The Washington Demons have become one of the premier distance-running programs in the southeast part of the state, and they’ll look to uphold that reputation in the upcoming cross country season.

Washington has sent a team to the state meet in back-to-back seasons, with the girls reaching the Class 3A championships in 2022 and the boys making it to state for just the second time in school history last year.

While record-setting runner Micah Rees and a few others have graduated from that roster, the Demon boys will be led by two veterans in senior Tyler Alderton and junior Andrew Rees, who each would have individually qualified for state in 2023 regardless of if their team followed them.

Alderton will be looking to reach the state meet for a third straight year and build on seven top-10 finishes in 2023, as well as guide Washington to more team success and, potentially, a fourth straight Southeast Conference championship.

Demons head coach Stefanie Haworth tells KCII Sports that, even with some new faces, they’re not lowering the bar for the boys’ team any time soon.

“We have a lot of new kids,” Haworth says, “so it’s hard to see where they’re going to fit into the picture once competition starts, but, honestly, I’m not ruling out state. This team is a solid team, and I think they have [a] good chance of making it to state, and that’s one of their goals as well, to go to state and do well at state.”

On the girls’ side, Washington barely missed out on back-to-back trips to state last season, missing the team qualifying cut-off by only two points. But most of the roster is back and ready to return to Fort Dodge, including top runner Iris Dahl.

The junior finished fifth in Class 3A last year to earn her second top-six state medal in as many seasons. Dahl had eight top 10s in 2023, and she’ll have plenty of help on the team front.

Returning varsity runners for the Demon girls include sophomore Emma Horak, junior Angeline Anderson and seniors Quincy Griffis, Alyiva Anderson, Kendall Hinrichsen, Lauren Horak, Eden Levetzow and Isabella Lujan. Haworth says this team knows exactly what they want to accomplish.

“They want to get back to state,” she says, “they want to place at state [and] they want to win [the] conference. They’re the ones pushing each other each and every day. They’re going to all be working really hard to fight for those top seven spots.”

Washington begins the 2024 cross country season by competing Saturday at a meet in Anamosa.