Demons start season on road at Marion

WASHINGTON - The 2018 football season opened for Washington under a new head coach in James Harris. The Demons lost their first two games before going 6-1 in the final seven games of the season.

Harris and the Demons will try to change last year's beginning of the season with a victory in the first game of 2019 when they travel to Marion Friday.

Marion went 4-5 last season, losing quarterback Trevor Paulsen to injury after he went 46-for-87 with six touchdowns passing in his first two games. Paulsen has graduated and Gage Franck spent time at the QB position as a sophomore, but the Indians are still looking for a playmaker at the position in juniors Ryan Paulsen and Wyatt Cannon. Isaac Cechota (7,7 yards per carry last season), fellow senior Connor Whalen and junior Lucas Unsen are expected to boost a Marion rushing attack that will require signifigant production to relieve pressure on a first-year QB.

Marion head coach Tim Lovell starts his fourth year with a 15-12 record and the chemistry of having this group of seniors for all of his tenure.

'Together we will. That is what it is all about,” Lovell said. 'These seniors believe in what we are doing and the young guys are feeding off of that.”

The Indians run a defensive alignment of four linemen and four linebackers. Lineman Trevor Kaufman had 28.5 tackles last season including four for loss. Linebacker Ben Gibson had 32,5 tackles last year as a junior.

Washington returns senior Luke Turner at quarterback for a third year. He was 108-for-211 for 1,446 yards passing with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions last season. He ran for 10 TDs and 508 yards on 127 carries, the Demons leader in all three rush categories.

The Demons must find replacements at the running back position. Wilx Witthoft is the leading returner with 45 carries last year as a sophomore.

Washington also lost sure-handed receivers in Cade Hennigan, Chase McDole and Kole Hinrichsen, but return Ethan Hunt, who led in yards receiving with 470. Brady Knutson also returns with his 11 catches for 122 yards last year as a junior.

Washington hosts Oskaloosa in Week 2.