Royals hold off Panthers to remain unbeaten

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Ramstein’s Connor Scott admitted nerves were high with minutes remaining in a seven-point ballgame against rival Stuttgart on Friday evening.

The Panthers had driven the ball from their own 41-yard line to the red zone, putting the Royal defense on their heels.

In stepped Scott. On a first-and-10 at the Royal 18-yard line, the junior burst through the line and got to Stuttgart quarterback Kai Lewis quickly, knocked the ball out of the signal caller’s hands and then jumped on the ball with 1 minute, 11 seconds left in the contest.

That play clinched a 14-7 victory for the Royals at Ramstein High School.

“For once in the whole game, they actually didn’t block me,” Scott said. “I made the most of it and I hit him. I saw ball, and I jumped on it.”

The victory gave Ramstein (3-0) some revenge from last year’s championship-game defeat on the same field, when the Panthers (2-1) shut them out.

While many Royals were newcomers, veterans like Scott, in his third year with the program, and senior Lincoln Bump made sure their teammates were aware of what was at stake ahead of Friday’s meeting between the traditional Division I powerhouses.

“We have a bunch of new guys that really didn’t know what it felt like, but we were just so motivated and pushed through all the way to the end,” Bump said.

The offenses needed an entire half before either found their footing. Stuttgart and Ramstein combined for almost as many penalty yards (125) as yards of total offense (168). The Panthers finished with 140 yards on 14 infractions.

Both teams also recorded four turnovers each.

“It was definitely a different game than we were expecting, but our team did great,” Scott said. “We grinded it out.”

Ramstein wide receiver Conner Scott tries to run away from Stuttgart defensive back Collin Robinson during a game on Sept. 19, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein running back Braylon Mayfield beats Stuttgart linebacker Maxwell DeLuca to the goal line during a game on Sept. 19, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart quarterback Kai Lewis throws a pass over Ramstein defender Jacob Beckenhauer during a game on Sept. 19, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart running back M.J. Watkins stiff-arms Ramstein senior Khalil Franklin during a game on Sept. 19, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein quarterback Xavier Schumacher tries to escape at collapsing pocket during a game against Stuttgart on Sept. 19, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

In the second half, the Ramstein offense strung together plays and put together two touchdown drives – both after Stuttgart turnovers.

The first went 53 yards over 10 plays after an interception. Bump capped it off when quarterback Xavier Schumacher found the receiver in the middle of the end zone at the 4:38 mark in the third quarter.

Then, following a Jacob Beckenhauer fumble recovery, the Royals needed just six plays to travel 83 yards to double their lead. Bump and Schumacher provided the spark when Bump caught a pass off a post route and scampered 55 yards to the Stuttgart 5.

Sophomore running back Braylon Mayfield took a handoff outside on the next play for the score with 11:37 left in the game.

“I knew I had open space,” Bump said of his catch, which was the game’s longest play. “I wasn’t sure whether or not I was going to (score), but I knew it was a big gain and I wanted to get as much as I can.”

The Panthers didn’t go away, making it a one-possession game with 3:17 remaining thanks to a 10-play, 62-yard drive. Senior M.J. Watkins picked up a fumbled snap and hit paydirt from 5 yards out.

A fumble on the Royals’ next possession gave the Panthers hope until the strip-sack.

Lewis paced Stuttgart with 83 yards on the ground and another 94 through the air. Watkins chipped in with 46 yards.

“We’re resilient,” Stuttgart coach Antoine Reed said. “We got a senior-heavy team. Hostile environment, so many outside factors come into play … we’re just going to keep working. This is a steppingstone for us to get better.”

Elijah Morris led the Royals with 69 yards on 21 carries. Schumacher completed five of his final six throws and finished 5-of-12 passing with 111 yards.

The victory gives the Royals the sole lead atop the North conference. But they don’t plan to rest on their laurels midway through the regular season.

“We’re the front-runners right now. Everybody’s coming for us,” Bump said. “We still need to be prepared and stay ready.”