New format and new players, but same results for Sentinels

SPANGDAHLEM, Germany – The Spangdahlem soccer program will look brand new in 2024.

Most of the core team from last year's Division III European Championship is gone, many of them played on the runner-up teams in 2021 and 2022. The previous coaching staff is also gone, following in the footsteps of Mark Jackson, who had never coached football before this season.

The Sentinels are even playing a new style of football in their first nine-man football season in Division II/III after competing in six-man football in recent years.

But no matter how much has changed for the Sentinels, the result remained the same as they opened their season against the International School of Brussels at Spangdahlem High School on Friday night. Spangdahlem overcame a two-point halftime deficit to defeat the Raiders 34-14.

The Sentinels (1-0) scored the game's final 22 points after allowing a touchdown to ISB quarterback Max Ball on a 1-yard run with 2 seconds left in the first half.

“I told them at the beginning, 'You have to prove it. They're all going to be after you and rooting for the downfall of the Spangdahlem football team,'” Jackson said. “We made the adjustments and came out in the second half and dominated like we normally play Spangdahlem football.”

Despite the restructuring in Spangdahlem, one aspect remained the same: physicality.

The Raiders (1-1) struggled to keep up with the intensity from the start and didn't manage a single first down – let alone points – until the second quarter.

The ISB running attack finally got going, totaling 198 yards on 38 attempts. Junior runner Jonathan Cornet led the way with 114 yards on 22 attempts and Ball contributed 84 yards on 15 carries.

Still, the Sentinels outgained them with 233 yards on 27 attempts and 367-239 in total offense. Spangdahlem quarterback Messiah Smith racked up 162 yards on 16 attempts with a 53-yard run that capped a two-play, 91-yard run early in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 28-14 with two possessions left in it. He scored another running point with a 16-yard run on the game's opening drive.

The senior completed 10 of 14 passes for 134 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Junior Cordrick Sago (48 yards on seven carries) and senior Greyson Dorien (27 yards on four carries) also contributed to the running game.

Senior Logan Simmers said the biggest issue with the transition to nine-man is Spangdahlem's lack of depth against bigger schools like ISB and SHAPE, but the Sentinels more than make up for it with their physicality.

“It's definitely tough,” said Simmers. “We have to work on our fitness because we don't have substitutes like the other teams.”

“We have to send a signal that even though we are a small team, we still hit hard.”

International School of Brussels quarterback Max Ball crosses the goal line in front of Spangdahlem defenders at the end of the first half of a game on Sept. 21, 2024, at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Spangdahlem's Zander Doulder tackles Alex Chapman of the International School of Brussels during a game on Sept. 21, 2024, at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Spangdahlem quarterback Messiah Smith runs through a tackle attempt by International School of Brussels defensive lineman Max Ball during a game on Sept. 21, 2024, at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

International School of Brussels running back Jonathan Cornet gives Spangdahlem defender Mason Knight the stiff arm during a game on Sept. 21, 2024, at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Spangdahlem quarterback Messiah Smith throws a pass during a Sept. 21, 2024, game against the International School of Brussels at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

International School of Brussels defender Ezra Clayborne tackles Spangdahlem quarterback Messiah Smith during a game on Sept. 21, 2024, at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Spangdahlem quarterback Messiah Smith throws a pass to receiver Logan Simmers during a Sept. 21, 2024, game against the International School of Brussels at Spangdahlem High School in Spangdahlem, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

For Simmers himself it was an unforgettable night.

The receiver tore up ISB's secondary with seven pass catches for 124 yards. He scored two offensive touchdowns – a 32-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-4 attempt early in the second quarter where he caught the ball up the middle before breaking through a couple of tackles, and a 55-yard touchdown early in the second half by finding a weak spot in the zone and shaking off a defender.

Defensively, he proved to be a threat to Ball, intercepting him twice, the second time being a 22-yard pick-six with 2:05 left in the game.

“Now is his time to shine,” Jackson said of Simmers. “He's always been an important part of the team, but now he's like a key cog in the machine and he makes those plays. He motivates his teammates and without him we wouldn't be where we are now.”

Simmers helped slow the Raiders' offense in the fourth quarter.

Ball took advantage of the enormous space on rollouts in the second and third quarters, making five runs with double-digit yards. He also scored eight first downs with his legs. He finished the game with a total of 200 yards on the ground and in the air.

In the fourth quarter, however, Simmers played a spy role at quarterback as the Sentinels held the ISB quarterback in check. Ball was one yard behind in the final quarter.

“We had to make some adjustments, like putting pressure on the QB,” Simmers said. “When we started putting pressure on the QB in the second half, they couldn't score anymore.”

ISB coach Lee Rosky said his team regretted several mistakes, starting with the Raiders failing to defend the opening kickoff and allowing the Sentinels to capitalize.

Another key scene occurred at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Raiders were down by six points at the start of the fourth quarter and had advanced to the Spangdahlem 20-yard line. But a couple of sacks and a false start forced them to punt the ball from the Spangdahlem 44-yard line.

ISB, led in defense by Terry Koos' 13 tackles, never got close.

“We had a rhythm in the first half and then started scoring an own goal,” said Rosky.