Six teams competed in the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals at Vilseck Middle High School on Feb. 1, 2025. Vilseck hosted the finals for the first time since 2013. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
VILSECK, Germany – The Kaiserslautern Raiders aimed true, successfully defending their title on Saturday to secure back-to-back championships at the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals.
Fueled by Amanda Garcia’s standout performance — an impressive 586 out of 600 — the Raiders narrowly outshot the Wiesbaden Warriors to claim the top spot in the final firing order. The second-year shooter was the only competitor to achieve a perfect score in any discipline during the finals, earning a flawless 200 in the kneeling position.
“I was really hoping I didn’t mess up,” Garcia said. “I think it was because of my teammates. Aubrey (Garcia) … really helped me today and everyone just had fun … I wasn’t stressed to be there because I wasn’t alone.”
The Raiders scored 2,291 as a team – eleven better than the Warriors. On the other end of the podium, the Stuttgart Panthers narrowly missed second place in the final shots of the day, scoring an overall 2,278 points, only two shy of Wiesbaden’s 2,280.
The Warriors, who earned second place overall, proved to be tough competition for the Raiders throughout the season, finishing just 11 points behind.
“It wasn’t the best of our seasons,” Raiders coach Bill Conley admitted. “We were two and three this year, always neck and neck with Wiesbaden.”
The pressure was on in the third and final firing order of the day, as Ansbach, Ramstein, and Kaiserslautern took their last shots while Vilseck, Wiesbaden, and Stuttgart had already locked in their scores.
With everything on the line, the final round became the ultimate decider in an intensely contested battle.
“Every standing shot is going to matter. Every one,” Vilseck coach John Sabala said before going into the final firing order.
The Kaiserslautern Raiders celebrate their win after defending their title at the DODEA-Europe Marksmanship finals on Feb. 1, 2025. The team scored a total of 2,291 points, with second-year shooter Amanda Garcia, center, leading the team with 586 points. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern’s Amanda Garcia earned top shooter in the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals, leading the team to its second title in a row on Feb. 1, 2025. Garcia finished the day with a total of 586 points out of a possible 600. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Shooters competing in the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals fire in the standing position, the most difficult discipline of the sport. The finals held at Vilseck Middle High School on Feb. 1, 2025, saw the Kaiserslautern Raiders defending their title as the reigning champions. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden’s Cyndee Lassiter fires shots in the kneeling position during the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals at Vilseck Middle High School on Feb. 1, 2025. The Warriors finished second overall, Lassiter contributing 572 points to the team’s overall score of 2,280. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Aurora Mayo, from left, and Kathryn Gillooly prepare to fire in the kneeling position during the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals on Feb. 1, 2025. The respectively earned 573 and 571 points for the day, helping the Panthers earn their team total of 2,278 points. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Ansbach’s Laysha Bobbitt, David Serna and Marley Shackleton, from left, all prepare to fire in the standing position at the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals at Vilseck Middle High School on Feb. 1, 2025. Ansbach finished fourth overall with a team-score of 2,264 points. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
The Kaiserslautern Raiders defended their title at the DODEA-Europe marksmanship finals on Feb. 1, 2025. The team scored a total of 2,291 points, with their second-year shooter Amanda Garcia leading the team with 586 points. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Despite finishing sixth on the day with 2,226 points, Ramstein was in high spirits, celebrating a major milestone.
“This is the first time we’re competing in Euros,” said Royals coach Doug Haven. The school, which started their program three years ago, had never qualified for the finals in previous seasons, but they’re confident that the program will only continue to grow from here.
All six teams will be going to the states later this month to compete in Ohio and Alabama respectively for the Army and Air Force regional championships.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the entire team as a coach,” Conley said. “They just work well together…I’m very proud of them.”
