Pashmina Larson of Ansbach High School takes aim from the prone position during the DODEA-Europe marksmanship championships on Jan. 31, 2026, at Vilseck High School on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
VILSECK, Germany — Kayla Garrett was nervous as the freshman shooter from DODEA-Europe marksmanship powerhouse Kaiserslautern stepped to the firing line in her first European championship.
Her heart beat fast, but she focused on the lyrics of songs thumping over the public address system, and leaned on her teammates – back-to-back defending champions – for support.
Garrett went on to win the prone and overall best shooter awards and propelled the Raiders to a three-peat championship performance Friday and Saturday, thus solidifying their place in DODEA high school marksmanship lore.
“I think it went really well,” she said afterwards, arms full of awards. “My team has definitely helped me through it.”
The team not only took the team crown Saturday at Vilseck High School for the third year in a row, but also nearly swept every individual category, behind outstanding performances by Garrett and sophomore Analeiah Nieves, who won the best standing shooter award, respectively.
Vilseck’s Camdyn Deese won the kneeling category, preventing a clean sweep by the visiting Raiders.
Kaiserslautern bested second place finishing Ansbach by 54 with a two-day total of 4,626. Ansbach edged out Vilseck, 4,572 to 4,566.
The competition began Friday afternoon in the Vilseck cafeteria. The six teams — Ansbach, Kaiserslautern, Ramstein, Stuttgart, Vilseck and Wiesbaden — split into two heats, with Stuttgart, Vilseck and Wiesbaden shooting first.
Deese excelled from the kneeling position, putting up a 191 and Garrett was a near perfect 198 from the prone. Nieves bested the competition with 191 from the standing position.
The following day, the order was reversed, with Ansbach, Kaiserslautern, Ramstein hitting the firing line first. Yet the winners never wavered. Deese scored a 190 while kneeling and Garrett scored a 199 from the floor. Nieves put up another consistent performance with a 190 from her feet.
Garrett defeated all challengers with a two-day total of 1,269 total points.
Camdyn Deese of Vilseck High School, right, battles it out with Stuttgart’s Erica Logan in a special 3×20 round at the conclusion of the DODEA-Europe marksmanship championships on Jan. 31, 2026, at Vilseck High School, Germany. The event featured the top-eight individual point-getters in Europe. Logan ended up edging Deese and taking home the gold medal. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
Shooters from Defense Department high schools across Europe take aim from the prone position during the DODEA-Europe marksmanship championships on Jan. 31, 2026, at Vilseck High School on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
The three-time reigning champion Kaiserslautern High School Raiders pose with their trophies and awards following the DODEA-Europe marksmanship championships on Jan. 31, 2026, at Vilseck High School on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
The trophies and awards are wheeled out for the awards presentation following the DODEA-Europe marksmanship championships on Jan. 31, 2026, at Vilseck High School on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
“K-Town shot their best score of the season on day one,” Vilseck coach John Sabala said during a break in the action. “They made it really tough to catch up on day two. They’re performing really well right now.”
Stuttgart’s Erica Logan beat seven other top individual point-getters in Europe to win a subsequent 3×20 round.
When the competition was over, Vilseck senior Jasmine Tetterton remained behind, a wide smile on her face. She finished the season as the top point scorer going into the championship.
“I love shooting,” she said. “There’s so much beauty in this sport.”