Wiesbaden’s Linden Pickler, left, and Zurich International’s Zoe Bentley run together during the girls race at a cross country meet on Sept. 27, 2025, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

SHAPE’s Cassandra Jarzabek and Wiesbaden’s Linden Pickler already have won at the highest level they could as high school cross country runners.

Jarzabek won the DODEA-Pacific crown as a sophomore at Humphreys in South Korea and set the region record last year. Pickler, meanwhile, took home the Kansas 6A individual state title as a freshman, before moving to Wiesbaden.

When the duo step onto the course for Saturday’s 2025 DODEA European cross country championships at Rolling Hills Golf Course in Baumholder, Germany, only one can come out on top in what might be Europe’s next great long-distance running rivalry.

Jarzabek and Pickler have posted eight of Europe’s 10-fastest times this fall. The only two to break up their duopoly: Molly Smith of Lakenheath, whose best time of 19 minutes, 45 seconds on Oct. 25 at Brunssum, Netherlands, is eighth on the list, and Zurich International’s Zoe Bentley, whose school doesn’t compete in DODEA championships.

The Spartan and Warrior have competed against each other just once this season – in the teams’ first meet on Sept. 13. At Wiesbaden, Jarzabek beat Pickler by 29 seconds.

That race created a sense of respect between the two.

“I like how we’re both able to push each other,” Jarzabek said. “I think going into it, I’m just learning not to underestimate her and not to underestimate anybody for that matter.”

Jarzabek has a slight advantage with two of the Top 3 times in Europe so far, the fastest being 18:14.94 on Sept. 27 in Mons, Belgium.

Cassandra Jarzabek took top honors in the Asia-Pacific Invitational and Far East Division I cross country races as a Humphreys sophomore and went unbeaten during the regular season in 2024. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Pickler pointed out how Jarzabek stays steady throughout the race, and she will have to stay on the Spartan’s tail to keep within striking distance before potentially hitting another gear in the closing meters – like she did to claim her state title.

The good news is her 19:30.7 at Ramstein during the last regular-season meet was faster than Jarzabek’s 19:44 in Brussels on Oct. 25.

“I know what it means to try to pace with the other two girls that are in front of me because I had the same field in Kansas with the two girls that were a little faster than me,” Pickler said.

While newcomers with strong pedigrees lead the pack on the girls side, the boys are looking up to pair of known commodities – or they would be, if much of Europe had raced against them.

AFNORTH’s Logan Conrad and Sigonella’s Grady Guth are the lone two DODEA runners in Europe to break the 17-minute mark and have the four fastest times this fall.

Stuttgart’s Ethan Cohen has flirted with joining the club, recording three results between 17:01 and 17:09.49. Ramstein’s Adden Lowe is the only other runner in the Top 10 at 17:11.

Sigonella senior Grady Guth stayed unbeaten on the season by winning his third race Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Lago di Fimon, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Not that any of those four are counting their chickens just yet. Conrad’s performance at last year’s championship was a great example of what could happen Saturday, as the Lion came out of nowhere to place second behind winner Seth Leishman of Frankfurt International.

“There’s always other unknowns,” said Conrad, who’s clocked Europe’s quickest 5K at 16:20. “I wasn’t really supposed to do that great last year and just had a really good race at Euros. There’s always a chance someone else does the same thing this year.”

The reason for Conrad’s near anonymity stems from running only in the Benelux region this campaign.

Guth, meanwhile, is a little better known. The Jaguar began his career at Stuttgart before moving to Sicily last year where his career took off with a 10th-place finish at last year’s Euros.

He’s picked up right where he left off and has swept all his races in Italy this fall, with a best time of 16:43.7 on Oct. 18.

“When I go to meets, they’ll say, ‘Hey, you’re Grady.’ And I’ll say, ‘Yeah, what’s up?’ ” Guth said. “But people up in the UK and Germany, I really don’t get to meet them as much.”

Guth and Co. will have their hands full with Conrad, who already knows his tactics for the hilly Baumholder course.

“I plan on taking it out fast,” Conrad said. “I’ll hopefully lead the race from start to finish and have it under control the whole time.”

AFNORTH junior Logan Conrad beat Stuttgart’s Jackson Balfrey-Boyd by a whisker at the finish for second, 17:14.05 to 17:14.30, at the DODEA-Europe cross country championship on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, Baumholder, Germany. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Pickler and Conrad may be seeking individual titles, but they also have team races that could end in trophies.

The Wiesbaden girls are hoping to end the Stuttgart girls’ reign of terror in Division I this fall. The two schools have faced off three times already, with the Panthers beating the Warriors twice. Both of Stuttgart’s victories were 29-37 on Sept. 20 and Oct. 18, while Wiesbaden held serve at home 41-45 on Sept. 27.

“The team title would mean a lot because every girl on the team is super amazing,” Pickler said. “It would be really fun just to experience that as a team.”

As for the AFNORTH boys, they are trying to topple two-time defending Division III champion Brussels. The squads have faced off four times, with the Brigands winning three times and the Lions once.

The schools have had two 1-point differences this fall, and the biggest margin of victory was nine on Oct. 25 when Conrad and No. 2 runner Patrick Stevens didn’t run for the Lions.

“It will be tight between us and Brussels, but I think we can take it for sure,” Conrad said. “It would be pretty cool for the team and for myself, just to prove all the effort was worth it.”

Stuttgart junior Ethan Cohen runs down the finishing straight during the boys race at a cross country meet on Sept. 27, 2025, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)