The Demons were looking for a statement against Pella, not just a win, but redemption and they did just that Friday when they went into Pella and shutout the Dutch on their home field.
Washington won 28-0 in front of a large traveling Demon Crowd.
The game started like most thought it might, a back and forth contest of Washington and Pella not able to move the ball very far, but it was Pella who made the first mistake, when Noah Clayberg came through the line and fumbled the ball for a Demon recovery, but the Demons did nothing with it, going three and out and having to punt. Pella would get their chance to scare the Demons, marching down the field to the five yard line of Washington. The Demons had other plans though, stopping them on three runs and making them setup for the field goal at the start of the second.
The Dutch lined up put it in the air and the blocking paw of Garrett Covington reached up and sent it backwards. The Demons ran to recover the blocked field goal, but an inadvertent whistle stopped the play where Tanner Knupp touched the ball and the Demons took over at their own 25. Washington marched down the field and again had to punt as no one could get any traction in the game, until Washington got another gift in a bad punt that gave Washington great field position. They got to the 35 yard line and Daryn Seibelius found Tanner Knupp over the middle, and Knupp made the rest happen scoring on the pass and making the score 7-0. Just before the half was over, Pella’s quarterback and top scorer Noah Clayberg dove over the line of scrimmage landing on his elbow and inuring his arm, he did not return to the game.
Out of the halftime break it looked like a new Demons team, the defense was quicker, and Alex Coker sprang to life. Pella’s backup quarterback Austin Schulte tried to force a pass that Jacob Green intercepted and gave the Demons great field position, but the Demons were stopped as the Pella defense was still playing hard. Washington eventually found the end-zone with 5:36 left in the third on a six yard run by Alex Coker to make it 14-0.
In the fourth quarter it was all Demons. Scoring two more times, going 95 yards on eight plays and scoring off a Tanner Knupp run from five yards, and then with 5:19 left a seven yard run by Coker sealed the deal and the Demons closed out the win to go to the Dome for the first time since 1997.
Demon head football coach Randy Schrader said this trip to the dome is for more than just his team, it is for the town.
“What an opportunity for our community and our surrounding communities, for our kids and our coaches to get the opportunity to go play in Cedar Falls,” Schrader said. “These seniors especially when they were Freshmen, they bought into what we were doing, they bought into the weight room, bought into our philosophy and now here they are, the fruits bear, and now here we are going to Cedar Falls, going to play in the semi-finals, we have an opportunity to really make a run, and I’m just so proud of our kids and coaches.”
Washington was led by Coker who had 109 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns, while Daryn Seibelius was 8-14 for 97 yards and a touchdown, and Knupp had 36 yards on the ground on seven carries and one touchdown, and caught two passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.
Washington will travel to Cedar Falls on Thursday to take on Solon who was a 28-20 winner over Decorah. The Demons and Spartans will play the late game at the dome with kickoff at 8:21. You can hear that game right here on AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com under radio plus with pregame around 7:50. The one to count on for playoff football is AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com.