As they prepare to once again compete in the Class 3A state track and field championships this weekend on the famed blue oval of Drake Stadium, the Washington Demons will take with them a roster of 37 athletes.

The Washington girls are looking to do some serious damage over the next three days in Des Moines, led in part by Iris Dahl. The sophomore is looking for a second straight year with a medal in the 800-meter run after winning a district championship last week in Mount Pleasant, her ninth victory of 2024 and 18th finish inside the top five.

Dahl also will take part in the 1,500 meters, while the Demons’ Leighton Messinger is back at state in the 100-meter hurdles and will run in the 400 hurdles alongside fellow sophomore Ryen Pepper.

Sophomore Leighton Salazar will take part in the long jump and will be parting of the starting quartet for Washington in the shuttle hurdles relay, joining Messinger, Pepper and junior Kendall Hinrichsen. Freshman Sarah Berdo, junior Rachel Sands and seniors Abigail Kleese and Ada Kendall will serve as alternates.

Like the shuttle hurdles squad, the Demons’ distance medley team of Kendall, Dahl, junior Eden Levetzow and freshman Jaedyn Moore will be trying to add to their district gold from last week. Messinger, Sands, junior Lauren Horak and senior Taylor Bartholomew are the alternates.

Dahl, Kleese, Horak and Hinrichsen make up the 4-by-800-meter starters for Washington, with alternates including Bartholomew, senior Amelia Dahl, junior Isabella Lujan and freshman Emma Horak.

Messinger, Salazar, Kendall and Moore will also represent the Demons in the 4-by-100. Alternates are Pepper, Levetzow, Sands and senior Emery Walton.

On the boys’ side, Micah Rees will look to cap off a brilliant running career at Washington with the one thing he didn’t achieve last season: a state medal. The senior is back in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters after reaching state in both races in 2023, but he finished no better than 10th.

This season has been a dominant one for Rees in the mile and two mile, as his district championships in both races last week ran his tally to eight wins and 12 top-five finishes this spring. Younger brother Andrew Rees will compete with him in the two mile after running the 18th-fastest qualifying time in the state.

The Demons’ Josh Anderson will be looking to add to his state medal count this weekend after winning silver in the wheelchair 100 meters as well as fourth-place finishes in the 200 and 400. The sophomore is back at Drake Stadium for all three races again and will also compete in the wheelchair shot put toss.

Freshman Greyson Hartman will look to add a state medal to his excellent debut season when he competes in the shot put, while junior Seth Shepherd will be taking part in the 400 meters.

Micah Rees will be an integral part of Washington’s efforts in the relays, including running the anchor of the Demons’ 4-by-800-meters alongside sophomore Sawyer Tschantz and juniors Logan McDole and Tyler Alderton. Andrew Rees will be an alternate for the relay, along with freshman Ethan Hotchkiss and seniors Kael Malichky and Lane Schrock.

Rees will also run the distance medley with senior Alec Ulin, junior Keider Gomez-Valdez and sophomore Kael Williams. McDole, Alderton and Andrew Rees will be alternates, as will junior Jayfred Espinosa.

Espinosa, Ulin, Williams and Gomez-Valdez also run the 4-by-100, with the alternates including senior Brennen Westphal and juniors Mason Morgan, Nate Edmonds and Conner Leyden.

The first event for Washington at this year’s state track meet will be right away, as the girls will have preliminary heats for the shuttle hurdles this morning at 9. Listen to KCII today, tomorrow and Saturday for updates throughout the day from the Class 3A championships.