Turnovers are a Royal pain for Raiders

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Sometimes, stats can tell conflicting stories.

Ramstein’s 52-13 victory over crosstown rival Kaiserslautern on Friday evening was one such occasion.

The Raiders (0-1) outgained the Royals (1-0) 207-182 in total offense. The hosts also recorded more first downs at 12-8, including an 11-4 advantage in the first half, and they also possessed the ball for more than 10 minutes longer the visitors.

But the numbers that defined both teams’ season opener: Ramstein forced six turnovers that led to an average starting field position at the Kaiserslautern 45-yard line, and the Royals scored 28 points on special teams and defense.

That started with senior Rhett Darling taking the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house.

“With special teams coming right out the gate with a touchdown right off the bat, you could see how the game was going to kind of go,” said first-year Ramstein mentor Justin Crawford, who picked up his first ever win as a head coach. “Not that there’s any kind of disrespect to K-Town or anything like that, but the energy that we had was going to be unrelenting.”

The defense and special teams really made their marks in a 28-point second quarter that blew the game wide open.

In a one-point contest, Ramstein’s Jayvian Swanson took a kickoff to the Raider 44-yard line. The Royals needed just two plays to make it 14-6, as quarterback Xavier Schumacher hit Dalling on a post route for a 39-yard score at the 8-minute, 27-second mark.

Two plays later, junior lineman Kaeden Edwards ripped the ball out of the hands of Raider running back Marcus Feresdad and scampered 14 yards for paydirt.

“I’m a big man – I got to show respect to big guys,” Edwards said of the play. “They got to get touchdowns every now and then, more than just blocking.

“I saw the green field, and I was like, ‘I got to get running.’”

Ramstein defensive back Conner Scott celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown during a Sept. 4, 2026, game against Kaiserslautern at Babers Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern wideout Lachlann Scott makes a contested catch along the sidelide against Ramstein defensive back Giovanni Jimenez during a Sept. 4, 2026, game at Babers Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern running back Jamaal Redd powers through Ramstein defensive lineman Gabriel Harrington during a Sept. 4, 2026, game at Babers Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein quarterback Xavier Schumacher throws a pass over a leaping Mason Stephenson, left, from Kaiserslautern during a Sept. 4, 2026, game at Babers Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein receiver Lincoln Bump catches a pass during a Sept. 4, 2026, game against Kaiserslautern at Babers Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein senior Rhett Dalling runs with the ball after fielding the opening kickoff of a Sept. 4, 2026, game against Kaiserslautern at Babers Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

A pair of interceptions led to the final two touchdowns of the quarter. Senior Lincoln Bump jumped a pass on Kaiserslautern’s next possession, and three plays later caught a 26-yard pass from Xavier Schumacher along the sideline to make it 28-6.

Then with 1:48 remaining in the half, Royal newcomer Jake Beckenhauer got under a tipped pass from Raiders quarterback Daniel Carroll and took it 7 yards to the end zone.

Beckenhauer’s pick-six wasn’t the Royals’ only one of the game.

Three plays into the second half, Connor Scott intercepted another Carroll pass and scored from 28 yards out to make it 42-6.

“When we’re going, it’s just so fun,” Beckenhauer said of the defense. “The QB can’t see anything. We’re there every single time. It’s amazing.”

Bump added a 31-yard field goal and then powered in a 5-yard run over the goal line at the 10:34 mark in the fourth quarter to enact the mercy rule.

While things fell apart for Kaiserslautern, coach Jason Steadman found a few positives.

The Raiders marched on a 14-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a Carroll 1-yard score at the 9:31 mark in the second quarter to make it 7-6.

Also, in the third quarter, Carroll hit Lukas Hilburn in the flat, and Hilburn ran along the sideline for a 75-yard reception to put Kaiserslautern at the Ramstein 6. The next play, Jamaal Redd scored.

But all the errors proved too much to overcome.

“At the end of the day, you just can’t have that many turnovers and think you’re going to stay in the game,” Steadman said. “We shot ourselves in the foot a bunch.

“But in the beginning of the game, I saw what I needed to see out of my team, and I know exactly what we have. We just got to eliminate those mistakes.”

Ramstein hosts Lakenheath next on Sept. 11, while Kaiserslautern travels to Stuttgart the same day.