Papermakers to travel to Auburn-Riverside for state qualifier playoff game

Camas Papermakers (8-1, 3-1 4A GSHL)

Week 1: Camas 35, Central Catholic (Ore.) 13

Week 2: Camas 34, Sherwood (Ore.) 13

Week 3: Camas 52, Davis 19

Week 4: Camas 28, Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) 25

Week 5: Camas 35, Battle Ground 0

Week 6: Camas 38, Skyview 20

Week 7: Camas 63, Battle Ground 13

Week 8: Camas 34, Sunnyside 19

Week 9: Union 14, Camas 13
Next: Camas at Auburn-Riverside, 7 p.m. Friday in Class 4A state qualifier playoff

The streaks are over, but we can still celebrate them … at least one more time. Congrats again Papermakers for this incredible run of excellence.

Thank you:

I wrote this on Twitter the other night, but here are a few more thoughts on The Streaks, and how being at most of all of the big games through the years has been one of the highlights of my career.

I was there the last time the Papermakers lost a league game, back in 2009, when Union scored, recovered an onside kick, and scored again to steal the 3A GSHL title in Week 9.

I was there the last time the Papermakers lost a game in the regular season, when Skyview, then the class of the Class 4A GSHL, beat Camas, the top team in the 3A GSHL, in 2011.

Since then, I’ve been at just about every big game for Camas, all the wins in the regular season, and I was at the biggest of big, the state championship last season.

It is believed, by the way, that the streak of 58 wins in a row in the regular season is the fourth-longest such streak in Washington high school history.

The Papermakers did this against a bunch of good teams, too. This was not some mega team playing in a weak conference or a team scheduling cupcakes in non-league play.

In 2012, Camas, Union, and Skyview were all in the 4A GSHL together for the first time. Camas beat its top two rivals in league by a combined score of 64-17. That was just the beginning.

The next year, it was a 91-18 combined score.

In 2014, Camas combined to score 93 against those two foes.

In those three years, Union and Skyview went a combined 5-1 in Week 10 playoff games. In other words, those were quality teams.

By 2015, Battle Ground became a threat. Camas scored 49 on the Tigers in that one. Battle Ground, too, would win a playoff game that year.

In 2016, Camas rolled over Skyview 31-9. The Storm would go on to the state semifinals.

Common theme in all those league games against the top contenders: Never a doubt for the Papermakers.

Then there are the huge non-league games that Camas played in, never backing away from a challenge. The Papermakers always prefer to schedule the best.

Remember the 2013 season opener when Camas turned a game against Oregon powerhouse Jesuit in to a running clock situation? Camas led Jesuit by more than 40 points!

Then there was the 2014 season opener against the defending state champions from Chiawana. The Papermakers held off Chiawana in a two-point game to win another regular-season game. Camas would move to 2-0 that season with a win over another traditional playoff team, Federal Way.

Next season, same result against those two, including a road win at Chiawana.

Then last year, Camas opened with a big win over another Oregon power. Central Catholic had no chance in Week 1.

And in Week 14, the Camas Champions were crowned. The Papermakers beat Richland for the state title to complete a 14-0 season

The 2017 Papermakers would win eight in a row for an overall total of 22 wins in a row. The most memorable from this season has to be the comeback against Coeur d’Alene.

The 2017 Papermakers made it to 58 consecutive wins in the regular season. And by winning the first three games of the 2017 league season, that gave Camas 41 league wins in a row.

“A lot of players and lot of coaches have put in a lot of time and effort for that to happen,” Camas coach Jon Eagle said. “That’s a result of all the time, effort and energy.”

So congratulations to Union for ending all those streaks. But a big salute to the Papermakers of today and yesterday for this memorable ride for Clark County football.

I told Union coach Rory Rosenbach that I doubt I’ll ever cover anything like that again, a streak, or streaks, of that nature. His response?

“They might start another one again next week,” he said, pointing at the Papermakers.

True. The Papermakers would love a five-game win streak to finish 2017, to defend that state championship.

Defense:

The Camas defense had one of its best games of the season, considering the opponent. Union had scored 43 or more points in each of its last four games.

Sam Malychewski, usually a linebacker, was moved to defensive line for this one and simply dominated. He had a sack and several other tackles for no gain or loss.

Taylor Adams had two interceptions. Semisi Schultz had a tackle-for-loss. Will Schultz had a big stop, too. As did Luke Bruno, Jordan Howes, and Dawson Ingram.

And it seemed like every time I looked up in the second half, Ja’Michael Shelton was in on a sack, or another tackle-for-loss, or knocking down a third-down pass.

Sometimes a penalty does not really penalize a team:

Today, the Papermakers probably wish that Union did not jump offside on a field goal attempt midway through the third quarter.

It was fourth-and-6 from the 8-yard line, with Camas up 13-0. The Papermakers lined up for a field goal.

Offside Union.

It was a 4-yard penalty (half the distance to the goal line), which set up fourth-and-2. (Officially, fourth-and-2, but in reality a yard-and-a-half.)

Camas had already had an extra point blocked. There was no guarantee of the three points with a field goal attempt. So the Papermakers opted instead to try to get a first down.

If Camas gets the first down there and adds a touchdown, the game would have been pretty much over.

Alas, Union got the fourth-down stop, and that was the last scoring threat from the Papermakers.

That offside penalty against the Titans turned out to help the Titans.

Next and beyond:

The Papermakers have to travel for a Week 10 playoff to take on Auburn-Riverside. While many from Clark County expect Camas to win, Auburn-Riverside does have the same record. A-R does not play the same, tough schedule as Camas but the Ravens did shut out three opponents and have only given up 12.1 points per game.
Should Camas prevail in Week 10, looks like the Papermakers would be on the road again.

There is still hope of another home game for Camas. If the Papermakers make it to Week 12, the state quarterfinals, that could be at Doc Harris Stadium.