Football in Europe now has four tiers

Change is the name of the game in the DODEA European football scene this fall.

SHAPE and International School of Brussels return to the DODEA fold, and with them comes a new division of nine-man football. AFNORTH, Ansbach and Spangdahlem are moving on from the six-man version to join the new Division II/III group.

Then, in Division II, Aviano won’t field a team for the first (non-COVID) time in school history, so the Europe-South region will be represented by just three teams. Naples, Rota and Vicenza will square off against each other twice and add another game against a Division I JV squad.

The next nine weekends should bring plenty of excitement across all four leagues.

Here’s a team-by-team breakdown based on coaches’ responses:

Division I

Kaiserslautern

The 2023 Raiders didn’t lose a game by more than nine points, and with a host of players coming back, they have high hopes in what appears to be a wide-open big-school race.

Rueben Todman stepped under center last year and had a career year. The senior led the league in completions, passing yards, total yards and passing touchdowns. He also produced a moment of magic in a contentious victory against rival (and his former team) in Ramstein.

Kaiserslautern will turn to a thunder-and-lightning duo in the backfield with seniors Noah Worthington and Denver Dait, the latter a transfer from Zama, Japan. Juniors August Crisp and Andy Etchell bring back some varsity experience behind them.

At receiver, the Raiders boast of two seniors who had at least 17 catches in 2023: Logan Bell and Aaron Potter. Potter was an all-conference selection last fall.

Senior center Freeman Allen anchors the line after earning second-team All-DODEA European honors. Other starters coming back are senior Shawn Hamlin and sophomore Mason Stephenson.

Linemen Allen and Hamlin play both ways, while juniors L.J. Mcleod-Dias and Etchell and sophomore Garrett Vitter are expected to contribute on the defensive line.

A deep linebacker corps will have Bell, Worthington and Potter as major contributors.

In the secondary, senior Sevastian Quiles leads the way after receiving all-conference honors. Dait also will suit up.

Senior Deaven Starke once again will handle kicking duties.

Lakenheath

The Lancers produced a banner year with the program’s first-ever undefeated regular season, according to coach Gabe Feletar, that ended prematurely with a semifinal loss against Vilseck.

Gone are 13 seniors, including the first-team all-European QB-WR duo of Nico Marchini and Brian Miles.

Two players are vying to take over at quarterback. Sophomore Parker Grimm has experience in the system, playing signal caller for the Lakenheath JV squad. Junior James Arthaud transferred in from Ramstein.

The backfield will feature four options. Senior Aaron Valiente and junior Khase Williams are joined by junior transfers Adrian Hill II and Milo Stroman.

The Lancers have a completely new wide receiver corps. Senior Jeremiah Kreider and Gideon Toure are expected to take over, while senior Jaden DuBois moves from the line to tight end.

Speaking of the line, senior Ethan Jenkins and junior second-team all-conference honoree Caiden Graves return. Graves will play on both sides of the ball, and Allen Primmer, Wesson Roney and junior newcomer Izayah Tezmer will see time on the defensive line.

Jenkins, a first-team all-Europe selection, and DuBois changed positions from defensive lineman to linebacker. Kreider and Stroman also will line up in the middle of the defense.

The Lancers will deploy Arthaud, Toure, Valiente and Williams in the secondary.

Ramstein

The Royals will look like a mostly new team from last year’s squad that lost in the semifinals after many players graduated or moved away.

Caden Nims will lead the way at receiver and safety. Kydan Echard and Nate Rutlege will man at linebacker and running back, and Michael Gonzales is stepping under center.

Koen Harris and Vilseck transfer Jackson Kerin will anchor the line.

Stuttgart

Until dethroned, all roads in Division I lead through Stuttgart.

After starting 2023 with a 1-2 record, the Panthers won five straight to bring home yet another football title.

The expectations for coach Antoine Reed are the same: to win a crown.

Senior quarterback Ty Jones’ leadership is invaluable, according to Reed. Also in the backfield are Sammy Johnson and sophomore standout Michael “M.J.” Watkins. Kenneth Lee and Caleb Fox round out the major skill players.

In the trenches, senior captain Phillip Myrice will play offense and defense, while John Kessling, Dariel Vega and Tyler Myrice will feature on offense. On defense, senior captain Cooper Graham and Christian Yoon will line up.

Described as an aggressive unit, linebackers Silas Colman and Dane Westberry will be supported by seniors Bob Jamison and Declan Mack.

Kai Lewis, senior Zach Poe and Jonathon Vernetti lead the charge in the defensive backfield.

