It’s all on the line for Washington Demon boys soccer tonight as they take on Fort Madison in the Class 3A Substate 2 semifinals. Washington is in the middle of one of the best seasons in program history, having gone 10-3 and won their second-ever Southeast Conference championship.

Eight goals each scored by sophomore Edwin Cortes and seniors Manny Raymundo, Brayan Arreola and Bill De La Rosa have powered a balanced attack that has led the Demons to six wins in their last seven matches.

One of those victories was a thrilling 1-0 win at Fort Madison, the first against the Bloodhounds in six years that would also ultimately clinch the first outright conference title in team history.

Washington has also proven their mettle as comeback kings, rallying from a multi-goal deficit to win three times this season and either winning or taking the match to penalties in six games that were tied in the second half. One of those games was a loss to Fort Madison that ended in PKs, although the Demons did rally from a 3-1 halftime deficit to force overtime.

With senior Randy Huertero leading the defensive back line and goalkeeper Braedon Tappan stepping up to make 95 saves and stop nearly 80 percent of the shots he’s faced as a freshman, Washington has outscored their opponents by a total of 16 goals this spring.

Prior to their May 8th win at Fort Madison, the Demons had dropped 11 straight meetings with the Bloodhounds, with four of the last six being one-goal games.

It’s Round Three in 2024 as Washington matches up with Fort Madison with the season and a trip to the Substate 2 finals on the line this evening starting at 7 at Washington Wellness Park.