A new season for the Washington Demon boys’ and girls’ soccer teams begins tonight in Columbus Junction. The Demons will make the short drive to Louisa County for a non-conference doubleheader versus the Columbus Wildcats. This is the season opener for both schools.

The boys’ matchup pits the Demons against the Wildcats for the first time since the 2013 season. Columbus returns their top two goal scorers from last season in juniors Ruben Paz and Eric Cantarero. Paz kicked in a team-best 18 goals last season, while Cantarero deposited eight shots in the net. Washington senior Christian Mejia is the top goal scorer returning for the Demons, connecting on five shots. Sophomore Thomas Zimmer is back as the starting goalkeeper for the Demons, making 129 saves as a freshman.

The girls’ game features two teams who met twice on the pitch last season. Washington and Columbus played in last year’s season opener, a 3-2 victory for the Wildcats on April 7. The Demons won the rematch between the squads, a 3-1 victory on May 15. Senior Kristen Barber is the Demons’ leading returning goal scorer, finishing with two shots in the net. Six Wildcat players tied for the team lead with two goals scored last season, four of which are returning this spring. Those returning include seniors Melissa Meldonado and Tania Martinez and juniors Bailey Stroud and Shania Boyd.

The non-conference doubleheader kicks off at 5 p.m. with the girls contest and the boys are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Columbus High School.