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Demons crunch Chiefs
Washington football team clamps Keokuk on Homecoming
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WASHINGTON — Homecoming week for the 2024 Washington football team ended with plenty of fireworks, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, as the Demons made a statement against visiting Keokuk on Friday night.
One year after falling to Keokuk 47-0 on the Chiefs Homecoming night, the Demons tasted vengeance in a huge way, opening district play with a dominant 35-0 victory.
“This is a game last year that really got away from us,” said junior running back Kael Williams. “We had our best week of practice this year, and we just got it done.”
Williams had been serving as the quarterback for the last two weeks after senior starter Logan McDole went down with an injury, but the leader of the Demon offense was back for Homecoming, and he made sure the Chiefs knew it right away.
McDole burned Keokuk with his arm and his legs all night long, but it was the ladder that did the damage early on. He scored twice int he first quarter, cashing in on aa short touchdown run to give the Demons the lead with 3 minutes, 57 seconds showing on the first quarter clock, and following that with a 12-yard scamper just over two minutes later.
“Even when Logan was gone, we were working,” Williams said. “I knew when Logan got back, he'd step right back into that role and be a great leader.”
Leading 14-0 in the second quarter, the Washington defense came up with a major takeaway, as Blaine Rees fell on the ball after a strip sack to give the Demon offense the ball at Keokuk’s 17-yard line. One play later, McDolee found Williams on a touchdown pass that helped bump the lead up to 21-0. That’s where the score would stay heading into halftime.
“You never know where the player's heads are during Homecoming week,” said Demon head coach Kelly Williams. “You try to keep them locked in. I could tell they were locked in and ready to go.”
In the third quarter, Mason Morgan made some homecoming magic. The senior speedster picked off a pass from Keokuk quarterback Brenton Hoard on the first Chiefs’ drive, and one play later, McDole found him in stride on a 45-yard touchdown pass, which brought the score to 28-0.
Williams scored once more later in the third quarter, which brought the score to 35-0. A second pick by Morgan proved to be the final dagger, as the running clock quickly bled out in the fourth.
“The players deserve the outcome of the game tonight,” Coach Williams said. “They put in a lot of work for it.”
McDole threw for 118 yards and two scores in the win, while also rushing for 99 yards and a pair of touchdowns. After the game, the Demon QB was feeling just fine.
“It felt great to get back,” McDole said. “I'm surprisingly feeling a lot better than I thought it would be.”
Williams went for 108 yards and a score on the ground, and also 48 yards and a score through the air. Morgan led the receivers with 62 yards and a touchdown.
Jaydred Espinosa caught two passes on the day, and came up with a big play to preserve the running clock in the fourth quarter, as he intercepted Hoard in the end zone. Along with Morgan’s two picks, and fumble recoveries by Rees and Williams, it made five Washington takeaways on the day.
Washington is now 4-1 overall and 1-0 in district play heading into a rivalry matchup at Mt. Pleasant (2-3, 0-1) next week.
