The new boys’ wrestling season gets underway for the Washington Demons tomorrow, and there’s plenty of excitement around the program. Washington finished runner-up in team duals in the Southeast Conference last season and returns four all-conference grapplers.

Among that quartet is senior Aaron Boone, Washington’s lone state qualifier last season. Boone went on to finish fourth in the state in Class 2A at 132 pounds and had a record of 42-3, including conference and district championships and six total tournament titles.

Also back for the Demons is junior Caden Greiner, who reached the state championships at 132 lbs two years ago. Despite falling just short of a return trip to Des Moines at 138 last season, Greiner was still a first-team all-conference selection and won 36 bouts.

Second-team all-conference honorees return for Washington as well, like senior Nate Edmonds, who was fourth in Class 2A District 12 with 25 victories at 113; and sophomore Blaine Rees, who went 32-19 at 175.

There’s a host of other returning wrestlers with plenty of varsity experience back for Demons head coach Justin Chambers, who tells KCII Sports that his athletes earn their place on the mat by putting in the hard work to get to match day.

“All the credit goes to our kids,” Chambers says. “Their willingness to be blue collar and just show up and work [and] just having kids that are willing to put in the time and the effort, I would take that any day over all the talent in the world.”

Washington starts a new boys’ wrestling season tomorrow night by hosting a quadrangular with Mid-Prairie, WACO and Highland