Mathew Wagner

Matt is a sports reporter for Stars and Stripes based in Kaiserslautern, Germany. A son of two career Air Force aircraft maintenance technicians, he previously worked at newspapers in northeast Ohio for 10 years and is a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

wagner.mathew@stripes.com

Ramstein striker Claire Boynton follows her shot as SHAPE center back Olivia Penry trails the play during a match on April 5, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Can anyone knock defending champs from their thrones?

Last year’s champions - Ramstein, Naples and AFNORTH - lost a lot. But they’re still among the favorites in their respective divisions in girls soccer.

Naples freshman Finn Stephens gets fouled by American Overseas School of Rome defender MengPeng Jiang during the Division II title match at the DODEA European soccer championships on May 23, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Expect surprises as boys soccer season debuts

The Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausern, Germany, has been housed in Emil Huober's original pretzel factory since 2016. Right before the entrance is a sculpture titled "Wheat Ear" by Paul Fuchs, whose double helix represents the pretzel form while the wheat highlights the village's agricultural past.

Don’t get it twisted? That’s the whole point at Germany pretzel museum

Wiesbaden's Jordan Thibodeaux shoots over Ramstein's Michael Gonzales in the boys Division I final at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, Feb. 15, 2025. Wiesbaden beat Ramstein 58-54 to win the title.

Thibodeaux drew on talents on court to fuel Warriors’ perfect season

Stuttgart's Hannah Holmes tries to score Wednesday, Feb. 12,2025, during the opening day of the DODEA-Europe Division I girls basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Holmes’ all-around game helped Panthers retain title

Stars and Stripes selects Stuttgart junior as girls basketball player Athlete of the Year.

Stuttgart's Kai Lewis takes down Ramstein's Isaac Martinez on his way to capturing the 157-pound title at the DODEA-Europe wrestling championships Feb. 8, 2025, in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Lewis adapted to Europe without losing winning edge

Transfer from Virginia went unbeaten on the way to a DODEA-Europe title.

Naples' Audrey Pounds twirls SHAPE's Ilaria Chierchia during a 155-pound pool-play match at the 2025 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 6, 2025, at the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center on Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Pounds got her chance to showcase talents on the mat

Naples junior goes unbeaten, wins a title in the first year of girls wrestling as a sport in DODEA-Europe.

Kaiserslautern sophomore Amanda Garcia fires from the standing position during the DODEA Western Conference marksmanship meet in Wiesbaden, Germany on Jan. 11, 2025. The Raiders finished in second place while standing toe-to-toe with Wiesbaden at the top of the conference.

Garcia’s clutch shooting helped Raiders retain title on firing range

Kaiserslautern sophomore takes the individual title as her team wins its second straight championship.

Warriors hang on for first title this century

Wiesbaden caps a perfect season by outlasting Ramstein in the boys D-I championship game.

Marymount's Patrick Gianni eyes the basket as he scores in the boys Division II final at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, Feb. 15, 2025. The Cougars beat the Royals 57-39 to take th division title.

Vicenza repeats as champ by stopping Marymount’s historic run

Cougars have won two in a row after a long drought, while Royals were attempting to triumph in the title game for the first time in school history.

The Baumholder bench celebrates a basket that turned into a three-point play in the waning moments of the game as the Buccaneers beat Alconbury in OT 49-43 to take the boys Division III title at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, Feb. 15, 2025.

Baumholder’s back on top again after topping Alconbury

The Buccaneers finished third last year to stop a five-year run atop D-III boys. Now they’re champs again.

Europe Scoreboard: Feb. 15, 2025

Ramstein center Kelan Vaughn reaches for a rebound over Vilseck center John Dorff during a Division I semifinal game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 14, 2025, at the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Ramstein’s standing in the way of a perfect Wiesbaden season

Unbeaten Warriors face perennial contender Royals in boys D-I championship game Saturday after both triumph in Friday semifinals.

Stuttgart guard Mia Snyder passes the ball around Wiesbaden guard Katie Shea during a Division I semifinal game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 14, 2025, at the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Upstart Vilseck meets perennial contender Stuttgart in girls final

Panthers triumph over Wiesbaden in Friday’s semifinal, while Falcons get a last-second victory over Kaiserslautern.

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