Wiesbaden’s Luke Jones, the defending DODEA-Europe boys cross country champion, was well ahead of the competition in the 3,200 meters at the track championships last spring as well. The Wiesbaden junior set a new record in the event. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Vilseck cross country coach James Moellendick constantly tells his runners to close the gap during races.

It’s a simple piece of advice that can be hard to follow during the DODEA-Europe season, when most meets consist of no more than six teams. With big stretches between runners on courses, it can be lonely if stuck without a group or partner across the 5-kilometer track.

“It’s always easier to run with somebody than it is to run by yourself,” Moellendick said. “To have somebody who is pushing you and always there that is close to you or ahead of you is very motivating and it helps to make you go faster.”

The only athlete he hasn’t had to tell that to is Jackson Cochran, who usually runs out well ahead of his competitors. In fact, Moellendick normally tells the senior to create a gap.

However, the Falcon coach will dish out his standard advice to Cochran on Saturday at Rolling Hills Golf Course in Baumholder, Germany: close the gap.

The reason comes in the form of Wiesbaden’s Luke Jones, the favorite to repeat as champion at the DODEA European championship meet. Jones is the only one to have bested Cochran this season. The first was by 35 seconds in the season-opening meet at Ansbach on Sept. 9 and the other was by 23 seconds during the big 11-team meet at Vilseck on Sept. 23.

Trying to bridge that deficit sits on Cochran’s mind.

“That’s one thing I’ve been thinking about,” Cochran said. “Everybody always goes out way too fast at the start. Luke does a good job of not doing that. So, sticking with him at the beginning and staying with him and then separating from the rest of the pack and seeing what happens from there.”

Vilseck’s Jackson Cochran set a school record by winning a race hosted by Munich International earlier this season in a time of 16 minutes, 5 seconds. He bettered that time a few weeks later. (Mark Wavra/Special to Stripes)

It’s hard to look past the Jones and Cochran in terms of winning the boys individual title – as well as Lakenheath’s Abra Mills for the girls crown – considering their dominance on DODEA-Europe’s top times.

Not only are the duo the only ones to have broken the 16-minute mark, but they also boast of having the top boys eight times. Both runners posted their best times on the same day (Oct. 7), with Jones recording a 15:53 at his home course and Cochran going 15:58.5 in Munich.

Jones, though, doesn’t look at the times of his nearest competitors. He makes an exception for his teammates, as he has high hopes the Warriors could come on top in the boys race. The second through fifth runners had a spread of 1:58 at the same meet Jones broke 16 minutes.

The biggest competitors will be Ramstein, whose fifth runner on Oct. 7 at Stuttgart crossed the line in 18:14, and Stuttgart, the two-time defending champion whose top runner finished in 17:49 and fifth came in at 18:30 at the same meet as the Royals.

“For the sake of my teammates, especially the boys this year – I think we have a good chance of winning the championship – I make sure to look at other schools,” Jones said. “I’ve been talking to some of the guys and getting them an idea of what (others) are running.

“I think it would be really cool to win again. For the team to get it, that’s even more significant to me.”

Individually, though, Jones is shooting to break the mark at the Baumholder course, which has hosted the European meet since 2012. Ramstein’s Dashiell Rogers set the record in 2018 by crossing the line in 16:16.

That team-first mentality is shared by his rival Cochran, who said he wants to help inspire his teammates. For what it’s worth, Moellendick described Cochran as one of the most dedicated runners he has coached in a long time.

Still, finally getting a win against Jones would be a pretty good prize.

“Winning would be nice, but Luke’s pretty fast,” Cochran said. “So, I expect to get top two.”