All-Far East player Cooper Gaulin takes over as kicker/punter after moving in from Yokota. Zach Patterson provides a reliable option at long snapper.

Vilseck

The Falcons should eventually get over the hump after losing three consecutive finals. It could be tough this season, though, after losing 17 seniors graduated.

Coach Eric Mead has a couple of bright spots. Along with eight seniors, a strong group of juniors are coming back.

Vilseck has two options at quarterback. Parker Wayland, last year’s backup, has the team’s best work ethic, according to his coach. Keryel Badillo is making the transition from six-man to 11-man football after coming in from Baumholder.

The running backs will be new, having never played the position. X’avier Wilson and Sam Broyles will get the majority of touches this fall.

Wyatt Smith transferred in from SHAPE and has impressed at tight end.

The offensive line brings back the most experience. Abiud Rivera, Braulio Silva, Gabe Mendez, Colton Faulkenberry, John Dorff and Arthur Tavares will try to build off their chemistry from last year.

Rivera, Dorff and Taveres will play in the defensive trenches as well, while Maverick Chase is the sole returning starting linebacker. Mead said Chase flies to the ball.

In the kicking game, Dominic Suss is joining the gridiron football team after playing soccer at Vilseck.

Division II

Naples

The Wildcats have won the past three league championships and they will be the favorites to make it a four-peat.

Three-year starter Camden Kasparek once again will be under center. He has a familiar option in three returning starters outside – juniors Diondre Tilo and Jeramiah Robinson and senior Gab-riel Doran.

The backfield will be by committee. Seniors Michael Daniels Jr. and Leishieh Morgan were both backups last fall.

Two returners anchor the lines in senior Declan Newsome and junior Landon Heavrin, who earned first-team all-Europe honors at defensive end.

At linebacker, Naples turns to returning outside linebacker Daniels Jr. and Tilo, who is moving from defensive end to inside linebacker. Also on the inside will be sophomore Tyler Jones, a sophomore from Texas.

Robinson returns after starting as a sophomore, and Morgan expects to play a key role.

Vicenza

The Cougars are a young group with just seven seniors returning.

The key players are expected to be Josh Gaspard and Andrew Overstreet in the trenches, James Allen at running back, Joe Kelly at tight end and defensive end and Paul Sturdevent at linebacker.

Division II/III

AFNORTH

The Lions are transitioning from six-man to nine-man football after losing a lot of production from last season’s Division III runner-up roster.

AFNORTH is going through an open competition at quarterback. Shawn Downs was the squad’s backup last season, while Zane Romero returned as well. Transferring in is Sladen Hager.

Coach James Argyle said the Lions have big shoes to fill with the top three rushers from 2023 gone. James Bennett and Dylan Greene will see most snaps at fullback. Two promising backfield players are Paolo Adorno, a rugby player with good instincts, and Everett Reeves, the fastest player on the roster.

Argyle expects Jason Goldsmith and Talon Keeton to prove themselves in a young receiving corps, while Jackson Lojka is the Lions’ most proven tight end. AFNORTH lost a lot of experience on the offensive line, but Argyle said the team has better size in 2024. Eren Ayik, transfer Elisha Diaz and freshman T.J. Carisio will be road graders.

On defense, Argyle described transfer Dylan Greene as a monster at defensive tackle. Ayik and Hunter Reeves will get a shot at defensive tackle. Everett Reeves and Lojka both started at defensive end last fall. Bennett will be the heart and soul of the defense at linebacker, while Adorno is a solid tackler, according to his coach. Downs will play safety for the Lions. Goldsmith will handle placekicking duties.

Ansbach

The Cougars are making the jump to nine-man football with just six returners, including three seniors.

One of them is Aidan Kendall. The senior is in his second season at Ansbach and will play quarterback.

The Cougars will try to use the speed of juniors Nathan Arreguin and Okenie McLaughlin, both of whom are in their second seasons. Junior Sam Hanson will see some time at fullback. The outside skill positions will consist of a chorus of freshmen with good hands and speed. Senior James Colon will anchor both sides of the line, while fellow senior Derek Richard helps on offense.

Hanson will run the defense at middle linebacker and Kendall will have an impact at outside linebacker. Arreguin and McLaughlin will lead a committee of players in pass coverage.

International School of Brussels

The Raiders haven’t participated in DODEA football since 2018, but they are making a comeback this fall.

Six-year coach Lee Rosky said ISB is ready to renew rivalries after going winless in the BNL League a year ago.

Sophomore Max Ball brings continuity and a high football IQ to the team under center. Joining him in the backfield are junior Alex Chapman, a backup last year, and a group of new players including Sam Nino Gericke and Kazu Hayashi.

