After one of the best seasons in school history, the time has come for Washington Demons cross country to really show what they’re made of. Washington will host a Class 3A state qualifying meet this evening at Washington Golf & Country Club, hosting Fairfield, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Mount Pleasant, West Burlington-Notre Dame, South Tama County, Mount Vernon-Lisbon, Maquoketa, Assumption, Center Point-Urbana, Central DeWitt and Epworth.

The Demons have the 15th-ranked girls team in 3A cross country thanks to a conference championship, four meet wins and no finish worse than sixth. Freshman Iris Dahl is ranked 12th individually in 3A and has been around the top five all year, including finishing second at the Southeastern Conference Championships. It will already be a massive victory for Washington if just one runner qualifies for state this season after none did in 2021.

Washington also has the 18th-ranked boys’ team after winning the SEC and five total meets. The Demons boast one of the state’s elite runners in junior Micah Rees, ranked sixth after he won the SEC boys’ title and at one point won four meets in a row. Rees was 36th at the 3A State Championships last year, one of two Demon runners to make it to state.