Demons ready for Steve Roth Relays

WASHINGTON — The defending Southeast Conference boys track champions will be at their home course on Thursday night, as Washington hosts the 2023 Steve Roth Relays.

The Demons, which scored 204 points to win the Southeast Conference meet last season, are ready to defend their title, and the team has plenty of senior leadership to fall back on for support.

Senior thrower Brayden Hartman helped the Demon track team to a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state race last season, taking second in the discus throw and eighth in the shot put. He says the year, he’s ready to take it up another notch.

“I've done a lot of work this offseason,” said Hartman. “I'm hoping to come out on top in the state in both shot and discus.”

Hartman’s performance earned the Demons nine points at the 2023 state tournament. Altogether, Washington scored 44, just six points back of third place.

“I've got to get the nerves down,” said Hartman. “I have to just calm down and throw the way I've been throwing all year.”

The Demons once again come into the SEC as the conference favorite. Washington has won the conference two years in a row, beating out rival Mt. Pleasant last season, and Fort Madison one year before. Hartman says the team is more than capable of winning a third-straight championship.

“Conference wise, we're going to go out there and win it,” Hartman said. “We obviously lost a lot of guys last year, but we have young guys that are stepping in and filling the big shoes.”

Among the returners are two-time defending 400-meter dash champion Elijah Morris, who scored 10 points individually for the Demon track team at the 2023 state meet. Among the losses to graduation was distance star Lance Sobaski, who was fourth in the 3200 and sixth in the 1600, for eight points.

The Demons also scored twice in state relays, taking second in the distance medley and third in the sprint medley.

Hartman says the team has plenty of up-and-comers, mentioning in specific Alec Ulin, which made state in the 400-meter dash and the 4X400 relay last season.

The 2023 Steve Roth Relays begin at 3 p.m. Other Union area schools participating include Columbus, Fairfield, Keota, Mt. Pleasant, WACO and Winfield-Mount Union.