Ramstein hitting on all cylinders

by Thomas Warner
contributing writer

Nemo Kindle is one of just two seniors on the current Ramstein roster. The youthful Royals are in first place with two weekends left in the regular season. Photo by Stephanie LeClair

Anchored by a two-hit pitching shutout from Kaleb Bellew in the opener, Ramstein swept a baseball doubleheader over Spangdahlem last weekend. The scores were 16-0 and 15-6, leaving Ramstein as the DODEA Division I frontrunner with two weekends of baseball remaining. Ramstein plays at Lakenheath this weekend, then at Kaiserslautern to end the regular season prior to the Europeans tournament.

“Kaleb has some good off-speed breaking ball stuff that he throws and his fastball was working in that first game,” said Ramstein head coach Travis Shoffner. “The more games our team plays, I think they are growing a lot both experience-wise and mentally. We’ve improved a lot since we first started.”

Bellew recorded 10 strikeouts and was masterful with his game management. Senior standout Nemo Kindle had a triple and a double among his three hits. Nathan Kranz had two hits and two stolen bases as Ramstein piled up 12 hits.

Chris Guzaldo and Tieran Shoffner also had two hits and combined to score seven runs. Kindle had five runs batted in, mainly with his extra-base hits, and Caleb Love produced two RBI. Love and Kimble were the lone graduating senior players honored Saturday, as RHS continues to win with a young roster.

In the second game, Ramstein had the lead from the start then scored 11 times in the fourth inning to clinch it. Spangdahlem countered with a five-run rally in the bottom of the fourth but RHS sophomore Chandler Baker came in and needed just four pitches to end the game.

Guzaldo scored four times, with two hits and two walks, while Shoffner had five RBI thanks to two hits including a double. Austin Rodefer and Oliver Seelig each had two hits with a triple and two RBI, plus Bellew rapped two hits to support mound starter Kindle.

Kindle, the Royals’ usual second game starter, threw 46 pitches and gave up only two hits, striking out five Sentinels and walking only one. Relievers Kelty Hood and Baker were brought in later but Ramstein was never really challenged throughout the pair of midday games. Ramstein will travel to the United Kingdom this weekend and play Lakenheath, the program they met in last year’s Euro finals.

 

Kaiserslautern boys split with Stuttgart

A big inning delivered a win for Kaiserslautern as they took game two and managed a split with Stuttgart this past Friday. Kaiserslautern (9-5) plays again this weekend on the road at Vicenza, before ending the regular season in two weeks versus rival Ramstein.

The Raiders got three of their five total hits in a fourth-inning outburst that saw them get 13 batters to the plate. Walks, passed balls, a hit batsman, and a balk were coupled with those three Raider hits. Just a week ago, it was the Kaiserslautern defense that had to similarly endure in a loss to Lakenheath.

Ronin Sherman and Kaden Sekbeil combined to strike out six batters and limit Stuttgart to just four hits. Sherman and four other Raiders produced singles, with Mathias Perrin scoring twice in the win.

The Raiders were winning early in the opener but lost 5-2 against the homestanding Panthers. Stuttgart scored four times in the third inning and held on for a victory. The Panthers’ bats produced only a single and a double, but the biggest element was a pair of KHS infielding errors that kept the door open.

Nolan Sherman and Stuttgart pitcher Gabe Simpson each threw well, with Sherman allowing only three hits and Simpson giving up two to the Raiders. George Stephan’s double and Nolan Sherman’s single were notable KHS contributions.

SOFTBALL

Lady Raiders break even with Stuttgart

Ally Alamos pitched for the 13-11 first game win, striking out three and walking two. She was also 4-of-5 batting with five runs batted in while twin sisters Chloe and Phoenix Wisennand each had two hits and it was a home run by Phoenix that helped push KHS to the win, after they trailed 11-1.

The second game saw a great effort by Abby Young on the hill, with seven strikeouts over five innings of work. Home runs by Victoria Jackson and Mariana Conklin were not enough, though, as nearly all of the rest of the bats went cold.

