Washington prepares for Ft. Madison

Washington ran into the Solon buzz saw in Week 7. The No. 3-ranked Spartans (7-0, 3-0) have outscored opponents 309-74 this season, and the Demons were no exception with a 42-point defeat.

The Demons (3-4, 1-2) will look to regroup from the loss when they face Class 3A District 4’s bottom ranked side Fort Madison. The Bloodhounds are still seeking their first win of the season and are on a 17-game losing streak with their last win coming against Washington on Oct. 20, 2023.

Washington snapped a three-game losing streak against the Bloodhounds with a 41-21 win last season. The Demons lead the series 10-3 since 2008.

The Demons struggled to get their usually strong rushing attack going against Solon. with just 18 yards on 22 carries. Leading rusher Kael Williams had just eight carries for 21 yards.

Washington should find more success against a Bloodhounds side that has given up an average of 303.4 rushing yards per game. Despite its struggles against Solon, Washington has 1,294 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns this season. It’s six yards per carry is the 12th best mark in Class 3A.

Through the air, Nic Stone has continued to emerge as a top target for Williams. He leads Washington with 23 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown. Liam Roberts is not far behind at 213 yards and is a consistent big play threat. He’s averaging 21.3 yards per reception and has two touchdown catches, including an 85-yard score.

The Demons have coupled a its own run game with strong performances against opposing rushing attacks. Burlington gashed Fort Madison for 495 yards rushing in Week 1. Washington allowed the Grayhounds to gain just 195 yards in a narrow victory two weeks later.

Washington leads all 3A-4 teams and ranks sixth in Class 3A with 54 tackles for loss - that mark also ranks in the top 35 in the state overall. Blaine Rees has built off his second-team All District campaign last year and leads the Demons with 60.5 tackles. Brady Krantz has enjoyed a breakout junior campaign with 12.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Fort Madison is led by sophomore quarterback Stefan Berlett. In his first season as the Bloodhounds’ starter, Berlett has completed 65 of 140 pass attempts for 500 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Bloodhounds have found some success on the ground mainly through sophomore Moses Thacher and senior Eric Cornelis. Thacher leads the team with 390 rushing yards and six touchdowns while Cornelis has 243 yards and a pair of scores.

While Fort Madison hasn’t found much success this season, it has one of the district’s most talented young players in Aurelio Jaciunde. The freshman has been Berlett’s primary target though the air with 172 yards and a touchdown and has 124 yards rushing this season.

On the other side of the ball, Jaciunde leads Fort Madison with 28.5 tackles and two interceptions. He’s also the team’s primary kick returner with 343 yards and has even stepped in at quarterback on a few occasions. Jaciunde’s 646 all purpose yards ranks No. 7 in Class 3A-4.

Kickoff between Washington and Fort Madison is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Case Field. The game will be streamed on the Southeast Iowa Live YouTube and Facebook pages.