Keiran Daley, a junior with the Alconbury Dragons, takes a shot on goal against the Spangdahlem Sentinels in the 2025 DODEA European Division III Championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. The Dragons won the match against the Sentinels 4-0. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
LANDSTUHL, Germany – Proud champions faced hungry challengers Monday as the DODEA-Europe Division III soccer championships got underway.
Several teams hadn’t seen each other since the 2024 championships, in which AFNORTH swept both girls and boys titles. With many teams fielding small, young, and relatively inexperienced rosters, early matches were anything but predictable.
Girls
The day opened with the AFNORTH Lions facing off against the Sigonella Jaguars in a match that eventually resulted in a 4-1 Lions’ victory.
Despite already defeating the Jaguars twice this season, the Lions knew a third win wouldn’t come easily.
“It is daunting because … you beat a team twice, they’re not going to make it easy for you to beat them three times,” Lions senior Selah Skariah said after the match.
AFNORTH struck early, building momentum in the first half when a well-placed cross from Emery Koger connected with Maggie Masse for the opening goal — setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Several more goals followed, giving AFNORTH a comfortable lead. The Jaguars managed to slip one past the Lions’ defense late in the match, spoiling a shutout bid.
Shortly after, Brussels faced Spangdahlem in a gritty, hard-fought match that ended in a Brigands’ win in a penalty shootout.
Despite two prior losses to the Sentinels earlier in the season, the Brigands came out determined and unshaken.
The game remained tightly contested, ending regular time in a 1-1 tie and forcing a penalty shootout.
Sentinels’ goalkeeper Emma Barnes, a first-year player, proved unshakable, stopping every penalty kick and securing the win for her team.
“(Brussels) gave us a really hard run,” Spangdahlem coach Josiah Onyango said. “I’m just so happy with the level of D-III competition. I’m amazed there are so many good players from different schools, so I’m amazed at the level of experience,” he said.
AFNORTH sophomore Emery Koger passes the ball to a teammate while contested by players from the Sigonella Jaguars during their first match of the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Charlize Caro, a senior with the Sigonella Jaguars, sends the ball upfield in a matchup against the AFNORTH Lions during the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH's Maggie Masse and Emery Koger celebrate a goal in their matchup against the Sigonella Jaguars in the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Amaya Hutchinson, a freshman with the Spangdahlem Sentinels, defends against the Brussels Brigands offense in a head-to-head match that resulted in a penalty shootout during the 2025 DODEA European Championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Kate Baird, a senior with the Brussels Brigands, takes a penalty kick against the Spangdahlem Sentinels during the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Boys
Alconbury emerged as a powerhouse on Day 1, delivering back-to-back shutouts over the Spangdahlem Sentinels and the Baumholder Buccaneers.
The Dragons’ combination of speed and intensity overwhelmed opponents and gave them an early edge in a tournament that features a combination of all-boys teams along with a few co-ed squads.
Senior Sofia Politis was instrumental, consistently setting up multiple goals off corner kicks for the Dragons.
“The credit goes to Sophia Politis and her corner kicks. They’re just phenomenal,” Dragons coach Leslie Atkins-Hash said after the match.
Atkins-Hash also highlighted the leadership and defensive prowess of center back Taye Vickerstaff, who thwarted numerous offensive attacks throughout the day.
Defending champion AFNORTH had its hands full in tough matchups against both Ansbach and Brussels — the latter coming into the game riding high after a commanding 6-0 win over the Hohenfels Tigers earlier in the day.
The Lions’ first game, against the Ansbach Cougars, was a gritty showdown filled with physicality and fast-paced play — a rematch of sorts from the 2024 championship.
Despite the Cougars’ strong presence, foul trouble allowed the Lions several free kick opportunities. One of those set pieces resulted in a second-half goal to break a scoreless deadlock.
But Ansbach responded swiftly with a lateral run and an impressive sliding strike from outside the box by Daeveon Browne to even the score. Both teams’ defenses held strong for the remainder of the match, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
In the Sentinels’ final match of the day — after a tough loss to the Dragons marked by two disallowed goals due to offsides — they bounced back against Sigonella with renewed determination.
Despite having only one substitute, the Sentinels showed endurance and resilience. Two goals in the first half gave them the lead, and the second half became a test of their defensive strength.
With relentless pressure from the Jaguars, the Sentinels relied on goalkeeper Isaiah Riley, who delivered a standout performance. Riley stopped a penalty kick in the first half and kept several free kicks out with help from the crossbar, preserving the 2-0 win.
“I feel like … this was our last chance – last hoorah – and we put everything on the field,” Sentinels sophomore Troy Truscott said. “Through that effort, we were able to hold out to get the win.”
Jace Jobity, a freshman with the Hohenfels Tigers, dribbles the ball in a matchup against the Brussels Brigands in their first match of the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Mikolaj Czernielewski, a senior with the Sigonella Jaguars, goes up against a midfielder from the Baumholder Buccaneers in their 6-0 win for their first match of the 2025 European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
The Baumholder Buccaneers went up against the Sigonella Jaguars in their first matchup of the 2025 DODEA European Championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Nathan Kirstein, a junior with AFNORTH, is contested by Ansbach Cougars junior Nathan Arreguin in a tough matchup during the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Chris Roman, a sophomore with the Ansbach Cougars, takes control of the ball in a matchup against the Hohenfels Tigers that resulted in a 6-0 win over the Tigers at the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Marc Kpade, a senior with the AFNORTH Lions, is contested by a player from the Brussels Brigands in their second match of the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Russel Checketts, a senior with the Spangdahlem Sentinels, throws the ball into play during a match against the Alconbury Dragons at the 2025 DODEA European Division III soccer championships in Landstuhl, Germany on May 19, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