Olivia Warren had two hits and Chloe robbed a Stuttgart player of a homer with an amazing play in the outfield where she caught the ball against the fence, but the Lady Raiders had little of the hitting production they’d seen earlier.

Ramstein girls dominate Spangdahlem

Abby Walker

Abby Walker made plenty of noise at the plate in a 17-2 softball win for Ramstein. Normally the team’s starting pitcher, Walker had three hits and three runs batted in to help keep Ramstein undefeated in Tom Wright’s first season as head coach.

Abigail Hollenbeck was the pitching starter for Ramstein in this one, throwing into the third inning when the game was finally halted.

The Lady Royal offense was potent be-hind her, bombarding the visiting Spangdahlem squad with 11 hits and 10 walks drawn, while never striking out.

Hollenbeck threw 64 pitches and located nearly 40 percent of them for strikes. She gave up only two hits and she walked six Lady Sentinel batters.

Walker had a single, double and a triple among her three at-bats and joined Isabel Craige with three RBIs. Azure Agricula also had a triple, combining with Sydney Smith for four RBI in the runaway victory. Savannah Sparrow contributed two hits and scored three times for Ramstein.

The Lady Royals were set to join their RHS baseball counterparts, as well as the school’s two soccer programs, in heading up to England for doubleheader games against Lakenheath this weekend.

TRACK AND FIELD

Ramstein boys, girls joust with Stuttgart at weekend meet

Ramstein and Stuttgart volleyed back and forth at last weekend’s Stuttgart Invitational track and field meet. Ramstein’s boys wound up well ahead of the Panthers but Ramstein’s girls had to settle for second place when Stuttgart won that overall team title.

CiCi Williams put forth another convincingly dominant effort and won both the long jump (15 feet, 9.5 inches) and triple jump (33-11). Williams won the 300 meter hurdles as well, with a time of 48.70 which was more than two seconds ahead of the next finisher.

Sophomore Caprinia Goode went for 29 feet, 2.75 inches to win the shot put while Mackenzie Perkes was second in the 3,200 meters. Ramstein placed two females, Jaya Worthington and Williams in second and third for the 100 meter hurdles.

Ramstein got a second place effort from its 4×800 meter relay quartet of Mya McKinley, Megan Hull, Catherine Hickman, and Mackenzie Perkes. For the 1,600 meter spring medley race, Sybella Crespo, Kori Fay, Delaney Longmuir, and McKinley joined together to also take second.

Dominique Arizpe

Dominique Arizpe won the boys 100 meters and 200 meters to send a clear message with Euros less than 20 days away. Arizpe and rival Devin Gamble of Vilseck reached the 100 meters tape together but the sophomore Arizpe leaned in to snare the top prize. Jerome Smith of Stuttgart also ran close and the top five finishers were separated by just 11/100ths of a second. The 200 meters was less congested as Arizpe left no doubt about who crossed first.

“I got here sort of late last season but did qualify for Euros as a ninth grader,” said Arizpe. “I’ve seen a lot of these athletes at other meets and we are familiar with each other. The rest of the season will be fun.”

Another area of RHS strengthwas the relays, as the Royals swept first place in all four of the events. Ramstein’s foursome of Isaiah Allen, Cameron Chester, Jalon Lewis, and Alexander Sims won the 4×100 relay with Stuttgart and Aviano right on their heels; Nick Clinton, Tyrese Loveday, Conner Looney, and Jose Serrano won the 4×400 relay about six seconds ahead of second place Stuttgart; Clinton, Owen Mendenhall, Enrius Collazo, and Dash Rogers won the 4×800 relay about 20 seconds ahead of second place Naples. In the 1,600 sprint medley Ramstein inserted Victor Foster, Nicholas Blake, Lewis, and Serrano to win by more than seven seconds over Stuttgart.

Serrano showed speed (51.59) along with his distance ability and won the 400 meters while Clinton was third in the same race. Serrano also won (2:01.57) the 800 meter race after holding off late charges from
competitors.

