A spike from Black Forest Academy’s Jonas Witherall got past Vicenza’s Baedyn Morehouse on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, and the Falcons got past the Cougars into this week’s DODEA-Europe Division II championships. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

As boys volleyball has grown throughout DODEA-Europe, the organization had stuck with just one championship tournament.

Generally the domain of the South region plus Black Forest Academy, the sport has stretched into Germany, England and Belgium in recent years. Those additions ballooned the tournament into a 14-team bash for a single title last year.

This year, though, that is no more. The 2025 DODEA European boys volleyball championships are split into two competitions – the North at Kaiserslautern and Ramstein high schools and the South in Vicenza on Friday and Saturday.

The final four in the South are Bahrain, Naples, Aviano and BFA. In the North, Ramstein, Vilseck, Stuttgart and Lakenheath are left.

The change comes with mixed emotions.

“There’s something to it when all the schools come together,” Bahrain coach Joshua Dinkler said. “We are one DODEA, and I think we’re going to be missing out on that.

“I wish we could all be up there together, but it will still be what I think are the best in volleyball in any division.”

As for the north, the younger programs have the chance to bring home their first-ever European crown.

All four programs have gone varsity in recent years. The Panthers themselves just joined the fray this season.

In its second season, Ramstein enters the tournament as the top seed. The Royals took fourth in last year’s championships.

“We would’ve loved the chance to compete in the tournament in Italy with everyone because that’s where you face the best teams from across Europe and truly test yourself,” coach Eric Kotzar said. “But for us, winning isn’t just about this season — it’s the culmination of four years of hard work, growth, and belief in what we’re building.”

In the South, Bahrain and Naples survived a gauntlet last weekend in Naples, while Aviano and BFA return to Vicenza after advancing from a qualifying tournament there.

The Saints are the defending champions and are hitting their stride at the right moment. They won their final six matches of the regular season and went 4-2 in Vicenza to come out on top.

“I don’t feel too much pressure to repeat,” Aviano coach Logan Riley said. “I just want the boys to go out there and play the best that they can.

“Things are clicking on our end. We’ve had some good wins at the qualifying tournament and carrying on through practice this week and hopefully into the tournament on Friday.”

With the cream of the crop playing for a title this weekend, it could come down to the little things.

Just like the qualifying tournament, the teams will play in a round-robin format of three sets in each match. The two teams with the most set wins will advance to Saturday’s title match, with head-to-head being the first tiebreaker and point differential being the next one.

“It depends on the mentality and psychology of every athlete on each team,” Dinkler said. “Sometimes, things go sideways when you don’t expect them to when there’s high stakes and high pressure like this.”

In the north, Ramstein has the top seed, with Vilseck in second. The Falcons won the tournament they hosted on Nov. 1 over Stuttgart after entering the postseason in fourth place.

That performance has given Vilseck confidence heading into this weekend.

“It’s good to know we can beat (the others), but we know it’s going to be a tough road to get there,” coach Darci Neville said.

With just four teams left in both divisions, though, nobody is willing to sleep on any other team.

“Everyone’s in this tournament for a reason,” Riley said. “They earned it, and they have their spot. So, take it one match at a time and just compete.”