Rota comes up just short on Aviano’s unusual field

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – Six teams are playing DODEA-Europe nine-man football this season.

But there’s a seventh entity that might have a bit to say about who wins the title this year.

Aviano’s home field is 60 yards long, narrower than regulation and made of artificial turf that can heat up during the waning days of summer.

And the Saints host every team but the International School of Brussels this season.

“There’s no way you can prepare for this field,” Rota coach Luke Spencer said. “It’s like playing in a phone booth.”

Spencer wasn’t using the field as an excuse for the Admirals’ 28-26 loss Saturday, though.

“They just executed better,” he said of the Saints, who stopped the Admirals on fourth-and-1 on the 25-yard-line with about a minute left in the contest.

It was the second fourth-and-short that the Admirals failed to convert in the game. They also failed on a couple of extra-point conversions.

“You add those kind of plays up and in a close game, this is what you get,” Spencer said.

Rota's Donnell Evans drags Aviano's Bayron Cerron for a few extra yards Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in a game at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Aviano junior quarterback Noah Stanley manages to hold onto the ball while crashing into the Rota defensive line Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in a game at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Rota quarterback Xavier Lozada goes back to pass Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in a game against the Aviano Saints at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

It’s not clear whether the Saints have figured out how to take advantage of the field during the last few years. The regulation field they’d normally play on across town isn’t playable right now. It will reportedly get artificial turf itself, maybe in time for the team to play on it next season.

Warm temperatures – it didn’t top 84 degrees Fahrenheit, according to MSN Weather, but it “felt like” 96 with the humidity – prompted officials to call for frequent water breaks. It likely will be cooler by the time that AFNORTH and SHAPE travel south to Italy later this month.

“It was hot,” Saints coach Jason Stanley said. “We had a couple of kids who had to sit out a bit.

“I told the guys: ‘It’s going to be a dog fight. Rota’s always tough. It’s going to come down to one possession.’ And it did.”

Saints sophomore Cooper Oakley put the team on his back on the opening drive, carrying the ball four times in five plays, including a 24-yard score that gave Aviano a 7-0 lead.

Rota answered with a 4-yard run by junior Donnell Evans and a subsequent two-point conversion gave the Admirals an 8-7 lead after a quarter.

Aviano was back on top when junior quarterback Noah Stanley connected with junior receiver Brylee Hillis for a 7-yard touchdown pass on a fourth down.

Rota struck back with a 1-yard keeper from quarterback Xavier Lozada to retake the lead. And then added to it when Romero Johnson stepped in front of a Stanley pass and ran it 16 yards to the end zone.

But Hillis caught his second touchdown from 5 yards out and the conversion put the Saints back up on top 21-20.

The 6-foot-3 Hillis – probably the tallest safety in DODEA-Europe – then used his height to grab a contested pass to stop a Rota drive and the half ended.

It took four possessions for either team to score in the second half. Hillis, who played quarterback last year, caught his third TD pass – this time from 16 yards.

“It helps the team,” Hillis said of the change. It also allows him to play on the other side of the ball, where he was often the last line of defense for the Saints. “I think we’ve got a good team. We could go a long way.”

Rota wasn’t done, though. Ethan Xie’s 19-yard run up the left sideline brought the Admirals within the final margin. But they failed to add extra points, creating the final gap.

The two teams then traded possessions before Lozada was stopped on a fourth-and-short, giving Aviano back the ball.

Oakley, who finished with a game-high 157 yards on 25 carries, and Stanley, who completed 10 of 16 passes for 104 yards, ran out the clock with short runs.

“It feels good to get a start like this,” Oakley said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to carry it over next week at Sigonella and get another win.”

Rota hosts ISB next weekend.

Rota's Donnell Evans climbs over the bodies of multiple Aviano Saints to reach the end zone Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in a game at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Aviano sophomore Cooper Oakley gains a few of his 157 yards against the Rota Admirals in a game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)