A new era of girls basketball is beginning at Washington High school. Twenty days after the Grinnell Tigers ended Washington’s 2013-14 season, long time Demon head girls basketball coach Phil Long decided to call it a career. Over the final eight years of his tenure, Long averaged nearly 15 wins and ended with seven straight winning seasons.

Now, the foreseeable future of the Washington Demon girls’ basketball team is in the hands of Jay Zieglowsky. Zieglowsky was Long’s head junior varsity basketball coach for the past three years before being named as Washington’s head varsity coach in April.

Zieglowsky says he doesn’t feel pressure taking over for Coach Long, but realizes the shoes he is trying to fill. “He has forgotten more about basketball than I know.” Zieglowsky said, “I was privileged to work with him for five years. I learned a tremendous amount of things from him.”

Zieglowsky’s first challenge will be replacing 66% of the teams scoring from last season. First team all-conference performers Grace Redlinger (12.5 ppg) and Dema Giardino (9 ppg) are away at college, but the cupboard isn’t completely bare for the Demons. Three Southeast Conference honorable mention selections return for Washington, including: senior Sydney Hoffman (2.7 ppg), junior Amber Salow (5.4 ppg), and junior Morgan Kimball (3.4).

The Demons’ top returning scorer is Salow, who made 68 percent (25-37) of her free throws last season. Salow says the coaching transition has gone really well, but she has noticed a few changes in early season practice. “We have little changes on defense, and some offensive plays we are doing differently,” Salow said.

At the end of the day, Zieglowsky is going to stick with the fundamental principals of Demon girls basketball. “We have always been known as a pressing team,” Zieglowsky said. “We have always been known as a pressing, get up and down the court type of team. I have always said our best offense is when we don’t have to run one because you have created turnovers and you are transitioning.”

Washington is set to scrimmage two teams later this week. The Demons face the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks Thursday, and the WACO Warriors Friday evening. The Demons’ first regular season game is Monday evening at Eddyville-Blakesburg.

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