Union’s streak comes to an end, plus tidbits on Skyview, Heritage, and Battle Ground
Here are the weekly football notes from the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League
CAMAS PAPERMAKERS (3-0)
Week 3: Camas 45, West Valley (Yakima) 14
Still perfect: It is not an oddity that Camas won a football game Friday night.
That happens regularly.
But what was weird is that Camas was the only Class 4A Greater St. Helens League team to get a win on Friday.
To be fair to the other teams, it was quite the tough schedule. And Camas was not exactly playing a state championship contender.
Still, Camas is doing what it is supposed to be doing right now: Using the non-league schedule to get better and better.
In Week 2, the Papermakers put up 70 points in a win over Hazen.
In Week 3, the Papermakers scored 45 points in the first half, then shut it down.
The schedule gets tougher for Camas now: at Bellevue in Week 4. League play opens in Week 5 against Heritage. Then it’s a home non-league game against Sumner in Week 6. Camas lost to Bellevue and Sumner last year.
This year? As you know, this year is being called the Revenge Tour at Camas.
So far, the Papermakers are right on schedule.
“We are coming together as a team. This is a very solid group of seniors,” Camas coach Jon Eagle said. “Their leadership has been great.”
The running game has become a strength and the team is developing more weapons on offense every week, the coach said.
Jacques Badolato-Birdsell scored four more touchdowns in Week 3, giving him nine this season.
Quarterback Jake Blair found Jackson Clemmer and Charlie Bump on touchdown passes.
As the skill position guys find a groove, so too is the Camas defense.
“We are playing with more confidence, which translates into our guys playing faster and physical,” Eagle said.
He noted the linebackers, led by Tyler Forner and Jackson Preston, are playing well, along with the “young lions,” a sophomore crew of linebackers.
Next: at Bellevue, 7 p.m. Friday
UNION TITANS (2-1)
Week 3: Eastlake 31, Union 8
The streak is over: Before moving on to the next streak, here’s a salute to the 2018 and 2019 Union Titans, winners of 16 in a row. That does not happen often in Clark County. Congrats.
Union coach Rory Rosenbach said last year’s group went 14-0 and this year’s group started 2-0, and that was an accomplishment.
Now, though, this group knows what it feels like to be on the wrong end of the scoreboard.
“It reminds us that those 16 games were won through preparation Monday through Thursday,” Rosenbach said. “We don’t just show up on Fridays. I hope this reminds everybody.”
The score got out of hand Friday against Eastlake, but Rosenbach was pleased, for the most part, with his team’s defensive effort, especially in the first half.
Eastlake’s quarterback, which reminded Rosenbach of Union graduate Lincoln Victor, was just too fast for the Titans.
“We couldn’t get off the field on third down to save our lives,” Rosenbach said.
For the most part, though, he gave credit to Eastlake for winning the game rather than saying the Titans lost the game.
“They beat us in every facet,” Rosenbach said. “Their kids were dialed in. Their crowd was great. We just came out flat.”
Next: Union hosts Chiawana at 4:30 p.m. Friday at McKenzie Stadium.
SKYVIEW STORM (2-1)
Week 3: Mount Si 31, Skyview 26
Quarterback talk:
The Storm struggled early but made it a game with two late touchdowns.
“Just having the momentum, coming back in the fourth, it showed what our offense can do,” Skyview quarterback Yaro Duvalko said. “It was a great testament to our coaching.”
Duvalko acknowledged that at times early in the game, the Storm veered off into playing “backyard football.” The message at halftime was to get back to the basics.
“We play better when we do what we’re coached, not when we’re doing our own thing,” Duvalko said.
The Storm watched the film. They saw what they did wrong. They saw what they did right.
At practice Monday, the Storm were fired up.
“A lot of us were a lot more excited than I thought we’d be,” Duvalko said.
The Storm know what they did wrong. They feel confident they know how to fix it, moving forward.
“That’s why we play these (non-league) games,” Duvalko said.
Next: Skyview hosts Rogers of Puyallup at 5 p.m. Friday at Kiggins Bowl.
HERITAGE TIMBERWOLVES (2-1)
Week 3: Kelso 41, Heritage 7
Positive outlook:
Heritage coach Dennis Moody knows all about the final score, and what it looks like. But he promises, from a coach’s point of view, it was not that bad.
In the first half, he said, Kelso drove on Heritage once. Just once. Kelso managed a long touchdown run and a punt return for a touchdown to make it 20-0.
Heritage ended up rushing for more than 300 yards, the coach added. The problem was finishing. The Timberwolves had three red-zone opportunities that ended with no points.
“The difference is we’re just non consistent yet,” Moody said. “We’re not good enough yet to overcome mistakes.”
A drive here stalled after a penalty. On defense, the Timberwolves had Kelso on a third-and-51, and yet Kelso scored a touchdown on the play. Ouch.
“Yeah, the score says 41-7, but our guys didn’t quit,” Moody said. “Just one of those nights. At the end of the day, they were stronger than us.”
After watching the video, though, Moody said he didn’t feel that bad. His players are working hard.
Next: Heritage takes on Mountain View in the second game at McKenzie Stadium, around 7 p.m. or so.
BATTLE GROUND TIGERS (1-2)
Week 3: Mountain View 24, Battle Ground 13
Well played:
One gets the feeling that Battle Ground coach Mike Kesler is not much into “moral victories.”
Still, if there is one, this was one.
Mountain View had scored 55 and 54 points on Battle Ground the previous two seasons.
“The kids competed pretty well,” Kesler said. “We’re getting better every week. We just gotta continue to sustain more of the positives than the negatives.”
In this one, Mountain View did not put it away until a late field goal gave them the 11-point cushion.
“They’re not the Mountain View they’ve been the last few years, but they’re still a good, competitive team,” Kesler said.
Standouts:
Kesler loved Steven Hancock’s running attack once again. On defense, he pointed out the play of cornerback Lane Landas, who knocked away several passes.
Next: It’s rivalry week. Battle Ground takes on Prairie at 7 p.m. at District Stadium.
“The kids take it a little bit more personal,” Kesler said. “They know most of those kids. They’ve played youth ball with them or against them for years.”