Nick Clinton

A productive junior, Rogers won the 3,200 meters (10:19.81) and got second place in the 1,600, finishing just behind Roberto Eiseman from Wiesbaden. Jackie Harris and Bryce Thomas were 1-2 in the boys’ 110 meter hurdles, then Harris, Loveday and Jerod Little duplicated last week’s effort by sweeping all three places in the 300 meter hurdles. Harris and Loveday reached the finish line together, but Harris was a millisecond ahead and got first place. In the high jump, Harris earned Ramstein points by finishing third behind a pair of Wiesbaden athletes.

Kaiserslautern teams at Baumholder meet

Solo Turgeon

Host Baumholder found success in hurdles races when Solo Turgeon swept the 110 meter and 300 meter courses but it was Kai-sers-lautern who made the biggest splash at last weekend’s meet. The Raider boys and girls each won first place and had numerous standout performances, sweeping the top three places in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs. Results of top finishes by area athletes are listed, along with times and distances.

GIRLS

100 meters

3. Elena Russey, KHS (13.92)

200 meters

3. Azorah Williams, KHS (29.24)

400 meters

3. Grace Pedigo, Baumholder (68.17)

100 meter hurdles

Aisya Boatwright, KHS (19.80)

300 meter hurdles

1. Isabella Pacheco, KHS (51.36)

2. Heysha Perez-Mendes, KHS (51.48)

4×100 meter relay

1. Kaiserslautern – Pacheco, Perez-Mendes, Russey, Michelle Santos-Adams (52.07)

4×800 meter relay

1. Kaiserslautern – Elonie Ward, Abbey Pitler, Azorah Willaims, Jada Branch (11:03.68)

1600 sprint medley relay

1. Kaiserslautern – Michelle Santos-Adams, Ayanna Davison, Alorah Grossman, Abbey Pitler (5:25.41)

Long jump

1. Jada Branch, KHS (17-09.5)

3. Elena Russey, KHS (14-06)

Triple Jump

2. Elena Russey, KHS (30-03)

Shot Put

2. Larissa Carter, KHS (29-03.5)

3. Mercedes Durden, KHS (29-1.75)

Discus

2. Mercedes Durden, KHS (86-07)

3. Larissa Carter, KHS (84.07)

BOYS

100 meters

2. Santo Starkey, KHS (12.06)

3. Jacob Winchell, KHS (12.10)

200 meters

3. Jacob Winchell, KHS (24.69)

400 meters

1. RJ Foster, KHS (55.63)

3. Skylar Ratledge, KHS (56.58)

800 meters

3. Skyler Ratledge, KHS (2:09.53)

1600 meters

1. Joseph Purvis, KHS (4:49.55)

2. Orlando Rojas, KHS (4:54.37)

3200 meters

1. Griffen Parsells, KHS (10:24.96)

2. Yadiel Rojas, KHS (10:50.54)

3. Ethan Cooper, KHS (11:27.96)

110 meter hurdles

1. Solo Turgeon, Baumholder (16.36)

2. Jacob Winchell, KHS (16.96)

300 meter hurdles

1. Solo Turgeon, Baumholder (41.97)

2. Darren Plotnik, KHS (44.98)

4×100 meter relay

1. Kaiserslautern – Shaun Edwards, RJ Foster, Quayvon Jones, Breon Crennel (48.76)

4×400 meter relay

1. Baumholder – Lorne Huxtable, Conner Brinkmeyer, Solo Turgeon, Nathaniel Horton (3:37.53)

2. Kaiserslautern – Ervin Johnson, Tre Dotson, Skylar Ratledge, John Paul Tangonan (3:43.98)

4×800 meter relay

2. Kaiserslautern – Ethan Cooper, Danny Aldana, Eric Wood, David Burnett-Lowery (10:13.04)

1600 meter sprint medley

2. Kaiserslautern – Santo Starkey, RJ Foster, Mikey Santos-Adams, Danny Aldana (4:02.48)

High jump

1. Tre Dotson, KHS (6-01)

3. Prentiss Alford, Baumholder (5-03)

Long jump

2. Santo Starkey, KHS (19-07.75)

3. Solo Turgeon, Baumholder (19-07.25)

Triple jump

3. Ervin Johnson, KHS (40-06.5)

Shot put

3. Mikey Santos-Adams (38-04)

Discus

1. Andrew Wells, KHS (106-11)

3. Cedric Nettles, KHS (99-01)

SOCCER

Ramstein boys ace Black Forest on Senior Day

