Hoco vs. streak

MT. PLEASANT — The Washington and Mt. Pleasant football teams have played against each other 14 times since the year 2009, and every single one of those matchups have went the way of the Demons.

On Friday night, Washington looks for a historic 15th-straight win over the rival Panthers, while Mt. Pleasant looks for a monster win on Homecoming night.

“They’ve grown over the last few years and they’re getting really good,” said Washington quarterback Kael Williams. “So we know that it’s going to be a tough game, it’s going to be a grind.”

Williams and the Demons escaped Mapleleaf Athletic Complex with a 39-28 victory, the closest game since the infamous 64-61 Demon win at Case Field in 2019.

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In 2017, 2018 and 2019, Washington had to scrap and claw for every inch, beating Mt. Pleasant by a combined 10 points in those three games. In the next four years, Washington won every battle by 14 points or more until a return to competitiveness last fall.

The game also serves as the first district game of the year, and it could be a really big one, as the 3-1 Panthers and 2-2 Demons have shown plenty of postseason promise through the first four games.

Washington comes into Mt. Pleasant riding a two-game winning streak. Williams has been the star thus far, throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 484 yards and seven scores.

Washington doesn’t have a running back over 80 yards on the ground on the season, but a few players have stuck out in the passing game. Liam Roberts has 146 yards and two touchdowns on just four catches. Carson Brown has caught 10 passes for 95 yards, and Nic Stone has caught eight balls for 72 yards and a score.

Clayton Evans currently leads the Washington defense with 25.5 tackles on the year. Williams, Roberts and Caden Greiner all have interceptions. Williams has a forced fumble, and Ryan has recovered one fumble.

Mt. Pleasant, on the other hand, has been extremely balanced, earning 556 yards through the air and 549 yards on the ground.

Quarterback Grayson Walker has thrown for all 556 yards, along with four touchdowns. Brody Clark has 158 yards receiving and a score. Kaden Schadt has 150 yards receiving, and Isaiah Lange has 100 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

The Panther ground game has been led by Ramzy Davis, who has rushed for 297 yards and eight scores. Ryan Helling is the only other Panther in triple digits, with 107 yards and a touchdown, while Griffen Jones has rushed for 95 yards and three touchdowns.

Lange and Max Sloat lead the Panther defense with 18 and 17 tackles respectively. Mt. Pleasant has been excellent at taking the ball away, with five fumble recoveries and five interceptions on the year already.

Sloat has the lone defensive score, a recovery of a blocked punt. Jack Newman has three of the team’s five interceptions.

Friday night’s matchup is the beginning of a five-game district schedule for both teams. Two teams will enter, and only one will walk out 1-0.