting the opportunity to play for a European crown, but they won just one game all season and advanced out of the semifinal because of a Spangdahlem injury two plays into the game. The Sentinels decided against continuing their season.

This fall, the Lions aren’t doubting whether they deserve to be at the nine-man football championship contest against the International School of Brussels on Friday. AFNORTH went 5-1 in the regular season, placing second out of six teams.

“This year, it was a lot better,” said AFNORTH coach James Arygle, whose team is making a third-straight title-game appearance. “It feels like we really earned it because we beat everybody except ISB.”

The Lions aren’t the only team excited about playing in the final.

ISB (6-0), a one-time powerhouse that has collected six European titles, hasn’t played in a DODEA final since the 2004 campaign, which ended with a loss to SHAPE. From 1998 to 2002, the Raiders won three European crowns, including back-to-back ones in 2001 and 2002.

The program struggled and left DODEA, competing in a U-19 league against club teams in the Benelux region for three seasons.

Back in the DODEA fold for the second straight season, the Raiders get their first home final.

“As I wander around campus, it’s a lot of people talking about it and how cool it is,” ISB coach Lee Rosky said. “They all know what the American football team has been like the last couple of years in terms of struggling. This has created a lot of excitement around campus.”

Considering ISB’s performance so far this season, it’s easy to see why students, staff and parents in Brussels are so thrilled.

The Raiders boast a point differential of 160 points and are the only squad in the division to allow fewer than 100 points at 68. While they don’t have a shutout, the defense has allowed double-digit points twice – a 52-29 victory over Aviano on Oct. 25 and a 30-13 win over SHAPE on Nov. 1.

Rosky said those lopsided numbers are misnomers, as all games generally were close around halftime. Still, ISB enters the contest with great expectations as the top seed.

“Weight and pressure come with any big game but being a good team and trying to win a championship really comes down to can you handle the pressure in those moments and can you overcome,” junior quarterback and linebacker Max Ball said.

The Raiders and Lions did meet in an atypical manner on Oct. 10.

DODEA restarted fall sports on Oct. 8, one week following a pause because of the government shutdown. While all other contests didn’t resume until Oct. 17, AFNORTH had just two days to prepare.

Then, the bus arrived late in Brussels, so delayed that the game was called in the fourth quarter with ISB leading 20-6 because of time constraints on the bus driver.

Despite all the issues, AFNORTH hit the ground running – literally. On the first play from scrimmage, Davon Jones took a reverse to the house.

The Raiders said they learned from getting punched in the mouth in that game.

“They’re going to come out swinging,” ISB senior receiver Thomas Carrington said. “They’re going to come out with a lot of energy and they’re going to come out very aggressive.

“We’re taking that into account. We’re trying to figure out how to mimic that, how to come off as well with a bang.”

The lesson the Lions learned from that was not taking advantage of that quick start, Argyle said.

AFNORTH forced a three-and-out on the next possession and proceeded to drive inside the ISB 5-yard line before the drive stalled and ended with a turnover on downs.

“That’s a good reminder, a good learning opportunity: When you have chances, especially against a good team, you got to capitalize on them,” Argyle said.

Both the Lions and Raiders praised each other’s aggressive and physical playing styles.

Considering the similarities, it could prove to be a tight game. Whichever team has the right mentality could come out on top, ISB senior tight end Jonathan Cornet explained.

“We know as a football team, we are deserving of a championship,” he said. “What it really comes down to is how we prepare ourselves for the game and how we go into the game with a certain mentality and we don’t let ourselves get demotivated when anything goes wrong.”