Demons prepped for playoffs

It will feel like déjà vu for Washington when the football team takes the field on Wednesday night.

Nearly one month after Solon came to Case field for a nondistrict match-up, the Spartans will make a return trip, but this time, there is much more on the line.

With the regular season concluding last weekend, the Demons (7-2) finished second in their district to earn a home game in the playoffs, while Solon (5-4) finished third in its district.

One of the Spartans? losses came against the Demons in Week 5, when Washington handed them a 28-14 defeat. Despite the home-field advantage and previous success, the Demons aren?t taking anything for granted in the win-or-go-home nature of the playoffs.

?They are going to come down here and want revenge,? Washington senior running back and safety Jack Giardino said. ?They think they shouldn?t have lost that game against us and they?re a solid No. 3 seed. Solon is always good, because they are well-coached and well-prepared. They lost a couple of close games, where they might not have played to their potential. Wednesday, we are going to get their best game of the season.?

Giardino, who has 736 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns on the season, was unable to go in the Demons? regular season finale against Davenport Assumption, but will be back on the field this week.

The senior said it was tough to not be out there as Washington fell to the Knights 33-24 on Thursday.

?I?m more than ready,? Giardino said. ?The guys have been great to keep me encouraged and help me get back into things. I love to get back on the field, and we are going to be ready to go on Wednesday.?

Last week?s loss ended the Demons? seven-game winning streak, and Demon head coach Garrison Carter said the team has bounced back in practice very well.

?We?ve had two really good practices in a row,? Carter said. ?Coming off a loss or not, you are still playing for your season. It?s lose or go home, so the intensity and focus is there. We have to have it right from the start. We can?t get down big early, and we have to clean those things up.?

With a familiar opponent coming up for Washington in the first round of the playoffs, Carter noted that with a short week, it has made it easier for coming up with a game plan to face the Spartans.

?Solon is well-coached and they?ll have adjustments to what we did against them, but I thought we had a good game plan (last time),? Carter said. ?The game is going to come down to if our defense answers what Solon does.?

The defense was stellar against the Spartans in the Week 5 victory, as the 14 points given up came on a 55-yard touchdown pass, and then a score which came with 1:33 left in the game, with the Demons already up by 21 at the time.

With that kind of success, Washington is feeling good about having a similar result on Wednesday night.

?We?ve watched more film on them, and are changing a few things up, but we have a lot of confidence in how we played against them last game,? Washington senior linebacker and wide receiver Michael Ellingson said. ?We need to have the same mindset and hopefully we?ll have the same outcome.?

With Washington opening up the postseason schedule this week, the recent history also favors the Demons.

Washington has won its past three postseason openers (all coming at home), and has a record of 8-3 in the playoffs over the past three years, including a 14-9 victory over Solon in the state semifinals two years ago.

?It?s mostly because everyone has that drive,? Ellingson said. ?It?s the playoffs, so if we lose, we are done. Everyone comes to play when it?s a playoff week.?

The Demons will kick off against the Spartans at 7 p.m. at Case Field, with gates opening at 6 p.m.