The Washington Demon football team resumes postseason play at Case Field this evening against a recent playoff foe.The 7-3 Demons welcome the 8-2 Carlisle Wildcats to town for a Class 3A second round matchup. Both teams are the no. 2 seeds in their respective districts, and Washington was named the host site based on descending alphabetical order.
This matchup features two teams playing their best football at the end of the season. Washington comes in as winners of their last five games, including a 24-17 victory over the Independence Mustangs last Wednesday to advance to tonight’s contest. Since losing 17-6 at the hands of top-ranked Pella on October 3rd, Carlisle has rattled off four straight wins including a 27-6 victory against Winterset last Wednesday to advance to tonight’s matchup.
Carlisle’s offense features the split back veer formation, and the Wildcats have a pair of senior running backs who have had successful seasons out of the formation. Number 24 K.C. McMullen leads Carlisle with 1,082 rushing yards, while number no. 1 Tyrell Erb is second on the team with 792 rushing yards. Both running backs have found the end zone 12 times this season.
Another player to watch offensively is junior quarterback Jordan Pierce. Pierce, a two year starter, has collected 1,361 total offensive yards and has scored 18 touchdowns this season for the Wildcats. Washington head coach Garrison Carter says this year’s Carlisle team is seemly identical to the one Washington faced in a 49-15 first round win last October at Case Field.
“Last year all those guys were juniors playing up here in Washington and were over-matched by an upperclassman heavy Washington team.” Carter said, “Now, they are in that situation. They return a lot of those guys who have seen playoff adversity and we are the young guys. We have a few guys who have been through the wars but a lot of these guys are first time starters in the playoffs.”
Carlisle head football coach Mark Hokestra says despite the coaching change, he sees a lot of similarities between the 2013 and 2014 Washington football teams.
“Obviously, the quarterback (Daryn Sebelius) being back, and then personnel wise you remember some of the players that are back.” Hokestra said, “They look to be doing a lot of the same things on defense, and they look to be doing a lot of the same things offensively, also.”
The Class 3A playoffs resume this evening in Washington as the Demons face the Carlisle Wildcats. Coverage of tonight’s postseason football game begins with the Washington Hy-Vee Pregame Show at 6:30, on AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com.