Captain Sol Marnhout gives a young wide receiver corps the leadership it needs. Also expected to play are Benjamin Vannest, Jonathan Cornet and Girvan Verret. Nikhil Stubbings, Percy Johnson and Ladislas Uttenhove are expected to show rookies Henry Neimor and Haevyn McClement the ropes on the offensive line.

Rosky pointed out the defensive line as the bedrock of the defense, with all three starters bringing back experience. Senior nose guard Fahd Amouzou, Terry Koo and Rares Caciuleanu will lead the way.

The linebackers also have plenty of experience in Darragh Verret, Thomas Carrington and Mattia Aliotta. Rosky described the unit as a hard-hitting group. Hayashi, Elliot Przyszczykowski, David Valstar and Will Feldmayer will be part of a large crew manning the secondary.

Spangdahlem

The Sentinels dominated six-man football last season. So why not try nine man?

They will have to do so without many of the key players from 2023 and a new coach in Mark Jackson.

Messiah Smith, a running back last fall, will slot in at quarterback with Kingston Sago, who also will see time at receiver. Cordrick Sago will be at running back, while Zander Doulder, Caleb Jackson, Greyson Doiron and Logan Simmers will line up on the wings.

Isaac Espinoza, Jesus Nunez, Oscar Diaz, Edward Garcia and Dulin Kiriel will anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Cordrick Sago and Simmers will lead at linebacker, and Smith, Noah Auchon, Johnathon Collins, Tibet Yucel, Jackson Harcz and Mason Knight will handle defensive backfield duties.

Division III

Alconbury

Coach Steven Casner likes the Dragons’ chances this fall.

Jacob Stuhler and Grant Cumming will split time as signal callers. The rest of the backfield also will be timeshares with Ietula Te’o and newcomer Kieran Quigley at running back, and the receiving corps is a mystery.

Steven Lacy and Lincoln Flake will anchor the offensive line. Lacy also leads a defensive line that includes Thomas Flynn and Darian Payton.

Stuhler leads the defense at linebacker and has a solid sidekick in Quigley. Cumming, meanwhile, is the leader in the defensive backfield.

Englishman Keran Daley will kick for the Dragons this fall.

Brussels

Andrew Patterson takes over a program that couldn’t finish the 2023 season – one year after it brought home the Division III trophy.

The coach, coming in from Fountain Fort Carson, Colo., expects the team to make some noise this campaign.

The Brigands will turn to Sawyer Ter Horst and Filip Goricanec to lead the team. Others expected to play roles are Conrad Adams, Cameron Hales, Toma Jgenti, Tamaz Kapanadze, Arslon Khakimov, Glen Laurenzi, Liam Richard, Nur Suerlackov and Connor Zarbo.

Hohenfels

Coach Robert Deverick said this year’s squad is a young, hungry team after going winless in the program’s return in 2023.

Connor Brown and Bronson Jackson, both of whom also will see time at receiver, will handle the quarterback position. Joining them at running back are Trevon Scott, Aiden Boyle, Kyle Sigrah, Logan Mitchell and Karson Matthey.

Lining up on the outside will be Gavin Takacs, Julian Gonzalves and Cory Taylor.

Mitchell and Matthey also will see time on the offensive line with Aiden Boyle. Colt Nelson and Ramsey Faafili are the anchors on the defensive line. Boyle, Mitchell, Scott and Jackson will see time at linebacker, while Takacs, Jackson, Scott, Taylor, Sigrah and Gonsalves will man the secondary.

Sigonella

The Jaguars have eight returners from the team that went 5-2 but missed out on the championship game.

Juniors Ryan Miniard and Jacob Maloney will see time at quarterback. A transfer, Miniard adds a dual threat to the offense.

Four athletes will rotate in the backfield: freshman Makari Spencer, senior Michael Torres and juniors Aiden Shiposka and Jacob Maloney. Spencer also will line up at receiver, along with senior Isiah Wilson, junior Gideon Tesfay and sophomore Henri Hurst.

Sigonella has two full units of lineman. Among those groups are seniors Andrew Buelow and Kris Rawlings, sophomores Hudson Burcham and Nathan Ensey, and junior Adrien Hernandez.

Three return on the defensive line from last fall. Burcham, sophomore Mandy Gonzalez, Wilson, Ensey, Hernandez and Sebastian Hedeman are expected to see time.

Four players will interchange between the two linebacker positions, which also are hybrid defensive back spots. Maloney, Torres and Shiposka are the main options, while Spencer and Tesfay will see time in the secondary. Senior Dane Sebatian Hedeman will handle kicking and punting duties.