Gregory McMillan Photo by Brooke Huff

Ramstein got good play from some veterans and won a shutout victory over Black Forest Academy this past weekend. The Ramstein boys won 6-0 after leading 3-0 halftime on Senior Day, when six players were playing their final regular season home game.

Ramstein scored two quick goals in the first 15 minutes of the match, with Dylan Grimes and Chris Slover registering points. Anthony Villella and Jaden Buelvas got credit for assists and Villella assisted Slover on another goal before halftime.

“Black Forest had a similar situation last week against Marymount, trailing 3-0 at halftime but tying things at 3-3 later on,” said RHS coach Dominik Ludes. “We talked at the break and wanted to make our guys aware that the game was by no means decided yet.”

Sending off seniors Grimes, Dante Lapitan, Daniel Shin, Kyle Vargas, Marcello Buitrago, and team captain Gregory McMillan created a need to indeed finish strong with the Royals doing just that. While defensively holding Black Forest to few shots on goal, Ramstein got another Slover score, then a direct corner kick goal from Buitrago that made it 5-0.

“Tamar Holmes had a big day after moving to centerback for Noah Yancy, who was ill,” said Ludes. “Tamar had never played center for us but he won basically every tackle and he was a big reason that BFA only got a few shots off.”

Gregory McMillan also played most of the minutes and was solid on defense. Garrett Erickson and Jason Thomas each spent time in goal and were unchallenged, with Gavin McMillan getting the final Ramstein goal after an assist by Villella.

Ramstein’s junior varsity had a 1-1 tie with BFA but completed its season undefeated. The varsity team will head up now to meet Lakenheath. Ludes said it’s the first time in 10 seasons that Ramstein has played an away match there.

Ramstein varsity girls stay
undefeated

Ramstein soccer seniors (from left to right): Leisel Mendenhall, Brittany Cunningham, Elizabeth Noel, Ariela Hernandez, Gabs Janes, Baileigh McFall Photo by Brooke Huff

A 3-0 win over Black Forest came after a pair of goals from Gabs Janes plus another by Rocio Fernandez. The Lady Royals are on top of the DODEA Division I standings and played a friendly match against a German opponent Tuesday night to tune up for the Lakenheath trip. The RHS junior varsity girls lost 2-0 to Black Forest and concluded what was an up and down season.

Baumholder improved in losses to Hohenfels

The Buccaneers got a goal from Jose Pinzon but lost 3-1 to Hohenfels. The play was set up with an assist by senior team captain Brandon Perales. The Baumholder girls also lost, 6-0, despite good play from the defensive side. Both Baumholder teams are set to end the regular season at Spangdahlem this week.

Kaiserslautern soccer falls twice at Wiesbaden

The Lady Raiders (2-3-1) were down to just one available substitute and succumbed 6-0 to the Wiesbaden Lady Warriors. Chloe Martin saved a corner kick try, aiding her goalkeeper Juliana Hosey, who was playing for the first time in the varsity nets.

“We learned from this game and will have a chance to work on things before the tournament,” said Kaiserslautern coach Sue Fitzpatrick. “Our season isn’t over and our girls know it.”

The defending DODEA champion KHS boys (3-3) were tied throughout their game with the Warriors, but gave up a goal in the final minutes that proved to be the difference. Both teams will look to close on a high note and make noise in Euro tourney play.