At KCII, we’re continuing to count down the top 10 sports stories at Washington High School in the 2023-2024 academic year. At number eight is the softball team putting together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in a decade.

Not only did Washington have their first back-to-back winning seasons since 2012 and 2013, but the Demons also won 24 games for a second straight summer, the most in a single season for the program in 11 years, spending most of the summer state ranked as well.

Washington started 2024 by winning 21 of their first 25 games, going on to finish second in the Southeast Conference for a second straight season. The Demons rode a stellar offense, scoring 291 runs and finishing the season in the top 10 in the state in Class 3A in scoring, batting average, total hits and runs batted in.

The Salazar sisters played a large role in Washington’s success, as both players were first-team all-conference selections and would go on to receive all-district and all-state honors.

Sophomore Leighton Salazar was a second-team all-state choice for a second straight year after leading the Demons with a .524 batting average, 66 total hits, 10 doubles, 54 runs scored and a school-record 36 stolen bases.

Bella Salazar was a third-team all-state honoree after hitting .348 with 37 runs batted in, and the junior had an excellent season as a pitcher as well, winning 13 games and posting career bests of a 2.67 earned-run average and 100 strikeouts.

Alyvia Anderson was one of the breakout stars for Washington after batting .375 with team highs of 10 doubles, three home runs and 43 RBI on her way to all-conference honors.

Fellow junior Ella Greiner was also a second-team choice after hitting .453 with six doubles, two homers, 32 runs scored and another 28 driven in. Freshman Colbie Greiner, junior Kendall Hinrichsen and senior Emery Walton rounded out the Demons’ all-conference selections.

Be listening over the next two weeks as the countdown of KCII’s Top 10 Washington Sports Stories from the last year continues, and find the stories as their spot on the countdown is revealed at KCIIradio.com.