A packed house and great basketball create incredible atmosphere for the girls and boys varsity games between the Camas Papermakers and Union Titans

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

This is why a high school sporting event is the best value in Southwest Washington.

The Camas Papermakers and Union Titans gave their fans two buzzworthy performances for the price of one Friday night.

For $7, fans got to see the boys varsity game, featuring two rivals battling each other in front of a packed house at the Camas High School gym.

Then they got to see the girls varsity game, featuring two rivals battling each other in front of a packed house. 

In the end, Camas got the win in both games.

All the fans were victorious, too.

In the girls game, it was the defending state champions going up against a team that believed it was ready to challenge the champs.

Well, the Titans can believe, because they certainly did challenge the Papermakers.

The champions, though, still have the edge … at least this night. Camas held on for a 71-69 victory after a wild, close second half that saw a number of momentum swings. These teams will face each other two more times this season, as well.

It was so chaotic that Camas coach Scott Thompson admitted he wanted to just be a fan for the final quarter, before snapping back into coach-mode.

The players appreciated the madness, too.

“You gotta love a Union game,” Camas senior Sophie Buzzard said. “Everyone talks about it the whole week. Everyone talks about it during class. It’s a great build-up to the moment. Then you get on the court, and it’s just great momentum going into the game.”

Camas crushed it in the first quarter, with Baylie Farra leading the way to a 17-2 lead. Farra made her first three 3-pointers and was 4 of 6 from the 3-point line in the first eight minutes.

The Papermakers maintained the double-digit lead at halftime.

Then Union came alive with a 27-point third quarter. Janessa Chatman had a three-point play to tie the game midway through the third. 

The last 3:35 of that quarter was pure chaos, in all the beautiful, wonderful ways that basketball can create when two teams keep trying to one-up the other.

Camas took the lead. Then Union.

Camas senior Keirra Thompson followed up her school-record 40-point performance earlier in the week with 34 points in this one. She buried a 3-pointer for another Camas lead. Thompson also hit the 1,000-point mark for her career. 

Brooklynn Haywood, who struggled with her shot in the first half, found her touch in this quarter, and hit a 3-pointer to tie it for Union. 

Next trip down the court, Farra for Camas from 3.

Then Haywood with the 3-pointer for Union. 

Then Thompson for 3 for Camas.

Haywood right back at ya for 3. 

Did we mention the gym was packed, with some fans standing on the balcony, engrossed in this incredible display?

De’Chaiya Gentle finished the scoring in the quarter with a bucket off an assist from Thompson for a 51-49 Camas lead.

That is when Camas coach Scott Thompson had a … well, it wasn’t an out-of-body experience, but it certainly was an out-of-coaching experience. He did not forget where he was, but he kind of wanted to forget about coaching for a minute.

“I’m just going to take a step back as a coach really quick and say, ‘This is one of the most awesome games I’ve ever been a part of. This is what we live for,’” Thompson said he told his team. “Then I started talking about what we were going to do in the fourth.”

Yes, it was that kind of game. Add in the crowd, and oh, the atmosphere. Officially, this is just a regular-season game in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League, but maybe one had to be there to feel the energy. This was more than just a regular-season game.

“Sometimes moments like that, especially with a young team, can bring out some nerves. I just wanted them to take a deep breath and say, ‘This is awesome. This is why we do this,’” Thompson explained after the game. “So they can go out and play free and take in that moment and have fun. Live their best life and play great.”

Camas never trailed in the fourth quarter, but the game remained tight. Union tied it twice, in fact, the last time on a Chatman fast-break bucket with 3:00 to play.

Keirra Thompson, who was 11 of 22 from the floor and made seven 3-pointers, converted on a spin move down low for a 61-59 lead.

Then, the play of the night for the Papermakers. Buzzard, who played superb defense all night on Haywood, forced a pass, and Lauren Hood was ready. She got the steal, leading to a Camas 3-pointer from Farra for a 64-59 lead with 2:15 to play.

A year ago, Hood and Farra were on the team but rarely on the floor during clutch moments, down the stretch of close games. 

Now, they are shining under the spotlight.

“It’s so fun to be surrounded by this team, and everyone is hyping each other up,” Hood said. “And the crowd is obviously great, so it’s pretty fun.”

Farra was 6 for 12 from 3-point range for her 18 points.

“It was amazing. I have great teammates who lift me up the whole time,” Farra said. “The crowd was going crazy. It was a great game to shoot like that.”

Next to step up on offense was Buzzard, who drained a 3-pointer for an eight-point lead with 1:45 to play. 

She said the Papermakers don’t get rattled. Buzzard and Keirra Thompson have been in these battles for years. But now the younger players have stepped up into these clutch roles.

“Our coach is great at keeping everyone composed,” Buzzard said. “We don’t get too hyped after one basket and forget to get back on defense. We just work really hard together.”

The Titans had another mini rally in them, getting to within two points with 24 seconds left. Camas made enough free throws, and Union never had the ball with a chance to tie in the final minute. The Titans made a 3-pointer just before the buzzer for the final margin.

Earlier in the night, the boys game got the vibes started with a competitive matchup, as well. Camas would pull away for a 60-48 victory.

From the opening tip until the final horn, the game brought out the best in both student sections. 

Camas and Union were pretty much instant rivals in all sports since Union opened its doors in 2007, with the campus on the border of the Camas city limits. Football and basketball have produced some incredible moments.

For years, Union ruled the 4A GSHL in boys basketball, and this rivalry.

Not so much anymore. These days, Camas is the league champion. Camas is the team to beat.

And the Papermakers were not going to be denied in the league opener on Friday.

Ethan Harris scored 31 points as Camas pushed a three-point halftime lead to the 12-point victory.

“When you see us out there, we’re a team. We’re not just five guys on a court trying to do everything ourselves,” Harris said. “When we succeed, it’s because we made that extra pass. That’s what it comes down to.”

As Harris and his teammates were walking off the court, they wished the Camas girls team well for their matchup against Union.

“Here at Camas, we’ve got a great culture,” Harris said. “It’s the boys and the girls.”

When Camas and Union boys and girls play doubleheaders in basketball, it is the basketball community that earns the W, no matter the result on the scoreboard.

Note: Reporter Paul Valencia has covered Southwest Washington high school sports for 25 years.