Washington Demon girls’ golf practically lives at the state tournament these days, and they’ve got a return trip officially booked after winning the Class 3A Region 3 tournament yesterday at Edmundson Golf Course in Oskaloosa. Washington’s season-low team score of 339 strokes ended up 13 better than second-place Lisbon and almost 30 less than third-place Pella.

Demon senior Kaylin Long very nearly won an individual regional title as well, shooting a season best score of seven-over-par 79 and finishing as runner-up by two strokes. Fellow senior Makenna Conrad was fourth overall with an 82, while freshman Adalyn Long and senior Haley Mitchell both fired rounds of 89 and junior Maci Williams finished with a 91.

Senior Mallary Johnson added a 99 for Washington, which wins their 11th event of the season and continues a decade-long streak of qualifying for state as a team. Demons head coach Erin Thorius told KCII Sports that her players have earned their way to more success in Oskaloosa.

“They’ve put in the effort and the time beforehand, which is a really big, key ingredient,” Thorius said, “and over the past few years they’ve played regionals there as well and [other] tournaments, so really it’s kind of like a second home course for some of these girls. They’re just comfortable with it.”

Washington will now compete in the Class 3A state championships next Thursday and Friday at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls. The Demons will not only be looking for their second team state title in the last three years, but it would be the fourth state championship for the program since 2015.