Lineman help set record on Senior Night

WASHINGTON - In a 69-0 win, it would seem the offense was incredible.

Friday at Case Field, the Washington offense did its usual job, effectively scoring when given the chance. However, it was the Demon defense that created those chances. The D was so good that no Washington defense has ever played better in a football game, setting a record for least yards allowed.

Maybe because it was Senior Night for the fifth-ranked Demons or maybe because head coach James Harris prepped his team so well or maybe because the Demon D is just that good that Burlington had negative numbers in rushing and total yardage in the Class 3A District 5 game.

In the first quarter, BHS ran 12 plays that lost yardage, two that gained (a pass for 2 yards and a run for 2 yards), fumbled three times, losing two and punted twice.

'We have some pretty good D-lineman, so when you let us play six of them, it kind of plays into our strength,” Harris said of Burlington's offense.

Friday's D-line starters, with a Harris qualifier, were Bryan Martin ('stud on the edge”), Thomas Bias ('makes great plays”), Zayne Laws ('could lead state in tackles for loss”), Noah Kleese ('doing a great job”), Reece Mayer ('great with his hands”) and Wilx Witthoft ('just an animal”). All are seniors.

Laws came up with both fumble recoveries. Wyatt Stout scored his second touchdown for a 22-0 lead after fellow senior Spencer Sotelo returned the first punt 35 yards to the BHS 15.

'I saw a hole, thought I was scoring, but it seems like whenever I get a good return, I don't go all the way in,” Sotelo said, then joked, 'I thought I'd give somebody else a chance so I let them tackle me.” Sotelo took a 20-yard pass in for a TD on the next possession for a 28-0 lead.

With 48 seconds left in the first quarter, Mayer's 22-yard TD catch made it 36-0.

'I was wide open for my first ever touchdown and on my senior night, I don't know that anything feels better than that,” Mayer said.

The Demon D improved on the first quarter with nine BHS plays that all lost yardage, a punt, an interception returned for a 42-0 lead by Ethan Zieglowsky and a sack that was a likely safety, but officially marked at the 2.

It was 49-0 after Witthoft scored on his seventh carry of a 10-play drive. The half ended on BHS' fifth fumble.

'Coach prepares us with details he points out we have to watch for,” said Sotelo. 'He doesn't go overboard like they are ranked but he makes sure we are ready. Then we play them and find out they are really not that good.”

Harris' game-planning combined with Washington's talent resulted in reserves playing for much of the contest.

'Games like this helps us get young guys in so they can get a feeling for what it's like under these Friday night lights and that's why we put all the time in at the weight room,” Harris said.

Sophomore Dashaun Westphal-Edwards led the Demons with 3.5 TFLs.

Good teams rarely lead in individual statistics. Talent throughout allows everyone stats and no one stands out.

'We have so many people that can do things well,” Harris said. 'It's a tough problem to have, yeah, it's first world problems right there.”

A playoff team that rides one guy can be shut down. Ideally, the Demons have too many good players at too many positions to be shut down.

Washington is 6-0, 4-0 and plays at Keokuk Friday. Burlington is 1-4, 1-3 and plays Mt. Pleasant.

'All the fans here make the game amazing and there's nowhere else to be but Washington, Iowa on a Friday night at Case Field,” Sotelo said. 'It is amazing.”