KCII’s coverage of the top sports stories from the 2010s decade continues today with a look at the year 2016 at Washington High School. 

Another spring and another first place trophy for the Washington girls’ golf program, as they captured their second straight title in class 4A including fourth in program history. Sarah Nacos captured her second individual championship shooting a 36-hole score of 154. The sophomore bested the whole field by a remarkable nine strokes. Deanna Peiffer also managed top 10 in a tie for fourth with a 170 score. 

A nine-year absence at the state cross country meet for Washington ended in the fall of 2016 when Claire Horak qualified for Fort Dodge in her first varsity season. The sophomore placed third at the state-qualifying meet in Solon to punch her ticket to state and the first Demon to do so since Kelsey Anding in 2007. At state, Horak placed 21st in class 3A out of 140 runners with a time of 19:49.2. This started a string of four consecutive years and counting with the Orange and Black represented in the annual competition. 

The Washington wrestling team had a strong winter and qualified for the class 2A state duals in Des Moines. The Demons fell to Independence and Davenport Assumption, but defeated Sergeant Bluff-Luton for a sixth place finish. Four Washington grapplers also qualified for the individual state tournament with Trey Van Weelden ending up on the podium in seventh place at 152 lbs.

The quick rise of the Washington archery program culminated in the school’s first world’s competition in the summer of 2016. The Demons qualified for the National Archery in the Schools Program’s Worlds International Bowhunting Organization’s 3D Challenge in South Carolina and placed 19th out of 40 high schools. Jade Wells and Joseph Dalziel led the team with matching 279 scores out of 300 and 15 bullseyes. Wells ranked 26th out of 166 high school girls and Dalziel was 47th out of 170 boys. 

Check back in tomorrow to take a look at the year 2017.